Berkeley PhD vs Harvard Ed.M

[mg91]

Hey all. I need some help deciding. I've been admitted into UC Berkeley and SFSU's Joint PhD program in Special Education as well as the Harvard Graduate School of Education for an Ed.M in Specialized Studies. Both are amazing programs but two very different commitments. I believe my end goal is a Ph.D., and the Berkeley/SFSU program is a wonderful one for my research interests and needs. However, I wasn't eligible to many PhD programs this time around since I didn't have a masters, and am wondering if it's worth taking a year to do the Harvard program so that I would be eligible for more PhDs next time around... what do you think? A bird in the hand? My research interests are really specific and UCB/SFSU is really open and supportive to what I want to do... it seems like the right decision, but I'm having trouble imagining turning down a masters from Harvard and imagining all of the "what if" scenarios that could happen if I go that route... Help? Thank you!!

[psyforfunfun]

Isn't Berkely as good as Harvard academically?

[achapiro]

I have no idea about your field, but in my field (CS) Berkeley would probably be considered a stronger department than Harvard. You can check the rankings or ask your peers for a better picture, I suppose.

Again, in my field, a PhD at UCB would probably be one of the top choices anywhere.

[Chai_latte]

I err on the side of "a bird in the hand"; you said that Cal seems really supportive of your plans.  If it seems like a great fit, I'd give it a shot.  The other thing you have to consider (and I'm saying this as someone who has finally paid off ~97% of her student loan debt) is debt load.  Are you willing to go forward with the PhD after you're 40-60k in the hole from Harvard?  That kind of debt is no joke when you remember that grad loans are unsubsidized and will accrue interest ALL while you're in school.  5-7 years of interest sure is a lot.

The other thing you might want to consider is where you'd prefer to work as a professional--east or west coast?  That can really tip the scales in a particular direction.  

Without knowing you/your situation, right off the bat, I'd go with UCB.

[eveline]

Berkeley has just about the same prestige as Harvard, and you can still always say "I got into Harvard." I actually lived in Cambridge, MA for a short while and around the area, the H Grad School of Education is perceived as the "easiest" H school to get into, compared to the Kennedy School, Law School etc. 

PhD > Masters

If I were you, I would definitely choose Berkeley. 

Edited March 23, 2017 by eveline

[mg91]

Thank you all. This has all been incredibly helpful, and I really appreciate your advice!

I'm visiting Harvard this Sunday-Tuesday, and afterwards I can make an informed decision... but I'm pretty sure I'll be heading to Berkeley.

THANK YOU!!!