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What school? 🏫 Please help me decide on a graduate school!

E

eastcoaster

Cyburbian
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33
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Hi cyburbians,

I need help picking a masters program. My options are:

UCLA - full tuition
USC - full tuition
Rutgers - full tuition plus 20,000 stipend per year (no work required)
MIT - 1/2 tuition, RAship for 1200/month stipend

I am interested in community development, housing, with a secondary interest in international work. I am also considering pursuing a PhD in planning a few years down the line. I'm most attracted to MIT's program, but Rutgers has given me a pretty sweet deal. Can anyone with experience offer me any advice, or give any insight about the different schools?
 
Joining the request, Rutgers is one of my options and I would love to hear what people have to say about their program
 
Wow, first of all congrats on your deal from MIT and Rutgers.

I am in a similar position, where eventually I would like to pursue a PhD, however, I was rejected by MIT and Harvard lol. The downfall with Rutgers is that they don't offer a thesis option as part of their MCRP, which would do well to prepare you for a subsequent doctoral degree. I think your package for MIT is good enough to make a commitment. Plus I would also select the bustling area of Cambridge/Boston to New Brunswick NJ any day of the week.

Currently, i'm in between Rutgers (6K Scholarship + $17-$19 p/hr research work offer) and Cornell (Lowered tuition to 30K plus $7200 RA).

Rome
 
Congrats on the great offers.
Cost wise I'd say go with Rutgers, good school, paid, plus tuition, I'm jealous.
I think MIT is the better school, but now you have to start paying for it.
 
deciding

You have some great options, you really can't go wrong. I would recommend going to all the open houses and then choosing the one that feels like the best fit. I would seriously consider Rutgers-you can't really beat that package. I am a current MIT student and I kind of regret giving up a similar offer at Rutgers.
 
Re: deciding

carmen d. said:
You have some great options, you really can't go wrong. I would recommend going to all the open houses and then choosing the one that feels like the best fit. I would seriously consider Rutgers-you can't really beat that package. I am a current MIT student and I kind of regret giving up a similar offer at Rutgers.
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Hi carmen d.,

I am currently in a similar position deciding between MIT and Rutgers. I sent you a 'friend request' here in hope you can tell me more about your decision and thoughts offline.

Thanks,
Catie
 
decision making

hi guys
i have been accepted in bellow universities:
1. master of urban planning ( full time) in univeristy at buffalo
2. master of design for sustainable urban environment ( 1 year- full time) in northeastern university ( Boston)
would you please help me and tell me what will you do if you were in my shoe!!??
thanks
 
Buffalo

Hey lora ---

I didn't apply to Buffalo or Northeastern, but it's worth noting that Buffalo is PAB-accredited, while Northeastern isn't.
 
MIT/Harvard

Hoping for some advice on this, Harvard MUP vs. MIT MCP, Harvard would come with partial funding (21K) , while MIT- no financial aid at the moment.

Does anyone have any advice on this?
Thanks!

-East-coaster, Great schools, I don't know much about the west coast but from my own research MIT seems to have a strong international development group and active members of faculty consulting the World Bank and the UN.
 
Hi there,

I was wondering if you were at all the open houses…I have also been accepted to UCLA and RUTGERS and have been pondering where to go because they both gave me a substantial amount of funding. I would love to learn where you will end up going and whether you were at UCLA's open house & dessert reception.
 
Hi j0820947y,

I actually didn't make it to either reception. I am still deciding at the last moment, but 80% sure I'll be at Bloustein next year. I visited UCLA and got a really good vibe from the department, and their research seems to be great. I would say follow the money (that's what I'm doing!), and maybe choose the program that will allow you the most flexibility.
 
eastcoaster said:
Hi j0820947y,

I actually didn't make it to either reception. I am still deciding at the last moment, but 80% sure I'll be at Bloustein next year. I visited UCLA and got a really good vibe from the department, and their research seems to be great. I would say follow the money (that's what I'm doing!), and maybe choose the program that will allow you the most flexibility.
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Thanks for your comment! Rutgers offered me scholarships that will cover my tuition but not my housing or fees so I am still not sure where I will be headed…most likely ucla since my house is near but i will let you know if I goto rutgers. Are you living in the east coast or california?
 
I still say go to the school that gives you the best deal. The lower your debt when you come out the better. Although I still think MIT is the better planning school than Harvard. I also say try to go to a school that will lead you to the job in the city you want. Location does a great deal for that.
 
dvdneal said:
I still say go to the school that gives you the best deal. The lower your debt when you come out the better. Although I still think MIT is the better planning school than Harvard. I also say try to go to a school that will lead you to the job in the city you want. Location does a great deal for that.
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Pretty much.

Of course I am partial to Rutgers having graduated from Bloustein in 2010. I ultimately chose it because of its central location between NYC and Philly, it offered affordable family housing, I received a good aid package, and I feel like I received a great education. I go back to visit from time to time and believe it's only gotten better. I will say that the program did offer a lot of flexibility to take classes in other schools at Rutgers and I did a semester abroad in Asia through another university. I always had a job while at Bloustein whether it was through the school, working for a private developer, or for the state. I now work at a large CDC as their affordable housing development manager and work on community driven planning initiatives. My boss is also a Bloustein alumni.
 
Congrats! I'd say go with Rutgers. Though I'm slightly biased having gone to EJB for undergrad in Planning/Public Policy with interests in transport infrastructure. I graduated sometime ago, and landed a full-time gig (in Planning) following graduation. After having worked in the field for the past six years on both private/public sector transport projects in NJ/NY/DC/VA, I must say the name Rutgers (EJB) carries some weight among the planning community at large. Now I'm at a place where I'm ready to go back for my Master's and was accepted to RU and NYU Wagner. I would suggest go with your gut (dismiss all elitist comments comparing RU against MIT). Perhaps visit both campuses, walk around, sit in on a class, talk to faculty about their research interests/current projects. Where ever you decide will feel like you were meant to be there. Hope this helps...best of luck.
 
Hey eastcoaster- not sure if you have already decided, but I just want to say the education at Rutgers is top notch- I just finished my first year- really impressed with the professors and the curriculum. I know MIT has a great reputation, and I don't know much about the other programs, but I know you have an amazing offer from Bloustein! I would say take it.
 
Thanks for the feedback, everyone! For any future applicants, I decided to attend Rutgers. Any future or current (or former) students, feel free to PM me.
 
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