WWtgcD?

[totheleft]

I applied for a Masters degree at a number of schools and have narrowed my acceptances down to two. Which would you choose, based on the following info?

-I don't NEED a Masters for my job but am doing it for personal satisfaction and of course it may give me a leg-up in the future when applying for jobs, etc.

-The Masters are professional-based, not research based. I'll be working full-time while doing the Masters program. I'll be paying for it out of pocket (and can afford to do so - neither will be a financial concern for me).

-Both degrees are offered online.

Northeastern University, Masters of Science in [my very very specific career]. I'll know/be familiar with a fair amount of the content already, due to having a credential in it, so it'll be a very familiar curriculum. Down side to that could be less "branching out?" but I know i"ll stay in this specific career. $5,000 more than the other program. VERY hands-off program -- the staff are sometimes hard to reach and mostly uninterested in me as a specific student, it seems. Not surprised since it's an online program, but still.

Smaller State School (heard of, but not as good as Northeastern), Masters of Public Administration (broader - related to my job and it's a commonly pursued degree in my field, but much broader and also applies to other fields). Cheaper. VERY hands-on program in the sense of being very warm, friendly, and inviting. Down sides - lesser known school, broader program with less specific coursework to your job - this means more to learn.

Which would you pick?

I worry that in the long run I'll be bummed that I picked two years of "nice people' over a lifetime of better reputation on my resume. But I also worry that I won't be fulfilled in the Northeaster program emotionally.. then again it's only two years.

I do have experience in "lonely" online learning, so I'm used to it and expecting it regardless.

[jeffster]

I think it comes down to what you want to get out of it. It sounds like you're already established in your field, to some degree, and may just be looking for resume padding. If that's the case, it seems like the first school with the better name recognition and less-helpful staff would be a good choice. On the other hand, if you actually are looking to grow your skills and build on what this degree will give you, I would pick the one with the more engaging faculty every time.

Good luck.