Would appreciate advice on a tricky decision
hi all. i'm deciding between two phd offers in the uk, both for english literature.
one is at a much more prestigious institution (oxbridge), but a friend of mine is a student in the department and said that the academic who would be my primary supervisor isn't very engaged (they're a bit of a superstar in the field, so quite busy) and i'd likely be supervised mostly by my secondary supervisor, who is a fairly early career researcher.
the other is at a less prestigious institution (lower-tier russell group), but the primary supervisor there, who's mid-career, seems very engaged and responsive.
the research fit is a bit better at the more prestigious institution. i want to go into academia, but i know that's unlikely in either case given the state of higher ed atm.
which would you advise i go for?