Georgetown vs. Columbia?

[akallen]

I've been accepted to both the Georgetown and Columbia MA programs and am having the hardest time deciding what to do. The Columbia program is the Free-Standing M.A. program with no funding and I don't have any funding at Georgetown, either. However, the Columbia program is only one year, and therefore half as expensive as Georgetown. I have a lot of personal pros and cons with each option, but I was wondering if any of you could give me a sense of what you think I should do objectively. I know that Columbia is an incredible program and I should probably accept their offer, but I have heard bad things about being an MA student in a highly competitive P.hD program (mainly that you get ignored). Have any of you heard that this is the case? Since Georgetown is just a Masters program, I know I'd get more attention from the professors. Still, Columbia is Columbia. Thoughts? Thanks so much!

[ComeBackZinc]

Taking on half as much loan debt for schools that are so expensive will have a huge positive impact on your life.

[jma310]

It's also worth noting that in a one year MA, you probably won't be able to apply to PhD programs during that year. If you did Georgetown you could apply in your second year.

[CarolineSC]

If I were you, I'd take the one that costs less. I think if you're persistant, you can get the attention you need from the faculty. I've certainly had that experience at my undergrad, where the professors have both masters and PhD students as well. Plus, it's freaking COLUMBIA! But is there a thesis option at Columbia? You'll need a good writing sample for Phd apps.

[Stately Plump]

On 3/26/2012 at 9:01 AM, jma310 said:

It's also worth noting that in a one year MA, you probably won't be able to apply to PhD programs during that year. If you did Georgetown you could apply in your second year.

This is true. At Columbia, you would be applying to PhD programs essentially as an undergrad, because you won't have finished an entire semester as a graduate student. Unless you apply after, in which case you would have to take a year off in between. This is from Columbia's website:

Free-Standing M.A. students can wait until they complete our M.A. and then apply the following fall for a year later. This option has the disadvantage of a year's delay in continuing on to graduate programs for a Ph.D.; it has the advantage that applicants will then have a completed M.A. Essay to use as a writing sample, and the benefit of the full year's maturation of their work and their sense of their interests and the discipline.

I was also accepted to Columbia's MA program, and I will say that the faculty have been really supportive of me (at least via email). I emailed the DGS and she literally got back to me a few minutes later, was very gracious, and even mentioned specific stuff from my application that I didn't mention in my email. I then emailed the assistant DGS, who is also the director of the MA program, and she, too, has been very helpful. I was worried about not getting any attention too, but after my experience so far, I don't think that will be the case.* I agree that if you are diligent, and faculty see that you are hardworking, they will give the attention you need.

*I will not actually be attending Columbia's MA because I have some other offers.