Chai_latte

Call them. But, I doubt it. I'm in the same position and I'm going to defer for a term (Fall 2015 instead of Summer 2015). It's really not a big deal. I almost had a heart attack before calling my admissions office about this, and they completely allayed my fears.

Contact them. You're well within your right.

Hi, My dad is a Fu alumnus and my cousin got his PhD in Civil from UCSD. The latter had a good experience (not sure who his advisor was). My dad's experience was too long ago to be of relevance, but I'll say this...for the longest time, Columbia did not enjoy an exceptional reputation in engineering (it was solid, but not phenomenal...just b/c something's an Ivy doesn't mean it's great at/perceived to be great at everything). I think it's kicking things up a notch, but traditionally (from the '90s to ~2009), the only Ivies with killer engineering were Cornell and Princeton. Anyway, Fu has certain departments that don't have as much collegiality as one would hope. I'm not sure if Civil is one of these departments, but I'd REALLY look into that. Also, one big issue w/ Fu is the lack of physical space and burgeoning enrollments, which adds additional strain. Columbia is building a new campus ~10 blocks up that engineering may take advantage of in the near future, but make sure your department isn't starved for space and knows what collegiality is. *The last Dean of Fu resigned partially b/c professors complained that he was making the enrollments too large in an already confined space. This, they argued, negatively effected the quality of education. Consider the region of the country where you want to work. If it's the east (or maybe even southeast?), Columbia might take you further. P.S. Columbia is on the West Side/Harlem aka "Morningside Heights"

Call them. Sometimes you can make better headway over the phone. You might also want to contact the admissions liaison. Tell her that you haven't been able to connect with anyone. Maybe she can refer you to the best person or send an introductory email on your behalf.

Since you haven't gotten any responses, I'll step in. Hopefully, you'll hear from current students or alumni. Anyway, I've heard mixed things about the Duke program because many of the students have minimal experience. You consistently hear that the program is "what you make it". Some people do quite well. From what I hear, those without experience prior to entry don't consistently do as well (though some do). If I were you, I'd look most closely at programs geared towards people with experience. That positively impacts classroom discussions/dynamics. I don't know much about Northwestern's program, but I do know that their engineering & business reputations are quite strong. Based upon that, they'd be my top pick. Aren't most people in Northwestern's program part-time? If so, that's also something to consider. A plus for both Duke and Northwestern is that they belong to the MEMPC which is supposed to broaden your network. If the consortium lives up to its billing, that's worth considering since the MEM is a relatively new degree that isn't well-known in all circles. I've known of one guy who completed Tufts' program. He's now in an MBA program. That's all I know about the Gordon Institute. But, it sounds like it's a good fit for you. Keep talking to alumni. Ask your current contacts to connect you with their old peers. Get as many perspectives as possible.

I don't ever meet super-famous people. But, I've met a few mildly (or academically) famous ones. Dr. Ben Carson (quick, 2-second chat), Lily Aldrich (VS model, stood near her at an event) and when I was in middle school, Charles Oakley (then-starter for the NY Knicks...I was star-struck, ran over to him and asked for his autograph).

As for the 1/4th...you don't know if, say, 75% went for the PhD transfer and only 25% got it. The "a few other graduates [who] take up offers from other top schools" is not of interest to you b/c you're already in that category with the funded, PhD offer from UIUC. Obviously, you really want Stanford. So, I would find out as much as possible about the "25%". How many students attempted to transfer to Stan's PhD? Also, find out if the 25% had anything in common (e.g. all successful transfers had 2 pubs in top journals and 2 conference presentations). You want to minimize as much uncertainty as possible.

I also think attending TC without funding is a pretty steep investment. But, I notice that you're not pursuing a typical education field. What are your career goals and what is the expected salary upon graduation? Fore example, if you plan to get a job in the finance world or consulting with applied stat, then the 50K may very well be worth it. If you plan on doing something in the classroom, like the previous poster, I'd definitely pass b/c those loans will be supremely burdensome for many, many years to come.

Are you sure you can't do #3 & #4? Someone here on GC switched from chem to software engineer without a degree in the field (or a lot of programming experience). I also know of people IRL who have used their chem education to become an entry-level engineer and work their way up. Look into these things. Tap into your network and find out what is truly possible. These are my jobs: 1. Content creator (chemistry) for educational technology company. I actually may be qualified at this point. But, this job would be a stepping stone to my real, dream job. 2. Creator of chemistry games and apps at an established company. Rather than just creating the content, I'd need the programming chops. So, I'm not qualified at this time. But, if I get good news from an admissions committee this week, I'll be well on my way. 3. Creator of chemistry games and apps as an entrepreneur This would be ideal, and I am not qualified. But, just you wait, I'll get there...eventually. 4. Mom. Not qualified yet, and as someone else said, I want the MRS first. As with Dream Job #3, I'll get there (before I turn 900).

