Aaron,

Have you visited the place you call new?  If not, you MUST visit the campus
and the city where it is located to know whether it will be a good fit for
you.  You really can't make the decision properly until you actually know
how the place "feels."

 When I was trying to decide on a university, I looked at the faculty as
well as the location.  Learning from a leader in the field seems to me the
best way to get the best education possible.  Leaders are often at
prestigious schools.

Also, since you want to teach, do a survey of a variety of schools you might
like to teach at someday to see where their faculty got their degrees from.
If you don't see the lesser known school listed anywhere - well, perhaps a
degree from that school won't open the doors you eventually want opened.
Finally, you can always consider getting the Ph.D. from the prestigious
school after you get a Master's from a less expensive one.  However, the
money spent now will not be remembered in 20 years.  Don't make your
decision based on money.  A satisfying career is worth more than any amount
of money.  (Just an aside - part-time jobs pay better in areas where the
cost of living is higher, so the actual difference in living expenses may be
less than you think.)

I would like to add a question to Aaron's question - I know American Studies
is an extremely popular degree right now.  Does anyone think too many people
are heading in that direction to be able to actually find work?

Carol C. Riggles



-----Original Message-----
From: Aaron Marcavitch <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Friday, March 24, 2000 1:22 PM
Subject: Re: Masters/PhD issue


>Just to weigh in on this subject again, I was hoping
>to get a bit of direction from some of you folks out
>there.
>
>I just got a call from a prestigious school that I was
>accepted to their school for a PHD in American Studies
>(which is the direction I think I want to head).  They
>are expensive, so I can't go unless they give me
>money.  But lets assume they are going to (because I
>have some great connections to them).
>
>Now I have already been accepted into a state school,
>sort of known for its masters in public history.  This
>direction, though not my original, is interesting
>becuase it allows me to try a bit of museum or a bit
>of education or something.  They had offered me money
>last year before I deferred to work for the time.  So
>lets assume they are giving me money again.  They are
>really cheap to attend.
>
>Now then to add to this, the first school is in a VERY
>expensive city to live in.  Even if I live at the end
>of the train line, it is still 300 dollars more a
>month than it is around the other school.  However, I
>know that I would have a part time job here, and my
>girlfriend would have a full time job.
>
>What would you do in this case?  Take the first school
>with a PHD in American Studies at a prestigious school
>that everyone knows, but is VERY expensive all the way
>around (and in a place that you had been living for
>several years) or go with the MA in Public History, at
>a not so well known school, but is cheap (and is in a
>place that you have never been before).
>
>OH just so everyone knows, I want to be a professor in
>a few years, but until then I am willing to work in
>anything that relates to preservation or history
>(museums to non-profits).  So either degree will get
>me somewhere.  Just where is the question.
>
>Thanks for your help ahead of time.
>Aaron
>
>
>=====
>Aaron Marcavitch-- [log in to unmask]
>Webmaster/Program Assistant
>Historic Massachusetts
>&
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