Does anyone not feel 100% about their final decision?

[svh]

svh - If the funding is greatly different, then I would follow the money. Money is so important (unfortunately) and you don't want to accumulate debt.

I don't think I'd accumulate debt either way. I think it really comes down to comfort, savings, being able to spend for trips, etc. Since I won't be taking any debt, what do you think then?

[gurlsaved]

Well if money is no issue, then I would look at research fit and faculty. Taking trips might be important depending on if you are traveling home because of a relationship - that would be important.

[psychgurl]

I don't think I'd accumulate debt either way. I think it really comes down to comfort, savings, being able to spend for trips, etc. Since I won't be taking any debt, what do you think then?

I would consider fit with POI if both the programs in general seem like good fits. Is there one POI that you get along better with? Or one that has a better track record with including grad students on publications, helping students get placed in tenure-track positions, etc? Also, location! Where will you be happier at?! Exciting position for you to be in, with 2 great choices!

[svh]

Well if money is no issue, then I would look at research fit and faculty. Taking trips might be important depending on if you are traveling home because of a relationship - that would be important.

Well, I wouldn't say money is NO issue. It's not an issue in that I won't go into debt either way. But it is an issue in terms of being comfortable and saving money. At school #1, I'd have to live like an undergraduate (no saving). At school #2, I could save away $60K in five years. But fit at school #1 is sliiiightly better...

Edited March 19, 2012 by svh

[patienceshmaitience]

I am struggling with the same thing. I honestly did not think I would be accepted into any programs and was then accepted by 3 out of the 5 with 1 waitlist. It's really difficult to make such a huge decision when so may factors come into play. One huge thing may be a good fit (for example, cost of tuition) but then 3 other things may not be a good fit at all (faculty interests, school location, student to teacher ratio, etc). Has anyone found a good system for making their decision? Pros/cons list? I've made a couple of those but it usually just puts them all neck to neck!

Applied: Columbia TC, University of London- Institute of Education, NYU, Clark University, Lund University Sweden

Accepted: Columbia TC, University of London- Institute of Education, NYU

Waitlisted: Lund University Sweden

Waiting: Clark University

[ANDS!]

Ha. Laughing at the "rep" on my previous post.

LOL Way to be supportive there... my master's program leads to licensure and has a very high job placement rate but I am still uneasy. Wish I had your confidence!

Eh. Not about not being supportive. If one of the metrics is long-term success, then I would say the STEM programs have more than a leg up here. Yes I am pretty confident in my choice because there is an established history of success for folks in my program (and within the department I'll be joining).

If the metric is "buyers remorse" - well that is just something that will happen in any program; quite impossible to really judge how well a fit a program is going to be until you are in the thick of it.

[R Deckard]

No. Perhaps in the non-STEM based programs this is prevelant, but I am pretty confident about my choice.

What if you were accepted to 5 ~equally good programs, with ~equally good funding, in ~equally good locations, with ~equally good potential advisers, etc?

The decision would be difficult regardless of field.

[ANDS!]

To me that would be an absolute blessing, because then you can legitimately base your decision on things that probably shouldn't matter (the vanity things).

Buyers remorse in that situation shouldn't be a problem since all programs perform the same.

[snes]

Buyers remorse in that situation shouldn't be a problem since all programs perform the same.

STEM people must resolve cognitive dissonance way better than us bemused humanities kids!!

[ANDS!]

Not sure how much dissonance is going on in the previous posters scenario.

I guess it sounded good though when hitting reply. . .

[snes]

Not sure how much dissonance is going on in the previous posters scenario.

I guess it sounded good though when hitting reply. . .

I live on dissonance. I'm a music theorist!

But personally, I don't feel better or seem to even make subconscious efforts to feel more confident after making a decision. I still consider "what if?" all the time! That being said, I haven't made a grad-school decision yet.

[Tsujiru]

STEM person here, and I was plenty conflicted when it came to making my grad school decision. And, as another poster mentioned, sometimes when I hit a rough patch I still have the "what if" considerations about the other program I seriously considered. But in the end, I think you have to trust that you can be successful wherever you go, and that it is worth considering which place will make you happiest. Grad school is a serious chunk of your life and it is worth reflecting on where you'd like to be and what you'd like to be doing for those years. Personally, I admire the original poster for realizing that in the immediate future at least she will feel most fulfilled by taking a job rather than starting grad school.

[gene22]

It is always scary to start a new position.... whether in a university or for a job. You dont really know all of the pros and cons until you are in it. Here are some stories about people who had bad advisors:

http://www.biotechboards.com/showthread.php?t=4879