Help deciding between schools

[venusandback]

Hi there,

 

I am having difficulty deciding between two Canadian schools (MA in English). Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

School 1:

 

- I am completing my undergraduate degree there.

- I know all of the professors.

- I already work on campus and could keep my current employment.

- They offered me a TAship and funding.

- However, the school is not nearly as reputable as school 2.

 

School 2:

 

- The school is very highly regarded (recognized internationally).

-  However, they only offer TAships to second year students.

- They offered me less funding than school 1 (they offer the same amount to every student entering into the MA program).

 

Both schools have great professors who specialize in my field.

 

Any thoughts?

[ShortLong]

Did school 2 offer you some funding at least? If they offered you enough to live off of without taking out loans, then I would go with school 2. I am a big supporter of moving to new places to get new experiences to widen your worldview. Plus, the prestige definitely helps. 

 

Then again, since you aren't going for a PhD as well, I do not think it is as big of a deal to continue on to a Masters there. I also understand that a lot of people do not like change. I personally like a change of scenery every once in awhile.

[venusandback]

Thanks for the response!

 

School 2 offered me funding but I would definitely have to take out a small loan. They offer the same amount to every MA student. School 1 would give me almost 6000$ more. I guess I am just attracted to the very strong reputation of school 2.

[ShortLong]

The strong reputation could help you get a better job and therefore earn more money. I would still lean toward school 2, but things to consider when taking out a loan:

1. How much debt you have from undergrad
2. How big of a loan would it be
3. Would you get more funding for the second year
4. What is your earning potential after graduation and how hard it would be to pay back the loan in a reasonable amount of time.

I am an engineer, so I have little student debt and a very high earning potential. I am not that afraid of taking out loans because I know I will be making a significant amount of money after graduation. But then again, as an engineer, my programs have a lot of money and I don't need to worry about funding as much.

[selecttext]

What is the difference in $$$ between the schools?

[venusandback]

Around 6000$.

 

School 1 offered me 8000$ (fellowship and TAship). School 2 offers 2000$ to all new MA students. However, I would be eligible for a TAship in my second year.

 

Also, I already work on campus at school 1. I would be forced to quit my job and look for something else. There are just so many things to consider.