FSU or Boulder for Classics MA?

[brighteyedathena]

So, like many of you, I have a big decision to make. I need to choose between two Classics MA programs: FSU and Boulder. 

As of right now, FSU is offering me full funding. I'm on the waitlist for funding at Boulder, but I've been told I'm near the top of the list so getting funding is possible.

I haven't been able to visit, but Boulder's program sounds amazing and they have two faculty there who are very closely related to my interests. One person in particular sounds like she would be an obvious choice to be my thesis advisor when the time comes. Boulder is also a very liberal place, which is important to me since I'm gay and very politically active. Howvever, I know it's also a very expensive place to live, and I've been told that the grad students there are very stressed and not very friendly. I'm not sure what the culture of the program is and I don't know if the stipend they offer is really enough to live on.

On the other side of things, I visited FSU recently and I got really good vibes from the faculty and other grad students. Most of them seemed very friendly and personable, and also very willing to help you find jobs and experience even if you decide academia isn't for you. They also have a Museum Studies certificate that I would continue to be funded for for the extra year it would take, and their program has a strong emphasis in gaining teaching experience, which I think is important. I can also take a elective course to work on my Greek a little more before I would dive into graduate level reading courses, which I think I need. It's also a much cheaper place to live.

There are some cons here though. I'm worried about living in the South (for obvious political reasons, but also because I don't handle heat very well), I've heard there's a lot of crime, and there isn't really anyone in the department that's working on exactly the kind of stuff I would be interested in. Also, it's a serious pain in the ass to get to and from there from basically everywhere. 

Overall, I think FSU has a strong program with great people and I would likely be quite happy there. However, if Boulder does come through with funding and it is enough to live on without getting another job... I don't know which one I should choose. Does anyone have any information about either program that might give me some insight into what I should do?
 

[rising_star]

Someone thinks Tallahassee has a lot of crime? WOW! That genuinely surprises me. I'll also note that if you look at a political map, it's pretty clear that Tallahassee is the liberal city surrounded by more conservative rural areas. There's a big LGBT community there. Whether it's a serious PITA to get to other places is really a matter of perspective. Tallahassee has an airport that offers connections to the major hubs of several airlines (Charlotte and Atlanta are the most frequent flights). It's also within a five hour drive of Atlanta, Orlando, and Tampa. That said, it does get warm there in the summer (climate data from Wikipedia). But, has anyone pointed out that Colorado is also warm in the summer? It's definitely drier in Colorado but the summer highs average in the mid to upper 80s in Boulder (per Wikipedia). There's actually not a big difference in the July and August average highs in the two places (much to my surprise!).Just something to consider. 

I would see if current students can give you a sense of what level of funding you'd be likely to get in Boulder. Then, ask them if they're able to live comfortably on that. My guess is that the answer is no because you said the cost of living is high. But it's definitely worth asking. If you think you'd be happy at FSU, are you willing to be more stressed to live in Boulder? That's a question no one here can answer for you.