Help me decide!

[jdgor]

I just applied to a round of programs, and only ended up being accepted to one.... so my options are to either accept this program or try to reapply in a year or two and see if I can bulk up my resume and get in more places next time. 

I'm not too enthusiastic about the program for a few reasons, but it might just be because of my main issue, the poor location!  I'm trying to list out pros and cons, but I keep getting caught up by the fact that my only option is here or NOWHERE.  I need someone objective to look at my pros and cons list and tell me what they think.  

Pros:

1. The program itself is fine, and has a good match rate for internships.

2. There are several faculty members including my mentor who do research I'm interested in

3. Guaranteed funding for 4 years.  

4. I already have a master's in the field so it would probably only take me 3-4 years to get my PhD instead of the 5-6 it might take if I switched to clinical.  

5. Only 3 in my cohort. 

6. It's a young program (only accredited for a few years), so they're very flexible.

7. I hated the whole application process and I would do almost anything not to have to repeat it + start research job hunting to bulk up my resume.  

Cons: 

1. The location is terrible for me.  My husband is stuck in our current house because he's a fellow at the hospital, so I would either have a 2 hour commute or get an apartment there a few days a week and have a semi-long-distance relationship with my husband AND part-time single-parenthood of a 2-year-old.  

2. The program is relatively new and there has been a lot of faculty turnover in the past few years (supposedly everyone there now is planning to stay, but...).  

3. The research fit between myself and my mentor is good, but not great.

4. It's not my top choice program, which I fell in love with and then didn't get into because my POI found out after interviews that she wasn't going to be able to take any students this year.  

5. My husband is not thrilled about the prospect of paying for a 2nd apartment and/or only seeing me and our son a few days a week. 

6. If I wait and apply in two years, I can apply nationwide instead of just to places within driving distance.  

Anyone who has been through this before have any advice?  This seems like an impossible decision.  

[rack_attack124]

okay being honest, I have no idea why you applied if you don't like the location. what do you do right now? if I was in your situation, I would probably wait and apply again. No sense doing something that will make you unhappy. Life is too short for that you know? but I hope you can enhance your application with another year off. I don't know what you do right now. What is the location anyway? 

[jdgor]

Thank you for the input!  I'm leaning toward reapplying after talking to a few other people.  I work in a school right now, and I'm applying for some research positions to add to my application.  

I actually didn't think that the location would be as big of a problem when I applied - I thought we would be able to move closer and split the different in commuting times, but once my husband took his fellowship it kind of messed up that plan.  In hindsight, it was probably silly to apply knowing that the location might be an issue, but I did really like the program.  

[rack_attack124]

yeah I'm not judging! I know location is an issue for me. I thought about maybe applying to UChicago but I know that I would never survive Chicago since I'm the hugest baby about winter. There's just no point in me applying because winter is that much of a deal breaker for me. I'm sure you can get into a great program in an area that you like. A long commute would also bother me. I don't really like driving more than 30 minutes to get where I'm going lol. 

[psychologue]

I would wait and reapply. In the long run, it's not worth it to settle when you have a better idea now of what you really want, and could potentially get it in a year.