“Congratulations! You’ve been accepted.” After tackling the personal statement, crafting a good CV, and getting amazing letters of recommendation, you submitted your application(s) for grad school and you’ve been admitted! Now for the second hard part – selecting a program and university. I separate the two because sometimes you’ll like a program/department but not the larger institution/university, or vice versa. This, among many other things, will be important for making your final decision.

Below are my thoughts on a few things to consider while you’re making your selection (in no particular order):

Program versus Institution. As stated before, liking your program/department and liking the institution/university you applied to can be two different things. If you have a chance to visit before you accept an offer, you should. During the visit you can figure out if you like the greater campus and faculty, staff, and other students. Consider if you would prefer a smaller or larger department. If you would prefer advisement that is more hands on or hands off. And, consider what resources – fellowships, grants, courses, training, etc. – are available through your department and through the larger institution.

Funding. At both the Master’s and PhD level it’s possible to get substantial financial support to complete your degree, to complete research, and to cover living expenses. If the difference between institutions A, B, and C is their financial support, that can really effect your overall graduate experience. Of course, money isn’t the only thing to factor into your decision, but it is important.

Cost of Living. Everyone wants to move to a big city. But can you actually afford to live in a city like Boston, New York or Los Angeles? There is no law that says graduate students have to live on ramen noodles. However, if your rent is sucking up most of your income – you may have to. In addition to the logistics of your program, seriously examine the cost of living in the location surrounding the institution. Find out about things like local rent prices and if other grad students can afford to live alone or if they all have roommates. If you aren’t moving and you’ll just be commuting, figure out transportation costs. If you have kids, ask about childcare cost. And so on. There are so many things that can quickly add up. When I was deciding on a program, cost of living was a major concern for me. I was living in New York before I started grad school and I knew I just couldn’t afford to stay in the city. This meant that I accepted a program out of state and moved somewhere more affordable.

Benefits and Services. Beyond your education and your living situation, remember that you’ll also get sick, maybe have a child, or maybe need new glasses. When selecting a university and program also consider the benefits and services being offered. Find out if there is free or low cost health, dental, and vision insurance; free or low cost health services; time off and support for having a family; and whatever else might be important for you. This is one of those areas where you can love a department but dislike an institution if the university can’t support you beyond academics.

Personal Needs for Comfort and Success. These are the things that you as an individual need to figure out for yourself. Everyone is different, but everyone has things they need to be comfortable and to be successful. Before you select a program, take some time to reflect on what you need as a whole person and not just as a student. Maybe you will be working full-time or raising a family, and what you’ll need is a program that has course offerings, workshops and events that fit with your schedule. Or, maybe you need to live someplace where you can afford to pay for rent, your student loans, and a cocktail at the end of a long day. Know yourself, your life, your quirks and habits, know when and where you are at your best, and make sure you account for these things and factor them into your decision. A few other questions you may want to consider:

How long is too long for a daily commute?
Do you like sharing/living with other people?
Do you have a pet(s)? Or, do you want a pet(s)?
Do you have student loans that you need to pay?
Are you someone that needs to be close to family or a partner?
Are you a city person, or do you have any preferences related to city/town size?
Do you need any special accommodation(s), and can your department or university provide them?

These are not the be all and end all of questions and considerations. Just a few things to think about to help you through your selection process.

Best of luck!