which school should I choose? I'm so lost!!

[clinpsyplease]

Hi everyone,

I am currently deciding between two clinical psychology programs and having a pretty tough time. They're both so great and I want to make sure I am making the right decision. With the pros and cons listed here, I would really appreciate any insight you have on what sounds like the better option. 

School A

Pros:

1. love the supervisor + their lab: They flew me out to visit the city, paid for my hotel/food/transportation, and planned 3 full days of activities/meetings/events. The lab environment (grad students +staff) is so warm, supportive, and I really feel I could be friends with all of them! They all chat about how they get together weekly, go to the gym together, and just are all generally really close friends. The supervisor is also very supportive and assumes whatever mentorship approach you prefer. 

2. the research there is really compelling for me - I feel excited when I talk about it and I know it's very aligned with the clinical/academic work I hope to pursue after graduate school

3. They don't have an in-house clinic, so all of my placements (beginning the summer of my first year) would be at external institutions/hospitals- which is a great opportunity to get exposed to diverse populations and treatment approaches very quickly. On top of that, I get into the clinical work in the second semester of my first year (two psychoeducational assessments). So it seems like I'll be trained early and also receive depth + breadth. 

4. I'll be living in a new city (first time away from home) and I really liked it there during my visit. It seems like a great place to live and the ocean is like a 15 minute walk from the campus! Big change of pace from my current city lifestyle and I think it might help me grow as a person and experience new things. 

Cons:

1. The funding (including TAships) isn't as high as School B, but it covers tuition and most of my living expenses (it is also lower cost of living compared to where School B is). It would be tight and I might need to take out a loan/work extra TA/RA jobs. 

2. Moving across the country- I would be moving away from my family/friends/pet and having to start a long-distance relationship with my long-term partner who won't be relocating with me (at least for the first couple of years). Also, I'm fairly nervous about leaving my support network given some mental health issues I deal with...but maybe this experience will help me tackle those issues. 

3. The supervisor is a newer faculty member so they aren't as established as School B's supervisor but nonetheless an up and comer with lots of funding. 

School B

Pros:

1. Supervisor is someone I am working with now- I know I have a great relationship with them and they are incredibly established in this research field -I'm talking ~300 pubs and world-renowned. 

2. The program offers a concurrent specialized diploma that will help with my future clinical goals (no other program offers these diplomas)

3. It's in the same city I live in so no moving across the country! 

4. Clinical placement opportunities- I can be placed in world-renowned hospitals/institutions that would really make me competitive for internships etc. 

5. Funding and TAships are higher than School A- may be more financially stable? 

Cons:

1. I can probably still pursue a similar research area as I would at School A - but the supervisor might not be the best mentor for it and it won't be exactly what I have been working towards. 

2. Slower pace of the program - clinical exposure begins in MA2 doing intake assessments at the in-house clinic (so mainly undergrad clients). I wouldn't get my first client until near the end of PhD1. 

3. This supervisor has a LOT of graduate students and the lab doesn't have the community that School A offers. Everyone is very independent and they almost never see one another.

Side note: the number of grad students however doesn't seem to affect the supervisor's ability to support their students as they are very accessible and available to meet regularly. 

4. Commute. Many people suggest to not live near the school (kind of a crummy area), so if I were to move somewhere closer than my current home, I would still need to commute approximately an hour to the campus. I know that the commute shouldn't be a huge factor into my decision, BUT I've been commuting two + 1/2 hours every day for 6 years and I am SO tired of it. Everything is very walkable at School A and I would have maybe a 15 minute walk/bike ride. The school is also a very "commuter" school, so it doesn't have the same feel/community as School A. 

 

From a very logical perspective, School B probably offers better opportunities. However, there is just something about School A that is really tempting and exciting. Is it just because I'd get to move somewhere new and "reset" my life a bit? School B seems safe and logical, whereas School A might be more exciting and a good change for me. Ahh the stress.

Thanks for all of your help!!

[Blackwater]

Just from what you've listed here it seems that you may have more opportunities to grow academically and personally at school A. It seems that the main issue is the move and being away from your support system, so you would just have to be very intential about building a new one.