Accepted by a Lower Ranked School - However, It Has Top Scholar, Funding, and Publication Opportunities

[OutdoorsEd]

Wasn't sure how to properly title this.

I've been accepted by a college of education doctoral program with GREAT funding. Like, no-need-for-loans-ever funding and they even just upped their offer when I told them a few concerns I had about paying for grad school.

They also have a leading scholar in my field of interest.  I think he has over 100 publications to his name. He's a grant writing machine and is still churning out great papers to good journals. EDIT - I should note that he has already said he would be my advisor.

Their doctoral students get published quite a bit (say 3-4 publications before finishing), usually as 2nd or 3rd authors but most get at least one 1st author publication.

But the school is by no means prestigious. You'd think "party time" before Ivory Tower.

How much does the school name matter if I'd come out with multiple publications and a prominent advisor attached to my dissertation?

I've also been accepted into a top 10 program, but it's unclear exactly who I would be working with at this point. The students publish some but I think the average was more like 1-2 with only a select few getting a 1st author publication. The funding isn't as good either. But the name...oh man...the name is the kind that your parents bring up at Thanksgiving dinner when they want to one-up everyone else's children.

 

Edited February 27, 2017 by OutdoorsEd

[bakalamba]

I think this is an overlooked aspect of doctoral education (at least from the application process): everyone I talk to stresses that it's less about the school, and more about the department, funding, and who you work with. I can testify to this, as I turned down offers similar to yours (higher ranked school, no clear advisor, unclear funding), for one with an advisor, who has been great, decent funding based on active projects and grants, and faculty actively publishing with students.

The pros and cons of these situations are a bit weighted to one side, and it seems what you are struggling with is the name and ranking - so you really have to ask yourself (and other people): what's the worth of prestige, compared to the benefits of going to a well-funded and seemingly well supported program?

[emilb34]

I did the more prestigious institution name for my master's and I regret it a bit. I walked away with more debt than if I had gone elsewhere, and I didn't receive the type of attention I would have liked if I had gone to a school where maybe people weren't so "into themselves." All I have to show is my degree and the institution name. I'd encourage you to think about future relationships with your doc program - this is something that's really weighed heavily on my mind this time around. While there are no guarantees, which school makes you think that you might walk away with stronger relationships with faculty/peers that will lead to amazing opportunities down the line (and while in school)? 

[ZeChocMoose]

It doesn't really matter if the school isn't prestigious on the undergraduate level.  It matters if your particular graduate program is considered good.  I also say as someone on the academic job market right now - the topic of your dissertation and how well known your advisor is and other faculty that you have worked with is extremely important.  You want them to be well connected so they can call up their colleagues in other schools and advocate for you/get the inside scoop/find out about non-posted opportunities when you are on the job market.  Academia is super competitive at this level so I would lean towards your first option if you are considering an academic career unless the graduate program there is known to be not well regarded.