Deciding for Enviornmental Chemistry

[EnvChm]

As decision day gets closer, I realize more and more that I have absolutely no idea what I am doing. I have been accepted into Michigan State University (East Lansing, MI), University of Alaska (Fairbanks, AK), and State University of New York-Enviornmental Science and Forestry (Syracuse, NY). Right now I do environmental analytical chemistry research and I would like to continue to do this kind of work. MSU would be more chemistry based without much environmental, and SUNY and UAF would be better for environmental science. The main issue is that even though MSU isn't very much environmental they have the best offer, so just not sure what to do. Any advice?

[219701865]

Well, you'd have to balance how much you want to do environmental stuff (as opposed to chemistry) versus how lucrative the MSU offer is. 

If more environmental-focused work is more enticing, did SUNY-ESF make you a better offer, or did UAF? Keep in mind that it's very expensive to live in Alaska and it's not for everyone. 

[219701865]

For what it's worth, I was in a similar quandary last year where I had to decide between a good offer from a bigger name school vs. average offers from lesser-known programs that were better research fits. I chose the former. 

[EnvChm]

That's the exact same boat I'm in right now. I'm mainly between SUNY-ESF and MSU. I know MSU has a bigger program and much better funding, but I am more interested in the research at SUNY-ESF. Five years is a long time to spend at a school doing research, but I am also concerned with getting a job after graduation and which would be more beneficial.