Cornell ME PhD vs Georgia Tech BioE PhD

[shim12]

I suppose having to decide between two schools is a great problem to have, but I would really love any suggestions or advice to help make this decision.

In terms of the big factors, both schools are pretty equal. I have full funding at both schools. Cornell pays ~$5,000 more, but I think both stipends are livable. Both schools have a few professors whose research interest me and both schools are highly ranked. I believe GT BioE is #2 whereas Cornell ME is top 10. Both schools also have qual pass rates of ~95%. Given these factors, I don't think I can go wrong with either school.

In terms of differences, the weather in Atlanta and Ithaca are polar opposites. I prefer the warmth of Atlanta, but I did my undergrad in the northeast so I can survive Ithaca's winters. I felt like Cornell's ME department was much more close-knit and friendly, but I'm not sure how big of a concern that is. On the other hand, I appreciate Atlanta's massive airport, which will make visiting my family in California much easier. I am also considering academia and from what I've seen, GT seems to put more people into industry. Finally, this is kind of trivial, but I received a fellowship from GT, so I could stick that on my CV.

Overall, I have no idea how I'm going to make this decision by April 15th... Help!

What do you guys think of GT's BioE program or Cornell's ME program? Which school would you choose?

 

Edited March 24, 2016 by shim12