School ranking & funding vs. research fit

[MakeYourself]

I'm deciding between 2 schools right now. One is clearly a higher ranked school than the other and can also offer me more financial assistance. The other is not a top-tier school but it is a good school nonetheless, and it will also offer me good funding (just not AS good).

I'm leaning towards the lower-ranked school because my research interests are CLEARLY more in line with this school (and I think I'd work better with the supervisor).

But I just want to be sure - am I cutting my chances of getting a good job if I turn-down the higher-ranked school? When most people hear that I have offers from these 2 schools, they think it's an easy decision and that I should definitely choose the high-rank school. But most people don't really understand the academic world so I think asking all you great folks will yield me some better advice

Thanks!

[Biro]

Now that's a toughie!

I'm one of those guys with the "best-school-possible" complex.. perhaps because of the competitive atmosphere around me..

These university names will stick with you forever, that's why I would personally go for the better school and do my best to get what I want out of it.. (e.g. search for other professors whose research interests suite me..). At the end of the day students tend to change their research interests with time while the university name can not be changed on the cv!

Still though, if you're positive and passionate about the other school then it's stil better than all the psychopathetic social-complex stuff I wrote above

[CarlieE]

I think it depends on where you are planning to work after your degree and in what field (academic/non-academic). After reading ebrahim's post, I have to mention there are cultural differences that will influence your choice and some of our (poster's) opinions here...

I'm from Southeast Asia and if I were to want to work THERE, I'd be better off picking the top tier name brand school because employers DO discriminate based upon that factor and quite heavily. I'm sure there's a similar form of this here in the US, though perhaps it is less obvious (all relative of course). I don't know - the job market here seems more based on meritocratic system, whilst in some other places in Asia, it can be different.. and again, your field may be different... What do current professionals think?

My personal opinion is to choose whichever school you think your research fits best (but you have to determine how wedded you are to your topic and its focus), where you will be most happy for the next 5-7 years of your life possibly, and consider funding..

Edited March 5, 2012 by anthroDork

[Eigen]

I chose the lower-ranked school with a better research fit, and I have yet to regret it. In fact, I think it was a great choice.

Some of this is very field dependent, however- I think in some ways it matters less in the sciences where you do your PhD than where you do your post-doc, and it seems well possible to get into good post-doctoral positions from lower schools if you've had great research output.

I'm not sure what the situation is in Pyschology, however.

[Scalia]

I'm kind of dealing with this as well also within the field of psychology.

One school is a top 10 but not quite as comfortable.

One school is top 25 and I'm more comfortable with the advisor.

Funding is the same.

I have no freaking clue what I'll do.

[NinjaMermaid]

I'm deciding between 2 schools right now. One is clearly a higher ranked school than the other and can also offer me more financial assistance. The other is not a top-tier school but it is a good school nonetheless, and it will also offer me good funding (just not AS good).

I'm leaning towards the lower-ranked school because my research interests are CLEARLY more in line with this school (and I think I'd work better with the supervisor).

But I just want to be sure - am I cutting my chances of getting a good job if I turn-down the higher-ranked school? When most people hear that I have offers from these 2 schools, they think it's an easy decision and that I should definitely choose the high-rank school. But most people don't really understand the academic world so I think asking all you great folks will yield me some better advice

Thanks!

My undergrad advisors pounded one thing into my brain - you don't pick graduate school for the school, you pick it for the advisor . You have to have this person as your supervisor for the next 7 years. That's a long time to convince yourself to "make it". Not to mention, you should be as active meeting people and networking as you can be. Who is to say that you cannot go to said lower ranked school but keep the higher ranked profs as contacts? And finally, the program is crucial. Let's say you do need to change your study project or direction, it would be much easier to do this in a program where you enjoy many aspects, than one in which you enjoy few.

[OldDome]

As someone who is now struggling with what to do at a school that has funding problems, I will tell you that funding is definitely a serious consideration.

However, if the lower ranked school does have adequate funding, just maybe not as much as the other, and is more in line with your reserach interests then I'd say go for it.

Edited March 6, 2012 by OldDome

[MakeYourself]

Thanks everyone!

I think my gut is telling me to go to the lower-ranked school. I mean, both my research interests and my compatibility with the advisor are higher at this school so it only seems right. But it doesn't make the decision easy when the high-rank school is offering me a LOT of money. (Well, a lot in the academic world).

But I think I will follow my gut! Because money can't always buy happiness, right?