Stability verses Opportunity, Indecisive.

[LystAP]

I have been trying to decide between two programs but have as of yet been unable to decide between them. Both of them are fully funded for four years, although the amount of funding, location and environment are substantially different from each other. Earlier I had posted this in the Decisions forum; now, with April 15^th only a week away, I felt posting here with a few changes and updates would be more ideal.

 

The first is the very university (University of California, Irvine) I received my Master’s degree from, and it is a well-regarded school at that; it is considered a public ivy, rank-wise it is among the top 50 as an overall school and is a tier I university. I also already have positive connections with most of the faculty there, as well as have worked with my prospective adviser already for the past two years. One of the professors on my former Master’s thesis committee (not my adviser  said that he is willing to put off retirement to until I finish. However, I have not cemented on precisely what I want to research here yet, although I do share many interests with my former and prospective adviser, whom I greatly admire, who often tethers between other fields. My perspectives are more in line with the faculty then with what I know about my second choice and I believe if I stay, I would eventually find something of interest or readapt my original ideas. The funding is better during the school year with health insurance, in contrast with my other choice; although there is a higher chance of TA responsibilities. This school is also only a few hours from my home, in Southern California and I have lived in the area before.

 

The second is a university that is located near a place that I want to research and is also relatively well-known in its field (University of Illinois at Chicago) but not in overall university ranking, although in program ranking, both programs are side to side. I have contacted the faculty and I believe we share many similar interests. I am intrigued enough by the potential research offered by the area (it is one of the few places where the entity that first interested me in the field has starting up) that that I little doubt what I want to dedicate my time researching if I were to go to that school . There is a research center there that specializes on my desired research topic and they have expressed their own interest in me if I were to come. The research center has a variety of interesting projects, but they are mostly pending (in part due to a lack of funds from the state and public/private sponsors). The funding is less, but includes a summer package; although there is no health insurance, there is a possibility I can increase my funding above the first choice. However, at this point and after speaking with them, the odds are that the funding I would receive would be the bare minimum until I establish myself at the center (and depending on if the center is able to find sponsors for its projects). The package involves RAships and would also have me moving from Southern California, where I lived most of my life, to Chicago, Illinois, a place I have never been to.

 

The first choice is significantly less riskier for me as I would be closer to my family and other means of support. I am also far more familiar with the faculty and the area; the faculty is also quite familiar with me; some of which heavily supported my wish to pursue a PhD. I have also taken many of their PhD prerequisites as a Masters and so I will have more room to maneuver class-wise, if not career-wise as well. Funding-wise it is also significantly less riskier  as the offer is relatively stable and their offer includes an unconditional stipend for the first quarter to help me adjust, along with offers of support from my family. The second is far riskier, I basically cut off most of my safety net and enter an urban environment known for danger (urban Chicago), but I would have a more defined goal in my doctorate studies. While dangerous, the environment has been noted as a plus by one of my recommenders as it represents the very thing our field is supposed to be grounded in. I would also in my second choice have more variety in my academic resume; I went to school in Southern California for most of my life, although not at the same university for my undergrad and masters. Then again, the second choice would most likely require that I take on more debt, especially during the first year as I adjust to the new environment and before I can establish myself at the center (at start, the funding from UIC is almost half of what UCI would give me; which after speaking with my prospective adviser at UIC, is barely enough to live on in Chicago). This is a problem as I have already taken on a considerable amount of debt during my undergrad and masters (although not as large as some others). 

Edited April 7, 2013 by LystAP

[KatieC]

Normally, I would say go for adventure - living in a new city and going somewhere new and exciting sounds like fun. But the debt part makes it tricky, especially since you already have some. And it sounds like California has an awful lot going for it other than just funding; to me it sounds like you're really leaning towards that anyway, for good reasons!

[LystAP]

Normally, I would say go for adventure - living in a new city and going somewhere new and exciting sounds like fun. But the debt part makes it tricky, especially since you already have some. And it sounds like California has an awful lot going for it other than just funding; to me it sounds like you're really leaning towards that anyway, for good reasons!

 

Well, it's not that I am particularly leaning towards California; it's just that I know a lot more about it due to experience. What Chicago offers is possibility from my perspective, a chance to redefine myself and to pursue a research topic I have become rather interested in, since it affirms some of my own beliefs. But then, I stll have to consider the risks involved, and at this point, they are considerable.

[mp429]

From the way you explain the two, it does appear you are leaning towards UCI. While I am an advocate of taking on new opportunities, it feels as though you would be more comfortable in CA & it would not be at the expense of your education since UCI is a good match. Would you be able to pursue similar research ideas you would in Chicago at UCI or are they very different avenues?

[MikKar]

The way you are phrasing things, I am wondering why you even applied to a university in Chicago... If you prefer staying close to home, and after reading your post it seems that way, by all means stay. Just make sure you get your priorities right, family being at the top is not a bad thing, but it will be if you have a lot of ambition.

Edited April 8, 2013 by MikKar

[Chai_latte]

Honestly, given the economic climate (with the sequester) now, you'd better "show me the $" today.  Don't make some nebulous promise of more funding in the future.  Nope.  Not good enough.  I understand the pull of UIC and its research center, but financially (and holistically) it might not be the right move.  Also, you already know and LIKE Irvine's advisor(s).  Don't underestimate that.  That's a huge deal.  When you luck up and land a good one (or two), very rarely should you let him/her/them go.

Edited April 8, 2013 by Chai_latte

[hiroshiman]

If you plan on trying to get a job in academia down the road, you may want to go to Chicago. The reason being, hiring committees tend to look with suspicion candidates who get all ther degrees from the same institution, or even the same state. Whether or not this is fair, a number of people on the hiring side of the process have warned me about this.

[LystAP]

The way you are phrasing things, I am wondering why you even applied to a university in Chicago... If you prefer staying close to home, and after reading your post it seems that way, by all means stay. Just make sure you get your priorities right, family being at the top is not a bad thing, but it will be if you have a lot of ambition.

 

Even now, I still really want to expand my horizons and Chicago offered the best opportunity for me to do that, as it was also home to the research center and the entity I wanted to research, in my previous post on the Decisions forum, replyers noted a bias towards UIC. However, that was when I presumed that the aid offer was similar; the opportunity is still there in Chicago, but I am agonizing over the choices presented.

 

I could continue my research on my specific research topic at UCI, but most of the entities on which this topic involves are located in Chicago.