Choosing

[livinghistory]

Hi everyone! I'm currently trying to decide between an NYU master's in history ($60,000 just for tuition plus the cost of living in NYC) and another master's program that is not as good and not as good a fit for my interests (20th century German intellectual history), but is giving me a full ride and a stipend. I plan on going on for a PhD after my MA. Everyone I know is pushing NYU simply because its a better program and fits my interests better but not going into debt for my master's is really appealing. Can anyone with any experience at NYU's history MA give me any advice? Do you think your master's at NYU was worth it? Did it get you into the PhD program you wanted?

[histori041512]

Haven't been to NYU but unless you have $60,000 to spend right now, you are better off taking the full ride and then redirecting your specialization back to your goals once you get into a PhD program. Don't go into so much debt when the job market is the way it is now. I am going straight into a PhD program but I applied for an area of study that wasn't a main focus in my undergrad research. 

[AfricanusCrowther]

14 hours ago, livinghistory said:

Hi everyone! I'm currently trying to decide between an NYU master's in history ($60,000 just for tuition plus the cost of living in NYC) and another master's program that is not as good and not as good a fit for my interests (20th century German intellectual history), but is giving me a full ride and a stipend. I plan on going on for a PhD after my MA. Everyone I know is pushing NYU simply because its a better program and fits my interests better but not going into debt for my master's is really appealing. Can anyone with any experience at NYU's history MA give me any advice? Do you think your master's at NYU was worth it? Did it get you into the PhD program you wanted?

Unless you're independently wealthy, there is nothing that anyone with a master's degree from NYU or anywhere else can tell you that would make spending this amount of money worth it (well, I suppose they could say that there's a secret lair full of treasure and gold...)

[psstein]

NYU's MA programs are cash cows that fund their PhD programs. You're not likely to get the kind of support you need to successfully continue onto a PhD.

[TMP]

Skip NYU.  Take that funded masters or apply for the PhD in the fall.

[MtrlHstryGrl]

I was in a similar boat last application season and was offered Master's admission to Columbia and NYU. I was offered a partial scholarship to Columbia. I was also admitted to my current program with a full tuition scholarship. I told one of my favorite professors about this dilemma, and he immediately told me to take the scholarship. Funded Master's are, as I understand it, few and far between. 

[OHSP]

On 3/28/2020 at 8:26 PM, livinghistory said:

Hi everyone! I'm currently trying to decide between an NYU master's in history ($60,000 just for tuition plus the cost of living in NYC) and another master's program that is not as good and not as good a fit for my interests (20th century German intellectual history), but is giving me a full ride and a stipend. I plan on going on for a PhD after my MA. Everyone I know is pushing NYU simply because its a better program and fits my interests better but not going into debt for my master's is really appealing. Can anyone with any experience at NYU's history MA give me any advice? Do you think your master's at NYU was worth it? Did it get you into the PhD program you wanted?

If you're still weighing options, I can put you in touch with current NYU MA students. I would never pay that amount for an MA, personally, and I don't know how happy the MA are. 

Edited April 7, 2020 by OHSP