PhD VS MS

[dompog]

hey guys, i have got into PhD at U.W., and MS (no fund) at Stanford, which one will you guys choose? id love to go to Stanford, but seems like it'll cost a lot, and im not sure if its worth it. Should i just stick to the PhD program?

[pikatopia]

Have you visited UW's campus? Seen the department, met the people?

I think that's a huge part in making the decision - how well you 'fit' with the people and environment...esp with the commitment to a PhD program.

[dompog]

well, i have talked to a bunch of people both students and professors, and i enjoyed the conversations. and i like the city, would be love to live there.....for stanford, i might be too competitive, too much pressure, plus i have to pay and its just a MS program. not sure if its worth it. but put aside everything, its stanford!

[belowthree]

but put aside everything, its stanford!

If this is your reason I'd say go to UW.

[pikatopia]

I mean...choose the people, not the school.

If you only want Stanford simply because it's Stanford...that may not be just cause to go there.

[yyemperor]

hey guys, i have got into PhD at U.W., and MS (no fund) at Stanford, which one will you guys choose? id love to go to Stanford, but seems like it'll cost a lot, and im not sure if its worth it. Should i just stick to the PhD program?

Before I tell you my theory, I gonna tell you a story first:

Friend 1: "My best friend from Penn got a Rolex from his dad over dinner at graduation right in front of me. I graduated from Penn too a year ago, so I came back to my parents and asked 'Where's my Rolex?'"

Friend 2: "Haha, I bet they were like 'hmph.' But if my kids graduate from a top university, I'd probably buy them that watch. Would you?"

Friend 2: "Only if it's one above Penn, heh... Okay, maybe Penn or better."

Friend 1: "Well, that's ridiculous. You're basically saying they have to graduate from HYPS to get a Rolex... Otherwise, they'll have to buy their own watch."

Friend 1: "Fuck 'em. They can buy a Timex."

HYPS=Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Stanford

You may say "Oh, a PHD in UW is so good, so attractive!!!" But I tell you that "Anything you can do in UW can definitely be done in Stanford." So, why choose UW?

[Aceflyer]

I mean...choose the people, not the school.

If you only want Stanford simply because it's Stanford...that may not be just cause to go there.

I agree. Don't choose a place simply because of its name. Based on your post:

Location: Advantage UW (you love the city)

Program Culture & Environment: Advantage UW (you enjoyed the conversations with students and profs, you don't worry about being too competitive or being under too much pressure)

Terminal Degree: Advantage UW (it's a Ph.D. program)

Funding: Advantage UW (it's funded, I assume)

School Name: Advantage Stanford (because it's Stanford)

I'd say go to UW based on the above.