Help Me Decide (School Psychology)

[sackofcrap]

So, I have been accepted to 2 programs and I am having trouble deciding which offer to accept. Both options have their personal pros and cons for me. I am driving myself crazy trying to make a decision, so I figured I would come here for a second or third opinion. At the end of the day, I will be making my own decision, but I want to hear what other people think, so cast your votes!

 

 

University in Texas

Pros

-Off campus housing is easy to find and affordable

-Cost of attendance is much cheaper

 

Cons

-Not as pedestrian friendly as NYC (I don't drive at the moment, never got a license, so this may be a problem. I can't afford a car)

-Possible Prejudice (I am a minority, so I take it into account just in case. I don't think I will have a problem, but you never know)

 

 

University in New York 

Pros

-Opportunity to transition into a doctoral program (I am not sure I want to do this, I probably won't,  but it is an option here if I do)

-It's NYC (I have never been a person who is desperate to live here, but it is an iconic city. Can i pass up a chance to live in NYC?)

 

Cons

-Finding affordable housing seems impossible (I don't want to pay $1500 for a studio or 1 bedroom apartment. I don't really want to

live with a roommate unless it is someone from my school)

 

 

 

*On campus housing is really not an option for me.

*The actual classes that I will be taking for the programs are pretty much equal. 

Edited March 23, 2015 by sackofcrap

[nugget]

The answer to this question will come down to personal preferences, as you've already alluded to. Will any of these options cause you to get into debt? If the answer is yes, I suggest doing the math for both places and figuring out how much debt exactly. If you do not feel comfortable with the numbers, eliminate one school based on the numbers. If debt is not an issue or if the debt load will end up being the same when you account for cost of living and funding amounts, then it really comes down to personal taste. It sounds like the excitement of New York is alluring to you, therefore I think this option is worth considering if it's financially viable. If it isn't, then you may do just fine at option 1. I'd recommend living close to a popular bus route with frequent buses and living walking distance to school, if at all possible, as transportation seems to be a concern.

Edited March 23, 2015 by jenste

[iphi]

I say Texas, since NYC seems ridiculously unaffordable when you are already paying for school. Did you talk to the school about their practicum requirements? That is the only time when not having a car (or permit) might be problematic. But hopefully they will be willing to work with you. My program (not in TX) has two people without cars.

[SocPsych16]

I have to agree with Jenste on this one. I would say that you should try looking at how much debt you will take on and making a decision based on that. Also, in regards to the prejudice issue that you worry about in Texas I would have to say that I don't think that prejudice is something that you would only encounter or encounter more often in Texas as opposed to New York. Prejudice happens everywhere. I don't think it's something that you can avoid altogether. Since this is something that you might (or might not) encounter regardless of the school you choose it would be a good idea to just figure out ways to respond to it when you do encounter it. This way you're prepared and its impact is hopefully lessened. This being said if you're really worried about the prejudice in Texas, I have a friend (also a minority) who is in her first year of grad school in a small town in Texas. She hasn't had any problems with prejudice so far. So my guess is that Texas isn't much more prejudiced than any other part of the U.S.

[psychgal123]

I'm attending a School Psych program in NY next year, but I'm from there so I am a little biased! I think that NY is a really fun and exciting city, but the only way I'm able to attend is that I'll be starting off, at least, by commuting from home. I would say that if you're open to a roommate, you may be able to find someone from school and then find a place, in an outer borough or New Jersey, for around $800 a month; but keep in mind that a monthly metrocard will add a lot of additional expense. If I were you, just looking at the debt that my (partially funded) program will leave me in, I would choose the more affordable option! I also succumbed to the lure of NY, though, so i get it. 

[sackofcrap]

The answer to this question will come down to personal preferences, as you've already alluded to. Will any of these options cause you to get into debt? If the answer is yes, I suggest doing the math for both places and figuring out how much debt exactly. If you do not feel comfortable with the numbers, eliminate one school based on the numbers. If debt is not an issue or if the debt load will end up being the same when you account for cost of living and funding amounts, then it really comes down to personal taste. It sounds like the excitement of New York is alluring to you, therefore I think this option is worth considering if it's financially viable. If it isn't, then you may do just fine at option 1. I'd recommend living close to a popular bus route with frequent buses and living walking distance to school, if at all possible, as transportation seems to be a concern.

 

Well, at this stage, I know that both options will cause me to be in debt. This is not something that is a huge concern for me because it won't be a huge amount of debt either way. But St. John's will put me in more debt than Texas State because Texas State is just a much cheaper program. Even with financial assistance from St. John's.  The allure of New York is pretty great. To me, it seems like a once in a lifetime experience to live in New York. I feel like the housing situation is the main sticking point right now.

[sackofcrap]

I say Texas, since NYC seems ridiculously unaffordable when you are already paying for school. Did you talk to the school about their practicum requirements? That is the only time when not having a car (or permit) might be problematic. But hopefully they will be willing to work with you. My program (not in TX) has two people without cars.

 

This is a big worry for me with Texas   I know it won't be a big issue the first 2 year, but if I get placed somewhere far away for my internship, I am concerned. I have looked a bit and I know they have some public transit in the city that I am going to in Texas, but I also know that most students at the university I may be going to have cars. It will be a huge adjustment for me either way.

