looking for feedback

[enginerd]

So, I have been accepted with funding from my 2 top choices, both were 'reach' schools. Both programs are ms/phd in mechanical engineering. They each have their pros and cons. I don't even know where to begin with this decision. Perhaps I will start with the pros and cons of each:

UC Berkeley:

Pros: Liberal Culture, not just a technical school, beautiful San Francisco, ranked only slightly higher than Gatech but is a more famous name, proximity to silicon valley which is a career goal, this was originally my first choice, more female faculty (I'm female), closer to Reno where my partner is likely to go to school, smaller program which totally appeals to me, the bay area is a dream I have always had

Cons: Stipend is only 19,000/yr vs 24,000 at georgia tech, cost of living is RIDICULOUS, It never really gets warm here summer highs are 70's I live in the desert now and I love 100F!, I think I am a liberal but I wonder if the hippy ultra liberals might just be too much for me.

Georgia tech:

Pros: More money, lower cost of living, larger school with slightly more course offerings and a more variety of areas being researched, have an adviser picked out that I really enjoy (on a personality basis, both schools have profs with relevant research), I have experience living in the south so it seems less scary and intimidating to me,I already developed a sense of loyalty for the Prof here and will feel really bad about telling him I decided on Berkeley instead.

Cons: Reputation isn't as well known (at least outside of technical people), Safety concerns around campus, more homogeneous campus (mostly male, mostly white), Seems like a numbers game "more phd's, more phd's...", I don't know if its just me but I felt like at the recruiting visit that these people didn't like me very much, I was so nervous and intimidated that I was not myself at all. I am almost embarrassed to go back based on my social awkwardness and the opinions Im sure they have already formed. (God, I am sounding like such an emo woman...)

I am interested in feedback on the reputation of the two schools, and on the legitimacy of my reasoning in my list of pros and cons. I am interested too if there are some factors that I have not considered (due to my ignorance about grad school) that would be relevant and be something that I need to investigate.

[rutiana]

I might be biased, but for technical degrees I have a higher regard for GaTech. From what you've said, it seems GaTech is the more 'logical' choice but if you really feel that you would be uncomfortable there then you should go with your gut.

Although, I highly doubt they actually formed poor opinions of you. You were accepted with a great stipend, and people understand nerves.

[Mrs. Grad]

Berkeley may not get too warm, but if you travel 15 miles inland during the summer, you'll hit 100+ temperatures. I was raised about 40 miles from Berkeley and it can get hot, hot, hot.

Edited February 17, 2011 by ej_flambert

[roarie]

Is that Berkeley funding guaranteed for the full time that you will be a student? I'm not an engineer by any means, but I know with all the financial troubles, Berkeley seems to be having difficulties with funding across the board.

Also, what will your teaching responsibilities be like? Can you ask them? It might be a humanities thing, but I know many people at Berkeley seem a bit resentful that they have to TA so many classes and extend their PhD duration so that they can get financed.

Cost of living in East Bay is definitely not as bad as SF. You can find cheap housing in Berkeley, it just might not be ... not dilapidated. Or you know, rent out your living room.

[enginerd]

Is that Berkeley funding guaranteed for the full time that you will be a student? I'm not an engineer by any means, but I know with all the financial troubles, Berkeley seems to be having difficulties with funding across the board.

Also, what will your teaching responsibilities be like? Can you ask them? It might be a humanities thing, but I know many people at Berkeley seem a bit resentful that they have to TA so many classes and extend their PhD duration so that they can get financed.

Cost of living in East Bay is definitely not as bad as SF. You can find cheap housing in Berkeley, it just might not be ... not dilapidated. Or you know, rent out your living room.

Thanks for the replys. The funding from Berkeley is only guaranteed for one year, same with Gatech though. It is a research position not teaching, with engineering this is typically the way. I think it is a little bit different from the humanities in that engineering research is funded by outside agencies, NSF, DOD, DOE and many private companies as well. The research I do will be the subject of my dissertation, so it is not really an additional work load. Actually, I dont know anything at all about humanities so maybe it is the same way with that, I have no idea. I do not have any offers on the table that guarantee funding for the whole time, only for one year, so I will have to go on faith with wherever I go for the future.