Well known professor vs. well known university?

[braindump]

I feel like I have a bit of an "impossible decision" between two great programs, and thought I'd see if anyone here had any insight/thoughts/opinions to offer.

 

If you had the option between a very prestigious program/school, and a very prestigious professor at a lesser-known school (though still great program), which would you choose?

 

I think if I was planning on going into academia after my degree, the second option would be the obvious choice. But I'm interested in industry, and for this reason I think the choice is less obvious. Many people in my field would recognize the professor (he's practically the father of the field), though probably not everyone. But I think that virtually everyone would recognize the degree from the first school. Which would you say is more important?

[aberrant]

if they are both great programs, and he practically is the father of the field, then allow me to ask this question.

 

a well-known advisor can at least get you to interviews in almost any location of the same field for post-docs / a job, what can a prestigious school can do? (there are lots of assumption behind this statement, but let's just say everything works well and perfect.)

[braindump]

Hm. That's a good question (I think you meant it rhetorically, but I see it as an actual question). He's very well connected, but I feel like most of his connections are academic. The "prestigious school," on the other hand, I think is well connected to industry and in a concentrated biotech/tech area. I'd been told before that the name of the school itself opens many doors. I guess I'm just stuck deciding which name (his, or the uni's) will open more doors for me, so to speak. There's also a chance that, at the better-known school, I'd have a chance to work with another very well known professor, but that isn't a given and not something I want to rely on.

[aberrant]

did you try to look up the alumni from this well-known professor's lab/group and see where did his former students go after getting their degrees?

Edited March 9, 2015 by aberrant

[braindump]

A lot go into academia, but a good amount do go into industry. I'm not sure where/what exactly they do, though.