Academic life vs others?

Question

What's better for me?

1. Go to grad school in a small, lonely city where I don't know anyone, have no friends, but am well acquainted with reputable faculty members. I'm prone to depression.

2. Go to grad school in a large city where I have some close friends but I don't know any of the faculty.

Answer 1

It's not that simple. I'm sure you already know the answer, however trying writing down the pros and cons of both choices. Since you know that you are prone to depression, see a physician on ways to control depression. It does not necessarily mean prescription drugs. Some depression is seasonal, others genetic, others still a mind set.

Take inconsideration the following:
1: Education benefits
2: Easy of developing relationships
3: Type of depression (length and frequency) a - when you were completing your bachelors, was it at a university where you had friends already or did you make friends while there.

Knowing faculty helps when completing grad work. They are more likely to understand your method and style of work. Not knowing faculty isn't necessarily a negative. You'll have the opportunity to show your stuff.

Friends, how close are you to them and will you be tempted to let them monopolize your time and get in the way of your studies. Education is key to a successful future.

Answer 2

As someone who has done the grad school rounds, I think you will find Number 1 less lonely and more hospitable than the big alienating city. It may be easier to make new friends at the university in the smaller town, and there is nothing wrong with making new friends. Then when you have problems with them, you can go visit your old friends in the big city for a break.

In addition, unfortunately the most important thing about grad school, absolute bottom line, ends up at the end of the day being about the school, not your friends. Therefore you should pick 1 for the good faculty with whom you have good connections and who will get you a good job afterwards. If you go somewhere where the faculty do not know you or support you, you will be a thousand times more miserable. The profs are the key to your survival in this medieval system of education, your friends are there for support.

Also, just remember that however you perceive the school before you go there for grad school will be the opposite of how you perceive it when you leave. So pick Number 1 and you won't get depressed after all. It seems counter-intuitive, but from tough experience, I think it's true. You should also subscribe to H-Grad and check the indexes of the Chronicle for Higher Education, to get the background info (dirt) on both schools.

Answer 3

2

Answer 4

If friends are what's important to you, then that's what you need to do. Not everyone is cut out to go out into the world and be the best. Not everyone has to go to a top school and excel to the fullest. There are times when both can go together, but I would always choose friends and a marginally less better education experience, over a better experience with no friends.

What would happen to you if you go to the better school option and you become depressed because you don't know anyone? How possible is it that you would do worse at that school due to the depression and it would end up being a lose-lose situation.

However, there is always the chance that you could get to that school and hit it off with one person who has some cool friends and they accept you and bam, you have some new good friends and you're in the better learning environment.

Good Luck!

Answer 5

It depends.

1) Why do you need to have friends there? Why can you not make NEW friends?
2) Are the schools similar in reputation and offerings?

Personally I would go to the larger city just because you won't be cooped up.

Answer 6

I suppose it's a matter of what is more important to you: being acquainted with and finding approval in faculty members or having a peer support group of friends who hopefully like and admire you for you.

Answer 7

# 2....the "I'm prone to depression" makes # 2 the best answer. Who needs to "know" faculty anyway? You'll know them well enough when you are done.

Answer 8

2.

Answer 9

Go teach conversational english in South Korea.
http://www.eslcafe.com/
Then after a year or so of saving money (it pays well), take a 2 month trip from Seoul to Scotland and go through china, mongolia, russia, estonia, denmark, etc....
come back home and then go to grad school.
that is what I would do.

Answer 10

one is best 4 you.