I'm not sure if things were officially resolved, but I do know that money is tighter than it was before. It's a new landscape.

You didn't mention research experience. Did you have any? If not, that was probably a contributing factor. The other thing that no one seems to mention is the sequester. It had a serious impact on people's post-doc search (probably still does, but none of my friends are going through that process this year). Even some star researchers missed out on funding. My guess is that the sequester is also squeezing prospective PhDs.

Hi, Different field, but here are my 2 cents based upon conversations with a former STEM student there. Forget what potential employers think for a minute. Instead, think about your grad school experience. 1. Courant has a phenomenal reputation that precedes it. As a result, I'm sure it's loaded with funding. 2. NYU Poly still has a way to go (at least in certain departments) when it comes to funding. This is going to have a profound impact on your experience if you're pursuing a research-based MS. If you go the Poly route, you may want an advisor from NYU, if possible. Honestly, I would go to Courant. Or, at the very least, do your homework about funding and see if an NYU advisor will take you on. That would be the only way I'd pass on Courant. *Just curious: I always associate Courant with mathematics. Are you interested in data science/scientific computing, or anything like that?

Hi! I'm pretty sure we spoke via PM last year (I remember your scary avatar ). Anyway, I'm sorry you had some family issues. I hope everything has been resolved, and congrats on the second child. I vote for GMU. FuturePhD basically took the words out of my mouth. The job market is tough. You want as many formal connections as possible. Think long term. Plus, the program overall seems to be a good fit. Cheers!

Hahaha...what snow storm? *I'm not laughing at you. It's the lack of snow that hits Philadelphia proper during these supposedly bad storms...we only got 1/2 day off* I'm a current student, albeit in a different program. I've had a great experience here, but you really do have to stay on top of admissions. As a prospective student, I cursed Temple any number of times (e.g. losing some of my application materials 2-3 times, letting 900 years elapse between my initial, unofficial acceptance and my official/formal one). Please don't feel chagrin about contacting them. I saw people comment on the neighborhood. Here are my two cents. Years before applying, I had walked through the Temple area w/ a friend to get to a concert. We were kind of lost and the neighborhood didn't look good at all (I remember some alleys and vacant lots). The lighting was also poor. We decided to turn back as a precaution. Fast forward the clock to my first semester at Temple when some of my classes ended at 8 or 8:30pm. Lighting was great. The vacant lots were gone. New houses had been built for area residents. It looked like a different place! I was pleasantly surprised. And to think that I almost didn't apply to Temple b/c of the vacant lot/dark alley images still in my mind. Campus police presence is also strong. With that said, crime can be an issue surrounding the school. Of late, there have been a number of armed robberies. For whatever reason, things started getting a little more problematic in November and have yet to tamp down. This has made me more vigilant. I do, however, still feel safe on campus. But, I wouldn't feel comfortable with a free-standing apartment or house in the area (most robberies seem to happen here). I've never heard of problems in dorms/large, campus-affiliated apartment buildings. Hope this helps, good luck & stay on top of the sloooooow admissions people!

Oh, man... You have to ask yourself exactly why the NYU master's would be awesome/helpful. Is it the research experience? Exposure to profs at the top of their game? If so, I would look for research assistant jobs (or the equivalent in your field) at top psych programs or hospitals. Get paid while getting the publications and hobknobbing. While this might require two years outside of academia, six-figure debt is no joke. Your story has some overlap with my own. I had always planned on getting two grad degrees. During my last round of apps, I applied exclusively to terminal MS programs at R1s b/c I wanted more chemistry and top facilities sans the 5-7 year PhD. I got/am getting this degree b/c I wanted it...not because it was a strategic professional/financial move (my second degree will be for that). All science MSs at PhD-granting institutions are unfunded . In spite of that, I decided that I had to have the resources of an R1. So, I saved ~65K by attending a state school instead of a private one. Most people would even advise against what I did. While I'm very happy with my decision, I would NEVER suggest swallowing 100K for an academic master's degree (in the social sciences, no less)! Even with my 23K tuition debt, I'm mindful of interest as well as the price and duration of my next degree. 100K debt is unconscionable, especially when you plan on tacking on a second degree. Don't do it! *I also wanted to add that with additional pubs from a research job, you may do even better than #30 when you apply next time.

