Comm people, please help!

[ugg42]

Please add you opinions! I have always felt American University is a better school--though I fear that opinion may be biased--yet I'm not sure I can survive in Washington D.C. with only a small stipend and loans.

Which program do you think is better??

Thanks for your help!

[hejduk]

I don't know much about American U's Media Studies program, but Kent State's isn't too shabby! Kent State is outside of Cleveland, which would be some tough winters, but on the flipside, DC is really freaking expensive.

I think you need to look at the profs you're wanting to work with, and which school will provide you with the best opportunities for a job when you graduate. Have you contacted students at each school to get their take on the program? I think a lot of people overlook this, but students are the best insight you can get on any one program.

Edited March 10, 2011 by hedjuk

[TVDOC]

A lack of responses is always annoying, so I will just add that I know nothing about either school so could not provide a useful answer, but the locations are night/day and should probably have some influence on your decisions as it will affect so many things such as lifestyle, commuting cost, commuting time, type/size of housing, etc...

[XOwlfan]

Are these MA programs or PhD programs? If you have any interest in political communications, it would seem American might bring you more opportunities. In addition to considering cost of living and program characteristics, it's helpful to think about your future "network" of peers. More than likely, you'll continue to keep in touch with your peers from graduate school--my adviser (now 30 years later) teaches in the same department with the person she published her first book with (they pursued their doctorates at the same time, in the same program). Which program will provide you with a network that you can call on later for connections, opportunities, collaborations, etc? If it's an MA program, you have a bit more flexibility--then I kind of lean toward the cheaper option because you could always go on to a doctoral program in a place like DC....Do you want to go into academia or into industry? If you'd rather work in the industry, perhaps DC would lend itself to more internship possibilities...

[ugg42]

Thank you guys so much for your input. They're MA programs, and I would like to go into the industry for awhile and then return for my PhD later in life and eventually settle into academia. Do you think it's bad to just choose a school based on money?

I know D.C. will have so many more networking opportunities but that $1300 rent is making me think twice. Is this just a plunge I have to take and deal with the $ situation later?

[XOwlfan]

If both programs fit your research interests, but the cost of living is significantly cheaper attending Kent State....AND they give you more money, I would lean that way then, particularly as you still sound pretty open and flexible about what you want to do later as a career. I have a ton of debt....and I chose a masters program that gave me money over a program at an ivy league school that admitted me without funding two years ago...I've never regretted that choice. (And I'm really happy I didn't have to take out $35K in loans like I would have for the other program).

[mdvlst]

You are right to think you can't survive in D.C. on that stipend, it will cover half of your rent, tops.

Please add you opinions! I have always felt American University is a better school--though I fear that opinion may be biased--yet I'm not sure I can survive in Washington D.C. with only a small stipend and loans.

Which program do you think is better??

Thanks for your help!