Advice: choosing between 2 planning programs

[WinstonGMS]

I have been accepted to two planning programs, Virginia Tech's Masters of City and Regional Planning, and the University of Louisville's Masters of Urban Planning Program, and am trying to decide between the two of them.

While both programs have elements that appeal to me, I am wondering how to decide between them. The program at VT feels a little bit stronger to me overall, and offers the possibility of a certificate in GIS, but I have not been able to get any assistantships or scholarships, and am looking at $60,000 to get a dual masters of planning and public administration. Louisville, meanwhile, has offered me an assistantship, plus stipend.

My question is, how important is the reputation of the school going to be when I go job hunting? What kind of reputations do these two programs have, does anyone in the field know anything about the perception of these two schools?

Thanks!

[Queenducky21]

Louisville, meanwhile, has offered me an assistantship, plus stipend.

Thanks!

Take the no debt!

[JNA]

Take the no debt!

A variation on our broken record phrase here in Cyburbia - Don't go in to debt over a name.

[rdr06001]

A variation on our broken record phrase here in Cyburbia - Don't go in to debt over a name.

Yes, that's certainly said quite a bit. And I completely agree that it makes zero sense if your goal is public sector work. But just to play devil's advocate for a minute, are any of those people graduates of top programs at prestigious universities? I can't remember reading any posts from graduates of MIT, Harvard, Penn, etc. wishing they hadn't taken on debt for their degree. Not trying to be cheeky, I'm genuinely interested in the answer.

[tanpard]

Yes, that's certainly said quite a bit. And I completely agree that it makes zero sense if your goal is public sector work. But just to play devil's advocate for a minute, are any of those people graduates of top programs at prestigious universities? I can't remember reading any posts from graduates of MIT, Harvard, Penn, etc. wishing they hadn't taken on debt for their degree. Not trying to be cheeky, I'm genuinely interested in the answer.

Search for PennPlanner's posts in this forum. From what I can tell, while he* doesn't regret going to Penn, he certainly appears to have a strong opinion not to overvalue the name with regards to employment. I'm not sure if he has been active this application cycle in the student forums, but has definitely posted in the past on this subject.

(Full disclosure: I'm headed to MIT in the fall, fortunately with a pretty good funding package, so I'm definitely also curious as to how this discussion progresses.)

*I think PennPlanner is a man, but I could be totally wrong -- apologies if so.

[Queenducky21]

I came across this article in the NY Times today about the cost of a school vs. the prestige factor.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/20/yo...pagewanted=all

[rdr06001]

Search for PennPlanner's posts in this forum. From what I can tell, while he* doesn't regret going to Penn, he certainly appears to have a strong opinion not to overvalue the name with regards to employment. I'm not sure if he has been active this application cycle in the student forums, but has definitely posted in the past on this subject.

(Full disclosure: I'm headed to MIT in the fall, fortunately with a pretty good funding package, so I'm definitely also curious as to how this discussion progresses.)

*I think PennPlanner is a man, but I could be totally wrong -- apologies if so.

Thanks for this. I'm trying to decide between a few state schools with full rides and a few "elite" programs which would leave me with considerable debt. The all-too-common dilemma. PennPlanner's posts were helpful.

[csld09]

I came across this article in the NY Times today about the cost of a school vs. the prestige factor.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/20/yo...pagewanted=all

Interesting read, thanks for posting. Hope the guy who's wrestling with the "Cornell for 44k or Rutgers for Free" dilemma had a chance to read it!