Great topic. Recently, I got super-sedentary and put on some serious pounds. Weight had never been an issue for me and I didn't realize I had gained (it wasn't noticeable b/c I'm tall and long-limbed). So, when my go-to dress pants were suddenly too tight and I looked like a stuffed chicken in one of my favorite dresses, I went on mental tirades, like: What happened to my clothes? I spent good money on them and now they don't fit right/keep their shape? For shame! Those stores aren't getting my money again. Like, I won't/can't find new places to shop... Surely, it was the store's fault. It never occurred to me that I had gained 20 pounds in ~5 months! Damn. No store is to blame for that. 1. I hate exercising, so I started dancing (~ 5 songs a day). I'd kick things off with Pharrell's Happy or some '90s music and go from there. The exercise ball that had been collecting dust and losing air? I started using it for about 5 minutes a day. I also added a daily, 2 minute workout with my 5 lb., hand-held weights. 2. Reduced carbs...serious portion control when it came to wheat. I focused more on grass-fed beef, free-range poultry and organic/non-GMO veggies. Seeds and fruit became my snacks. No more Tates' Chocolate Chip Cookies! 3. I've always been big on walking. So, I started working on my posture. I make sure my neck/cervical spine and lower back are correctly aligned. As a result, I get a better "workout" during my walks. I feel it in my thighs/glutes. And...I look elegant (like, other people notice/strangers comment). Nothing's like having the proper gait. During my couch (err, chair-at-my-desk) potato phase, I was gaining a pound a week. Now, I'm losing 1.5 pounds a week! Woo hoo!

social network

If you want to return to your home country afterward, consider the strength of each school's alumni network back home. I love Yale, in general. I think many of the departments are small and warm. Years ago, I looked into their School of Public Health and felt that it was no exception. However, Columbia is in a metropolis with unlimited opportunities. The last poster provided great advice. Consider those questions when you visit. Good luck!

I haven't heard from my program yet, but I did get an email from the housing department (I submitted the housing request along with my app). I wonder if that means an acceptance is on the way OR if they sent that email to everyone who requested housing. *Sigh* I hate waiting. I'm going nuts!

Personally, I would go with the MS. I think it's always better to go the more quantitatively rigorous route. If the internship is a concern (or lack thereof), make it a point to get one anyway or to research with a professor on campus.

"That's why I was surprised to see others say that TC accepted everybody just to get their money". @DHC- I hear what you're saying about the crappy teacher education programs out there, but... I think with TC you have to look at each department/program. I have a close relative who graduated from a TC PhD program decades ago, went on to be an excellent classroom teacher and BEMOANED the quality of recent alumni. He saw, as a teacher, that some of TC's departments were accepting colleagues of his who were quite bad (scant lesson plans, classrooms that were loaded with decorations and had minimal content etc.). All of these colleagues were part-time TC students, who still "taught" full-time. In all their ineptitude, they would brag about attending TC *cringe*. There IS the diploma mill element. Thankfully, that wasn't your experience. Perhaps your department had a selective admissions filter (and I think the program I'm applying to does as well). But, when a school's enrollment is 5x everybody else's (and ballooned to that in a ~6 year period), one can't fully discount the "accepting everybody" accusations. *In 2006, TC had about 1,000 students, by 2012 it had about 5,000. Incidentally, those years coincided with my relative's complaints and the school's drop in the ratings. It's important for prospective students to realize that just because a school is more expensive, it won't necessarily be a better option. Sometimes it CAN be (e.g. your experience and hopefully mine). I think the intent of these discussions is to increase awareness ("Hey, check out this local program. It's cheaper, you get more hands-on experience and the quality is the same"), not to demean classroom teaching.

I just saw that someone got into Instructional Tech & Media (MA). If that's you, when did you submit your application? Thanks and congrats. Congrats to all, actually!

I'm not sure I would bring up co-advising unless the professor has mentioned intradepartmental collaborations. Overall, this is a tough decision. But, since you don't know if you want academia, I think I vote for the higher ranked school. As for school C, an MIA PI is a no-go. Question: At these schools do you HAVE to attach yourself to an advisor/prof. immediately? Can you rotate in labs during your first semester, or two?

This list is goofy. No one majors (or gets graduate degrees) in fire protection, as ilovelab said. The National Society of Professional Engineers is changing requirements for the P.E. license. Going forward, students (civil and chemical, included) who want the P.E. will need a master's degree. Surely, this publication isn't encouraging engineers to bypass the P.E. license...and it can't possibly be advising CIVIL engineers to do so (of all disciplines). Good grief!!!! Academic advice is not this publication's forte.

Maybe it's just me, but I'd want specifics as to what "subject to performance" means. What specifically will they look for/evaluate? I wouldn't make any assumptions. It's difficult to answer your question b/c we don't know your goals. Do you want to be a prof? If not, I'd go for B. I'm a fan of associate prof. advisors. In my experience, they have experience and don't mind rolling up their sleeves/getting their hands dirty. If you want to remain in academia, it's a more difficult choice. The funding situation at A doesn't seem great (cruddy funding can lengthen your stay) and you'd be saddled with a new professor (who may, or may not be good). But, you'd get the brand-name that can open doors for tenure-track hopefuls. Hmmm... Good luck