Better Funding vs. Better Program

[Unimpressed3D]

I'm really torn. I really want to go to school A - better program, better city, higher ranking, better fit for my interests, and I think, a better cultural environment all around. I think I'd be happier going to this school. If only I can afford it.

School B, though, is offering full funding. It's a safer, cheaper area, but the cultural and intellectual life is in that area isn't nearly as rich, it's lower-ranked, and though I could make it work with my interests, it doesn't have as much to offer in general.

I think School A would provide a better, more rigorous education, especially in terms of preparation for grad school (unlike School B, they have a PhD program in my field...which is probably why they're not offering me as much money). I think I'd be happier going to School A than School B, especially since I'd always wonder, and regret not trying to make it work where I really wanted to go.

I'm really nervous about not having enough money, though. I have enough to cover the tuition, but it's living expenses that worry me. One of my professors said to send School A the offer from School B. Is this done? How should I broach the topic of asking for more money? I think that if I can attend School A, I should do so. I'm having trouble deciding what's financially doable, though, and asking School A to raise its offer seems completely nerve-wracking. Has anyone done this successfully? How should I go about it???

[C Laree]

You should definitely tell school A about school B's offer. I would send an email to your potential grad advisor and cc the grad coordinator for your program. This will let them know you are a desirable candidate and they better hustle. I recently did this and got better offers from both schools I am seriously considering; unfortunately, this has made my decision much more difficult. You should also visit (if you haven't already) and ask if they provide reimbursement for travel expenses. Graduate students bring prestige to a university, they want to attract the best and they can usually make things happen ($) when they want you. Also, if you really truly want to attend school A, just remember that a lot of what you will be doing aside from loads of homework is applying for funding--its a never ending quest for cash so you can do what you do. Might as well go to the school that suits you best and make sure you get your hands on some funds, after all, its practically your job in grad school.

 

Best of luck with your decision!

[rising_star]

How much money is School A offering you? Is it through teaching or research assistantships? Are we talking MA or PhD programs? Some more information would be helpful...

[Unimpressed3D]

1 hour ago, rising_star said:

How much money is School A offering you? Is it through teaching or research assistantships? Are we talking MA or PhD programs? Some more information would be helpful...

It's an MA program, offering me $10K. This is only towards tuition (covers most of it, if not all), and I'd get by the first semester with the federal loan. But the second semester, most of the loan money would go toward the tuition. If I had a job, I'm sure it would be OK, but this is in another city. I've never secured a job/housing in another city without some savings that allowed me to move there first and search. Which I probably could even in this case. I'm just nervous I won't be able to find/work a job that covers living expenses while doing good work in the program.

The situation would be slightly better, if memory serves, the second year with a TAship.

[rising_star]

In that case, I'd see if School A can match School B's funding. If they can't, then go to School B.

[Unimpressed3D]

Yes, I'm going to try, though it would be huge stretch for them (a difference of about $23K, I think, since the $10K they're offering is just toward tuition, which would require me to take out more in loans). At the least, I just want them to make attending financial secure enough for me to do it without always worrying about making ends meet.

School B is a lower ranked program, without a PhD program, so I'm worried about my chances of getting into a good PhD program down the line if I go there.

[rising_star]

A master's program is really what you make it, not some arbitrary thing. @TMP said it well on a different thread earlier today: "You need the funding to carry out a successful MA thesis.  You need that funding handed to you for  your own research, not for you to find a summer job to support yourself (and be distracted away from your research).  I could not have done my MA thesis as well as I did if I wasn't funded for the summer as I had to take research trips." If you scroll up or down, you'll see similar comments made by two other posters.

Whether or not you can leverage School B into a great PhD offer is entirely up to you. If you go to a top-ranked MA program but don't stand out or do good work, you won't be in a position to get into a good PhD program either, you know?