Penn vs GTech Aero

[Peanuts22]

Hey,

So I'm in the bitter sweet position of having to decide between Penn and GTech for an MSc in aero. Now I know the most important thing is the research I want to do but assuming that you love the research topics at both schools equally, where would you go?

Sadly, since I'm an international student I can't see the campus or talk to the professors in person. From what I hear Gtech is better ranked and the profs have connections to all the big organisations and are leaders in their fields but the social life is dead. Penn I hear is almost as good, has great alumni connections and a great social life.

If I go to Penn i'm definitely focusing on CFD and at GTech dynamics and flight mechanics as they don't seem to have a solid CFD theme as advertised at Penn. I do prefer CFD but if the education and research quality is far superior at GTech it would be my choice since I do enjoy dynamics and I could take up the CFD courses.

As much as I seem to think I'd love the fun at Penn I feel like chosing GTech would give me a better academic edge at the cost of being socially dead. Or is all of this just hearsay?

Cheers guys