Electrical Engineering Decision HELP PLEASE!!!

[justinmcummings]

As we come to the end of the grad season and acceptance deadlines are approaching soon, it is decision time. I have been accepted to the following universities:

• University of Wisconsin - Electrical Engineering PhD (Funding unknown)
• University of Michigan - Electrical Engineering:Systems (No Funding)
• University of Minnesota - Electrical Engineering (Funding unknown)

As of a couple days ago I thought I had made my decision, but I am rethinking/overthinking my decision. I haven't officially accepted anything, but this is what I thought I would do.

 

If funding wasn't offered anywhere, I decided (or at least I thought I did) that would go to University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. My reasoning behind this is mainly based off of the opportunities that would come from going to a top 10 ranked programs in my field. People (my parents) keep telling me rank doesn't matter that much, but when applying for jobs recently I have seen job postings that say certain graduates preferred. I think that it does matter, especially since I want to get my PhD.

 

I live on the other side of the country so visiting the areas are not practical at this point so all the information I have is based off the internet, emails, and this forum. I am starting to rethink University of Michigan though and it started because of costs. UMich's degree is going to cost me around 50k more than a degree from UMinnesota. I have no debt at the moment, will be taking out loans, and will be getting a job while in graduate school. I want to hear what others have to say? Any opinion counts, anything to get me thinking on the right track too.

[nugget]

This isn't my field but based on what you've stated this is what I'd do.... If you plan to work a few years before returning for a PhD (like 4-5 years or more) or if there's a chance you might change your mind about doing a PhD later on, I'd go with U Michigan. As you stated there are more job opportunities for U Michigan grads. The extra price tag is well worth the investment if you stop after a masters as more job opportunities will come your way.

 

But if you are certain you want to do a PhD later on without working in between, I'd go for a cheaper school. That's a lot of debt you'd be getting into and you might end up being accepted to a PhD program at U Michigan or another top school after your masters.

 

Anyhow, that's my 2 cents. Good luck!

Edited April 1, 2014 by jenste

[justinmcummings]

Thanks! I appreciate the response :-). I have some more information that I forgot to add earlier. At University of Michigan they have this program that is Masters to PhD transition opportunity. The way that I understand it, if I wind up going to UMich, I go for my masters for the first year. After the first year, I take the PhD qualifying exam and talk to professors about taking me on as a PhD student. If I get a professor to offer me full funding and I pass my qualification exam, I would automatically accepted to the PhD track. No reapplying needed, they just push it through with my masters application material. It sounds awesome, but even in the acceptance email they said that in the past years that they have had this system only about 5 students have been able to enter the PhD program this way. They say the hardest part is finding a faculty to sponsor and fund the PhD. So it would be rare, but still something to think about as well.