To ask for opinions on my options please?

[Confusedotcomm]

Sorry, not particularly interesting but I’m dithering horribly and DH is firing back the most unhelpful ‘do what makes you happy’ comments and DF just wants bragging rights to a Dr in the family so I’m gonna ask for your opinion…
just completed a BA, did exceptionally well, every piece I submitted was at the higher end of ‘outstanding’ and I got a high first. This is after years of underachieving and drifting from job to job just to get by. So obviously I’m pretty chuffed with myself for working so hard and seeing it through. As soon as I got my grades I embarked on a mission to apply for every postgraduate course and job I could and am now left with three major options going forward (all local, excellent childcare set up already so logistics are inconsequential)

1. accept offer at the top university in the country in my field which will be a great experience and hugely enjoyable, likely to lead into great things for my career, but this will mean struggling on very little money for 3 years. We’ll have essentials but struggle to have holidays or finish renovating our house for example.
2. accept offer at much less esteemed university who have offered scholarship and bursary and therefore do the Postgrad essentially for free and have a doctoral loan to contribute to the household budget.
3. accept local job offer which is salaried about twice anything I’ve ever earned before which will make our lives financially very comfortable, but being full-time I would need to complete the online/part-time version of my post- grad. This job is also only very tenuously linked to my qualification and more to my previous professional experience which I’m not passionate about. The money is the only benefit here.

what would you do in my shoes? I’m just sitting in front of my computer screen reading emails over and over without replying because I really can’t make a choice.

Hi @Confusedotcomm you've done so well! Congratulations!
I would go with option 1, it will be good for your future career.
All the best in your decision xx

Yes, option one is the best university in the field in the country and possibly internationally, a really big name. Option 2 ranks in the hundreds so complete opposite ends of the spectrum. Long term goal is to bring my design to production and this will require big business loans and grants and lots of professional support which is why the university name and associated people matter.

3. is right out, sounds horrible. I would probably go for 2), but I work in a field where no one gives a monkey's about where you studied. I have two professional qualifications from a very highly rated university, and one from a much less well thought of one, and they all count equally at work.

Is there any way you can polite decline 1) whilst tapping up any possible networking opportunities? Any interest groups you could join, or paid work you could do?

@oldestmumaintheworld you make a very good point. I do feel a wave of feminist determination with this too , especially as women are underrepresented in my field, and this sense of ‘what could have been’ if I bottle out and don’t go for it. Also feel a bit sick at the state of this spreadsheet I made for household finances. I wonder if I could find some part-time tutoring work to top up the cash a bit? I’d definitely go for option 1 if I could Chuck a few hundred in the kitty each month.

OP a couple of questions. What do you want to do with the PhD? Are you thinking of going into academia?

Second question is about supervisors. Presumably you have these lined up? Which uni is offering you the more experienced and well respected (in your field) supervisors? Supervisors are so important. A poor supervisor can hugely impact your experience. A good supervisor/s can make so much of a difference.

@Senorfrijoles
the Phd is to allow me to work on a product which will hopefully improve life for many people and help protect our ecosystems. I would like to become an academic and lecturer to advocate for environmental issues in a way that seeks to solve problems while simultaneously developing the product and trying to get it into production, I know sod all about business and marketing so will need someone to do all that for me, the field I’m in has lots of innovation shows and exhibitions and the top Uni has a big presence at these. The supervisors are both very impressive and likeable and I couldn’t say one was better than the other.

Seriously, ask the top uni for funding! They might say no, but if you don't ask you'll never know. Given your updates and how amazing it all sounds I reckon you have a good shot.

Based on that update, I would say option 1 (if it is affordable). Getting your work out there is hugely important, particularly if you are in a competitive field. At the top uni are there are opportunities to pick up some work? Many grad students teach and mark. Might be a way to fund part of your studies.

Agree with @Senorfrijoles about the importance of supervisors, particularly as it sounds like your PhD set-up is centred on individual research.

Outside of the lab-based/research group environment typical of scientific research where job opportunities appear more likely to come in-house, at the same institution or through group contacts, doctoral professional networking is much more cross-institutional owing to the depth of your specialism. You will meet the same people at conferences, online, see the same names in publications etc. In my specialism for example, it wouldn't be the case that studying at a more prestigious university would be more likely to result in a job at that same university. People often move around to where the funding is. What counts more is the quality of the research you publish, the calibre of the journals in which you publish, and the name you build for yourself within your field.

Saying that, if you want the prestigious name on your CV then why not go for it. Prestigious universities, particularly collegiates, are often wealthier and have more generous stipends/supports in place, so it may be useful to look into that side of things too. But if it really is too much of a struggle then what I'm trying to say is that you may not be missing out on as much as you think, professionally speaking, by taking option 2.

Good luck with your decision.

@Senorfrijoles thank you! looking for work with the Uni seems an obvious solution now you’ve mentioned it. I appreciate you lending me your practical mind since mine appears to be on annual leave at the moment. It’s like fraggle rock in my head of late. Will set myself the task of investigating this now.

It’s completely acceptable to ask option 1 about money. Just approach it as thank you for the offer, you would love to do your phd there M, but option 2 has offered x amount of financial support and you are struggling to see how you could afford option 1. Don’t outright ask them to match option 2, ask them if there are scholarships/grant funding/student support funds that you could apply for at option 1.

@YellowJoggers thank you for this! You clearly have much experience and knowledge and I will follow this advice and research a bit more into funding at the better Uni. I had no idea that there was an option to ask. Really useful! Much appreciated!

Can you get a chat with R&I at each of the two universities?
What support do they offer to start ups or spin outs?
The prestige will come from research success and output but this isn't always the same as commercialisation.

If you can have a look at the facilities they offer for entrepreneurship it may help you to may a more balanced choice than league tables alone.