<p>michaelburt,
as you get older, life’s constraints are going to tighten in. For the moment, however, you can surely pick the path you love the best - for all that you have mentioned are good. ‘Striving for excellence’ is a pretty hackneyed phrase at this point, but it seems to me that it is important for you. It takes a certain amount of courage to plunge into a rigorous academic program - but many things in life that are fine and good require courage.</p>