Masters in Microbiology between Georgetown and University of Maryland

[danetrane]

Hello, I am new here so I apologize if this sounds desperate, I am just having a very hard time with this decision.  Any help will be greatly appreciated.

 

First off, I have been accepted into Georgetown for a Masters of Microbiology and Immunology and at the University of Maryland for a Masters of Molecular Medicine.  They are both great schools and I am so happy to have this choice, but it is very difficult to choose the right school.  Here is how I have broken it down so far:

 

Georgetown Pros: Great name, very well funded, the masters is in microbiology (which is what I wanted to study when I started applications), and the courses seem interesting and challenging. 

 

Georgetown Cons: big price tag in both tuition and living, not classically a scientific research school, recognizable name comes from law school not medical school.

 

Maryland Pros:  Significantly cheaper, lots of variety in the types of courses, available rotations in different fields such as neurology and pharmacology.

 

Maryland Cons:  The program is not technically a microbiology degree but rather an amalgam of various cell research such as cancer study and genetic diseases, city is not as enticing to live in as Washington DC, and I think I would feel like I was wasting an opportunity at Georgetown.

 

My biggest concerns right now is the price and what I am getting for that price.  I think I want to continue onto a PhD program afterwards, but I want to know that I am not taking out a lot more debt at Georgetown for not much gain in either eligibility for PhD programs or job placement.

 

Again, thank you very much for any help.

[bsharpe269]

Maryland! I seriously see it as an easy choice. Georgetown is not worth the money and Maryland will have TONS of research options which should be your priority if you are considering a PhD. If they were the same price I think that I would even still suggest Maryland but the price tag makes it even more obvious.

[Vene]

Go with the option that gives you minimal debt.

[danetrane]

Thank you both very much. After taking into account your opinions, I have decided to attend the University of Maryland.  It is the smarter decision, rather than pay more money for essentially the same degree.  Thanks again!

[sassywalrus]

You already made your decision but I'll chime in anyway. I went to Maryland for undergrad and it really is an amazing school and it gets better every year. If your concern is that you won't be in DC like you would at Georgetown, don't worry, Maryland has it's own Metro station and buses and you can be there really quickly.

College Park is a fun town, good luck and congratulations!

[ss2player]

Maryland is definitely the right choice! To be blunt, many MS programs serve as cash cows for the PhD programs; therefore, go wherever is cheapest but still works for your goals. In my case, I paid probably 100X less going to my school using my employee benefits than enrolling in the far more prestigious school across the river. 

In the end, it all worked out and frankly, UMD is better than my MS school ever will be, so you'll do great!

[danetrane]

Thank you again to everyone, at first I was so sure that Georgetown was where I needed be. Now I am very excited to leave for Baltimore in a few short weeks.  Thanks!