Orgnic Chem. PhD at Tier 3 State Uni OR Biology PhD at Tier 1 State Uni?

[monanana]

Hello world! So I am having a hard time deciding which program to attend for my PhD. I applied to various different labs and these two are my top choices:

1) PhD in Organic Chemistry at the Uni. of South Fla. with a great mentor I have previously taken classes with. I am very interested in the research! However the city I would be living in is not great and USF is not a very well known school, although we do top the Research Patents Produced per year charts!

2) PhD in Cell and Molecular Bio at Northeastern Uni. in a great lab again, with a not so familiar mentor. However Boston would be where I am living which is spectacular! Northeastern is a great uni as well

What should I do? I really like my potential mentor here but I would absolutely love living in Boston! What do you think is my better option career-wise? I feel like a PhD in Orgo would be phenomenal, career-wise.

Thank you!

[rising_star]

Which is the better option career-wise depends, at least in part, on what you want to do after you finish the PhD. Do you want to go into industry? Become a professor? Honestly, I'd go where I'm excited about the research and have a good mentor. If you read posts in "Officially Grads," you'll see how much people struggle when either of those things is missing.

P.S. Tampa is actually a really fun city with a lot to do. It's not the same as Boston but it does have a cultural scene, hipster scene, craft beer scene, etc.

[Chai_latte]

 Honestly, I'd go where I'm excited about the research and have a good mentor.

This.

An Orgo PhD doesn't always lead to a phenomenal career, especially not now.  Go with interest and fit.