GaTech Digital Media MS V. UWM English Digital Studies MA

[korartiz]

I still haven't heard from one school, but as it stands I'm deciding between these two programs. 

The subject areas that I would be covering are very similar. Here are some of my thoughts on each of them; but I'm wondering what you all think. 

 

UWM -- 

+/- POI very well known in area of interest. Other faculty I'm not so sure of.

- English degrees aren't so great for finding employment.

+ Offered out-of-state waiver.

+ Significantly fewer students = more attention from faculty and much smaller classes. 

+? Funding potentially available at the end of April/in the summer. 

+ One professor has shown a fair deal of interest in me and has stated that he'd offer me opportunities if they become available.

+ Milwaukee is relatively safe.  

 

GaTech -- 

+ Well known program and faculty, many of which share interests with me. 

+ Likely higher chance of employment upon graduation. 

- Many more students in the program. 

- Faculty appears to be busy with their own work and likely give the majority of their spare time to the PhDs. 

+/- Funding potentially available in the summer, but it's not guaranteed and otherwise up to me. 

+/- Out-of-state waivers available... trying to put my name forward, but am not getting a response from the program director. 

- High crime rate in Atlanta. 

 

My goal 2 years from now is to continue on to PhD study... so in either case, assuming I do well, I can apply to both schools again for PhD study. I'm just not sure what to do now. Honestly, the biggest factor to me is funding, as I have a fair amount of loans from undergrad and do not want to have to take out any more. It's rather frustrating that neither is offering it until AFTER they already want my intent to enroll. The same thing is happening with DePaul's New Media program. 

 

I'm thinking about putting in my deposits at both, but I'm not sure if a) I want to eat the $500+ and if they'd hate me for it when I said sorry midway through the summer. 

 

Thoughts? 

Edited April 4, 2013 by korartiz