CMU Design Studies vs GaTech Digital Media PhD

[Ahmed]

Got into both, and trying to make a decision. 

 

CMU has a (slightly) better reputation and more brand name, the faculty is great and overall the program is a better fit with my specific area of study (studying public civil institutions in developing countries), but they've recently rehauled their PhD program, and so with a new funding model in place the school will have less resources to give - their package covers a 5 year tution waiver and a meager stipend. Pittsburgh is also frozen half the year.

 

GaTech has slightly less brand name (I think straight out of CMU the chances of making it as a faculty hire are greater), and the school seems less of a fit but their faculty seems very excited to have me (generally warmer, more prompt email conversations), and the school has vastly more resources and funding at its disposal - compared to CMU, they're giving an extremely generous scholarship (way more stipend) for the first year (I've emailed them asking about after), and generally they seem to have more money through grant research coming in. I'm also aware that Atlanta is warmer and more pleasant than Pittsburgh.

 

Which would you choose?