University of North Texas Denton

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I got accepted into this school for a PHD in Curriculum and Instruction

Their school of education is ranked maybe #120 according to the US News website about grad schools

It is a cheap price, close to my family, and exactly what I want to study

I'm still holding out to see if I get accepted into the Ed.D. program for Curriculum and Instruction at UNC Chapel Hill

I'm having my doubts about getting accepted to UNC, but right now I really hope I get it because it is higher ranked, but more expensive. Worried that UNT will be my only choice.

UNT seems like a much smaller university, and I guess I worry that getting my PHD from a university that is less well known and not as highly ranked will somehow cost me opportunities in the future (my goal is to work with new teachers at the university level).

I guess little things about UNT make me feel like it is not as prestigious, like my recommenders didn't have to sign up for one of those databases, and I don't even have to make a formal YES or NO, just register for classes now that I've been accepted. I realize these are just surface level concerns, but I'd be lying if I said they didn't make me feel concerned in some ways

Maybe I'm just obsessing over ridiculous things

Advice appreciated, about big universities vs. smaller ones, higher ranked vs. lower ranked, or just if you have experience with UNT