usually the best (funded) PhD program you got into is a good choice for you. But only do it if you enjoy research/learning for its own sake.
I’m not sure I agree with this, except insofar as any top-tier or even second-tier program will pay for your graduate education, at least in engineering fields, and so if they do not then that is a major red flag. I would say that research fit with your advisor, caliber of peers, etc. is much more important.
I interpreted “the best (funded) PhD program you got into” to mean ‘the best PhD program that offered you a funded place’, rather than ‘the best-funded PhD program that offered you a place’. So Algernoq’s advice need not conflict with yours, unless he did mean ‘best’ in a very narrow sense.
Tangential, but:
I’m not sure I agree with this, except insofar as any top-tier or even second-tier program will pay for your graduate education, at least in engineering fields, and so if they do not then that is a major red flag. I would say that research fit with your advisor, caliber of peers, etc. is much more important.
I interpreted “the best (funded) PhD program you got into” to mean ‘the best PhD program that offered you a funded place’, rather than ‘the best-funded PhD program that offered you a place’. So Algernoq’s advice need not conflict with yours, unless he did mean ‘best’ in a very narrow sense.