another "dilemma" post. which program should i choose?

[adsum]

hello everyone,

i've been reading a lot on this forum throughout my entire grad application process, and although many people have asked before, i was hoping i could get some of your opinions. i am really torn between two programs (PhD in neuroscience), as they are both excellent programs-- but for completely opposite reasons. i will refer to these schools as school A and school B. here is a run down:

school A gave me extremely good vibes from day 1. the research environment was extremely collegial and faculty that i interviewed with were all enthusiastic to meet me and talk about their research. the interviewees got to spend A LOT of time with the current students in the program (we went out all 3 nights) and I meshed well with all. i felt right at home and could see myself being extremely happy for the next 4-6 years around these people. in terms of research, school A is a bit outside of my current research interests-- i am definitely interested in molecular neurosci, but the majority of the research is focused on "systems". the PI that I would work with is very well connected and comes from great lineage; however, there are no back-up PI's that would be able to provide me with good training in neuroscience. don't get me wrong, there are 3+ faculty members that I'd love to work with, however, all of them come from engineering or chemistry backgrounds and have directly told me that they too are only beginning to learn the language of biology and the components of neuroscience (this program is unique in that there is a lot of collaborative efforts that bridge engineering disciplines with neuroscience). my most favorite thing about school A (other than the innovative research) is the coursework. excluding the required journal club and one other course, there are NO course requirements. the advising committee will recommend classes for the student that will aid in the students research, but to simply put, you don't have to take any BS classes.

school b is a very prestigious top 10 school that did a good job at "wining and dining". my instincts have never failed me, and my gut instinct for this program was not great. i didn't "click" with the other applicants. it was definitely more of an exhausting weekend as opposed to it being fun & exciting. i do think the main reason for all of this is that it is an umbrella program, and entrance to the neuroscience program occurs through the umbrella. it was a bit annoying to hear nearly every faculty member ask me what my interests were to only say that I don't actually know what my research interests are. i was also asked "tough questions" (ie. interpret my data, what does this mean to you, even some straight-up "what are the positively charged amino acids"?). we learned about all the different programs one may choose from, which i don't really understand considering that the majority of the faculty members have secondary & tertiary appointments in various departments. this experience may have been completely different if i had a chance to learn more about the specific research and less about the specific departments. i just want to talk more science!! the coursework requirements are also a bit more than i'd like, but once again, damn umbrella. the only factor about this school that makes my decision a difficult one is the fact that this school has EVERYTHING i could possibly need to complete a successful thesis. there are several faculty members that i'd love to work with, and they are all amazing scientists and mentors with an even stronger track record. success breeds success here. the facilities are some of the top. they have everything and lots of training grants available. stipend is slightly higher than school A (cost of living is equal in area A and . i know many opportunities would be available to me here that may not be at school A.

so, to simply put, my dilemma is this: should one choose the school that guarantees happiness or the one that guarantees success? and please, no cliche answers like "happiness leads to success or vice versa". as aspiring scientists, we all know that there are emotional needs and there are scientific/research needs, and in this case, they do not exist together (based on first impressions). i feel like i could get too comfortable at school A, while school B would provide me with the challenges I need to thrive. logically, school B would be the best choice, but for some reason, my gut told me to go with A. Please shed some light.

--Confused.

[laurend]

I had a similar problem, choosing between vibe and research fit/ more money. Usually I would say go with the vibe you got and how happy you would be. You are unlikely to be as successful as possile when you are miserable. Also, I assume school a is also a good program. However, it would make me VERY nervous to go somewhere with only one possible mentor. I am going with vibe, happiness and to the place I feel

will prepare me best (grant writing, teaching, skill set etc).

Edited March 6, 2011 by laurend

[laurend]

Also, if research fit isn't dead on keep in mind which techniques you would be using and how easily you could switch back to your original plans as a post doc if you choose. I know a post doc that I having trouble getting job interviews because he switched from

in vivo recordings in primates to behavior in mice. That can make it hard to get grants and such.