[sackofcrap]

I have to agree with Jenste on this one. I would say that you should try looking at how much debt you will take on and making a decision based on that. Also, in regards to the prejudice issue that you worry about in Texas I would have to say that I don't think that prejudice is something that you would only encounter or encounter more often in Texas as opposed to New York. Prejudice happens everywhere. I don't think it's something that you can avoid altogether. Since this is something that you might (or might not) encounter regardless of the school you choose it would be a good idea to just figure out ways to respond to it when you do encounter it. This way you're prepared and its impact is hopefully lessened. This being said if you're really worried about the prejudice in Texas, I have a friend (also a minority) who is in her first year of grad school in a small town in Texas. She hasn't had any problems with prejudice so far. So my guess is that Texas isn't much more prejudiced than any other part of the U.S.

 

Yeah, I don't think prejudice will be a big issue there, if for no other reason than that it is a college town, so people there will tend to be younger anyway. It's just a thought in my mind.

[sackofcrap]

I'm attending a School Psych program in NY next year, but I'm from there so I am a little biased! I think that NY is a really fun and exciting city, but the only way I'm able to attend is that I'll be starting off, at least, by commuting from home. I would say that if you're open to a roommate, you may be able to find someone from school and then find a place, in an outer borough or New Jersey, for around $800 a month; but keep in mind that a monthly metrocard will add a lot of additional expense. If I were you, just looking at the debt that my (partially funded) program will leave me in, I would choose the more affordable option! I also succumbed to the lure of NY, though, so i get it. 

 

 

This sums up my dilemma pretty well. The allure of NY is just so great. I don't want to feel like I'm settling if I go to Texas or like I missed out on some big opportunity.

[iphi]

This is a big worry for me with Texas   I know it won't be a big issue the first 2 year, but if I get placed somewhere far away for my internship, I am concerned. I have looked a bit and I know they have some public transit in the city that I am going to in Texas, but I also know that most students at the university I may be going to have cars. It will be a huge adjustment for me either way.

 

Internship is something you interview for and choose, so I really wouldn't worry about that yet. You should also be able to do that in any state you want to.

 

It's good if everyone has cars - you can get rides places. Also don't forget about Uber/Lyft! Even if you use it a lot it will cost you less than having a car would.

[Applemiu]

Are you attending St. John in Queens? You can find housing there that's more affordable than Manhattan, but you will also be far away from Manhattan.

[sackofcrap]

Are you attending St. John in Queens? You can find housing there that's more affordable than Manhattan, but you will also be far away from Manhattan.

 

Yes, St. John's is the school in question. My question is, how can i find this affordable housing? I don't care at all about not actually living in Manhattan. I just want affordable housing that is somewhat close to my school. 

[Applemiu]

St. John is in Queens, a little bit far away from the city. I worked in a restaurant close to the university for almost a year. I don't know the area very well because I was just commuting to work everyday. That said, the prices will be lower than in other New York areas (because you are far from the city), so you might find something more affordable. My advice is to try to contact current graduate students at St. John (in your area or other areas, it doesn't really matter) and ask them about housing options and tips.

[potentialpsychologist]

You can live a little cheaper in Queens than in Manhattan, but do you want to? If living in New York City is the big draw for St. John's, I don't think you're going to be happy with it. Manhattan is about an hour away from campus using public transportation. The neighborhood near the campus is a residential community. It's not what people have in mind when they think of NYC.

[nugget]

Consider getting a murphy bed and other kinds of portable furniture to make the best of living in a small space. Take a look at this video to see what I mean. I bet there are lots of stores that sell this stuff in New York since apartments tend to be small. http://resourcefurniture.com/get-inspired/watch-video/

[sackofcrap]

I have taken into account what you guys have said. I lean a bit more toward Texas at this point, just considering the debt situation a little bit. Mind you, it won't be a huge difference between the debt either way, but it is enough to make me think about it a bit more (especially because I have just done my exit counseling for my undergraduate perkins loan and they knocked a bit of sense into me  ). Plus the housing situation is just so much easier in Texas.

 

The only thing that is still giving me pause is the transportation issue, however, I just had the idea that I might be able to invest in a bicycle and that would solve a lot of the problem. 

 

I've ruled out the doctoral transfer as a factor, as I have spoken to another student who told me of the difficulties of the transition and quite frankly, it was not something I was strongly considering anyway, just an afterthought. 

 

I am still going to take the next week before making a final decision. Going to see how things turn out between now and then. I have been in contact with both schools about various things and am still waiting to hear back and that may shift my thinking a little bit. But as of now, I would say that I am 61 percent in favor of Texas vs. 39 percent in favor of St. John's. But I will not be sending out any official decision letter until April 1.

Edited March 27, 2015 by sackofcrap

[rising_star]

I would pick Texas personally. A bicycle is a great asset and you can easily go 4-5 miles in 30-40 minutes, or even more quickly if you're in shape. I would double-check with current students to make sure biking is relatively safe (as in, there are bike lanes or shoulders you can use so you don't always have to ride in the road). Good luck making a decision!

[nugget]

Consider getting an electric bike. If your placement is further way than you'd like, at least it will cut back on the travel time and they're relatively affordable. 

[sackofcrap]

Consider getting an electric bike. If your placement is further way than you'd like, at least it will cut back on the travel time and they're relatively affordable. 

 

I have never heard of such a thing, but I will look into it.

[sackofcrap]

So, I have officially decided to go to Texas. Thanks for all of your help guys.