Help me. First time Graduate Student

[Ancient_DNA]

Hello everyone,

 

I just stumbled across this website last week and I am hooked.  I have a potential problem, and I do not know where to turn or ask.  I'm the first person in my family to go to grad school (apart from an online, work-from-home type program).  I received an acceptance to my dream school for a one year MSc, with the ability to extend it to a two year and graduate with an MPhil if I like the program and excel in it.

This school scored a perfect 24/24 for my program through independent testing, the professor roster is outstanding, and I feel that it would likely be a perfect stepping stone to catapult me into the career of my dreams.

 

Problems, you ask?:  No funding, a $25,000 per year tuition, and limited chances at scholarships/bursaries, and TAships, it's halfway across the world from where I live, so I will be all alone with everybody I love and care about an 8 hour plane ride away.

 

I also got accepted into another program in my home country, just a few provinces away.  The prof I applied under is amazing.  I worked for her when she was still completing her PhD, and we work very well together.  Another prof, who is also very well known in my field has agreed to co-supervise me.  A big benefit is that I know this program would be great, and the profs and I would have an amazing working relationship, where I would learn a tonne, they would champion my project and push me to my limits.  But!  The tuition is some, if not the lowest, in Canada.

 

Problems: Limited funding, and it is in a field that I have not actually worked in before.  I have done some research papers on it, and I know the basic fundamentals of the work, but I have never actually tried to run some experiments using this approach.  I'm just terrified that I'll screw it all up and my research will be terrible.

 

I also have another prof with a very big program about an hour away from me who is very excited about my project and is screaming my name from the rooftops.  They would have the most funding, I would be doing a project that I would very much enjoy, but it still doesn't have that star quality of the first school.  I have not yet been accepted here, but it seems like (even according to the POI) that I have a very good shot.  However, these are not always set in stone

 

Thoughts?  Opinions?  I am so torn. 

Edited February 20, 2014 by Ancient_DNA

[Between Fields]

If you can get your master's without paying for it, that's probably the way to go. As good as that first program might be, you'll just have to weigh if going in $50k+ worth of debt is worth it to you. Going into graduate school without solid funding is tricky. My first semester as an MA student was un-funded because I applied so late in the cycle, but I managed to find an assistantship in the dean's office. Maybe there are out-of-department funding options available you could look into?

[astaroth27]

Funding over prestige every time. In ten years nobody will care where you went to school but that student loan debt is for life.

[deci:belle]

^ ditto. Always go with funding! 

[Ancient_DNA]

Thank you for your responses.  This is killing me!

[NoSleepTilBreuckelen]

Hey! I study ancient DNA to and I am having a hard time figuring out where to do my PhD (so if you want to talk about ancient DNA programs, feel free to PM me).

 

I see that you're applying to MA programs, one thing to keep in mind is that after your MA you could always go somewhere else for a PhD. Only you will know what is best for you, but being offered a funded MA is great and either way you go, the MA/MSc/Mphil will put you in a better position for getting PhD funding. Congrats!

[dhg12]

I am just finishing my BA at Memorial, and honestly, the cheap tuition is totally worth it. Everyone is always super helpful, and there seem to be a lot of scholarship/funding opportunities. Yes I am perhaps a bit biased... but you'll leave with a positive experience and no overwhelming debt

[reinhard]

I am just finishing my BA at Memorial, and honestly, the cheap tuition is totally worth it. Everyone is always super helpful, and there seem to be a lot of scholarship/funding opportunities. Yes I am perhaps a bit biased... but you'll leave with a positive experience and no overwhelming debt

How much are classes over there?

[dhg12]

For me to do a full course load (5 courses) as an undergrad was just over $1500 per term, and that was with the random other fees as well. I am not sure how much Grad tuition differs, but the school is known for having essentially the most affordable tuition in the country (unless you're a Quebec resident attending school in Quebec)