When does it end??

[Huntsman]

I don't know about everyone else but I feel like the stress of this whole process is beginning to take years off of my life. Even now that I have a couple admits, the problems have gone from waiting to get in and constantly checking emails, to trying to decide what school to go too and what offer is the best. I am freaked out about accepting an offer based mostly off of monetary considerations and then regretting not going to my dream school for the rest of my life...even if my dream school may require taking out a loan. Then again, does the school name on the degree really matter all that much, or is it all about the person?

 

Now don't get me wrong, I am extremely grateful to have been accepted and to have options, I know there are much worse problems that I could have. But, at the same time I find myself stressing out even more over making the decision than I did when I was waiting to get in. I am thinking that flipping a coin and letting the universe decide sounds like a pretty good choice at this point. I really just want it to be over. Anyone else feel the same way?

[ginagirl]

I am starting to feel that way. It's so stressful to have to make such a big decision with so many factors involved, and I worry about making the wrong choice. I guess what I've been telling myself is that I will try to make a completely informed decision, and then just commit myself fully to that program and do everything I can to make that experience a good one!

[justinmcummings]

I don't know about everyone else but I feel like the stress of this whole process is beginning to take years off of my life. Even now that I have a couple admits, the problems have gone from waiting to get in and constantly checking emails, to trying to decide what school to go too and what offer is the best. I am freaked out about accepting an offer based mostly off of monetary considerations and then regretting not going to my dream school for the rest of my life...even if my dream school may require taking out a loan. Then again, does the school name on the degree really matter all that much, or is it all about the person?

 

Now don't get me wrong, I am extremely grateful to have been accepted and to have options, I know there are much worse problems that I could have. But, at the same time I find myself stressing out even more over making the decision than I did when I was waiting to get in. I am thinking that flipping a coin and letting the universe decide sounds like a pretty good choice at this point. I really just want it to be over. Anyone else feel the same way?

 

Have you looked away from the school and tried seeing where you might like to live more? And yes it could be worse...I think I would have taken rejection at this point rather than admittance with funding to be determined :-/ only because I don't have 200k laying around

[beccamayworth]

I completely understand! It is very stressful, but it's always good to remind ourselves that "this is a good problem to have".

 

Something that really helped me was to discuss all of the factors in making this decision with several people, including various Professors. Talking about it is very helpful in terms of "unveiling" how we really feel about something - a lot of reactions I got were "well it sounds like your choice is clearly university X!". So in spite of all the confusion, I kind of had made my mind already.

 

I also laid in my bed at night and imagined myself accepting each of my offers. In 3 out of 4 cases, I felt this horrible feeling of regret about not going to school X. So that made it easier.

[Huntsman]

I am starting to feel that way. It's so stressful to have to make such a big decision with so many factors involved, and I worry about making the wrong choice. I guess what I've been telling myself is that I will try to make a completely informed decision, and then just commit myself fully to that program and do everything I can to make that experience a good one!

I think that this is a good to go about it, I just really want to avoid the "what could have been" thoughts. But, I think that it really is up to us to make the best out of whatever choice we end up making.

 

 

Have you looked away from the school and tried seeing where you might like to live more? And yes it could be worse...I think I would have taken rejection at this point rather than admittance with funding to be determined :-/ only because I don't have 200k laying around

I definitely think the living situation should play a factor, but I am trying hard to not have that be a major influence and let the decision be based more upon the schools (hard as that may be sometimes).

 

I completely understand! It is very stressful, but it's always good to remind ourselves that "this is a good problem to have".

 

Something that really helped me was to discuss all of the factors in making this decision with several people, including various Professors. Talking about it is very helpful in terms of "unveiling" how we really feel about something - a lot of reactions I got were "well it sounds like your choice is clearly university X!". So in spite of all the confusion, I kind of had made my mind already.

 

I also laid in my bed at night and imagined myself accepting each of my offers. In 3 out of 4 cases, I felt this horrible feeling of regret about not going to school X. So that made it easier.

I agree that it helps to get voice your thoughts to someone so they aren't all just jumbled up inside your head! It's strange how just by voicing our thoughts our intentions can be so clear to someone on the outside looking in where as they seemed so muddled to ourself.

[jeffleung1992]

Disclaimer: The following is just my opinion.

If you're going to do engineering, then the chances of you making back all the money you spent going to your dream school back within 5yrs is pretty high. Once you've paid off those debts, the chances of you "regretting" going to the dream school are low, especially if the dream school opens up doors for you.

If you don't go to dream school then no matter what you do, you will always have that feeling of "what if I had gone." It's an opportunity you will never get back. Money comes and goes. That opportunity might not. I don't think you should let money factor into your decision too much, especially in engineering where the chances of making that back are decently high.

Best wishes!

[justinmcummings]

Are your goals after you graduate academic or industry?

[Huntsman]

Disclaimer: The following is just my opinion.

If you're going to do engineering, then the chances of you making back all the money you spent going to your dream school back within 5yrs is pretty high. Once you've paid off those debts, the chances of you "regretting" going to the dream school are low, especially if the dream school opens up doors for you.

If you don't go to dream school then no matter what you do, you will always have that feeling of "what if I had gone." It's an opportunity you will never get back. Money comes and goes. That opportunity might not. I don't think you should let money factor into your decision too much, especially in engineering where the chances of making that back are decently high.

Best wishes!

 

Does the fact that my dream school will probably involve almost 6 figures of debt change your opinion? Also, the other program is widely regarded as a top 10 program...so it isn't like there is a huge drop off there. Ahhh the dreamer side of me completely agrees with you, but my practical side is having a hard time justifying that much debt especially when option B isn't really that much of an option B.

 

I do agree that I will probably never have an opportunity like this again, I am pretty sure it took the fact that my undergrad advisor was a former air force colleague of their graduate program coordinator to even get me in the door. But it is just sooooo expensive...

[Huntsman]

Are your goals after you graduate academic or industry?

 

I plan on going into industry for a few years, and then going back and getting my PhD to either work in academia or a research institution. However, my undergrad was not in BioE, so I am pretty new to the field, so if I find an area of research I really enjoy I could see myself going straight through to the PhD.

[justinmcummings]

Ahhh I see, I kinda assumed we were talking PhD this whole time. My bad. This changes alot in my opinion. If you plan on going to industry after your ms the school prestige will matter not very much, it is kinda sorta looked at but not really in my opinion. It will also matter a little less after a couple years if and when you get a PhD because they are going to look at what you have been doing, what experience you can bring to their program. If you were going to go for the PhD right away I would say the school prestige is worth the debt no matter the cost. I sorta agree with the other posters...this may be your only chance to go to the dream school. Also another side note, if industry is important you may want to look at the area around the school for companies you could work with or where graduates from that program typically go after graduation.