Follow the money?

[HumbabaRed]

I am finishing up my undergrad program at a no name university. I was accepted to two top 50 MA programs and my safety school barely a top 100 MA . Originally I wasn't given any funding but today found out I received a full ride at my safety school. The safety school also has a big name professor i would really like to work with. Should I follow the money, or will going to a lower ranked school prohibit me from going to a top program for my phd?

[StrangeLight]

if there's a well-known professor you'd be working with, i'd follow the funding.

[Malumat]

if there's a well-known professor you'd be working with, i'd follow the funding.

I say follow the money. Competitive applications for PhD programs coming out of more general MA programs are ones that have great letters from professors that are recognizable in the field and have clearly gotten to know the student, and that show promising work in the writing sample. Language proficiency can also be an important element. I don't think where the program is matters so much, especially because these programs are only valuable as means to develop your research interests and develop relationships with faculty, as I've mentioned before.

Anyway, if you get get these things and not have to go into debt that would be very good.