Lantern

I agree with the above posters. Definitely spend more time contacting this professor's current students. If you have already met or corresponded with any of his students, and feel comfortable with them, explain your situation - your fears, reservations, etc., and see what they have to say about it. Everyone will tell you a different story, but mine is that I went to visit the school I decided to attend before I was accepted. (This is common in my field b/c of the time you will spend with your advisor, you really want to know them.) As I arrived for my visit, I was intimidated because I didn't feel like I was qualified to go to this school, and felt like maybe I was wasting this professor's time just by asking him to meet with me. To my surprise, relief, and pleasure, he could not have been any nicer or less intimidating. I still talked with several of his students, and got a lot of information about him. Along with being able to do my dream project, my comfort level and respect for my future advisor was instrumental in making my decision. So yes, definitely put some time into thinking about what exactly intimidated you, and keep in mind that if your intuition is telling you something, you shouldn't necessarily disregard it.

Ask the professor. Funding is an important part of any decision, and no one can deny this. Just ask for a rough estimate.

Yep, I agree with the above posters, but to add to that: It should be absolutely no problem. It's just like applying to several schools. One school isn't going to look down on you because you applied to other schools, they know that's what you do - it's all about giving yourself options. It's the same with finding a professor. It's always wise to choose a school with more than one professor you'd like to work with, just incase your main advisor decides to leave. Plus you may find that some you get along with and some you don't. During one of my school visits, I arranged to meet with two different professors. They were not the least bit upset. In fact, when I finished meeting with the first professor, he called the second one, walked me to a different building across campus where the second professor's office was, introduced me to the second, and asked me to stop by again after meeting with him. I'm sure not all professors are so accomodating, but it is not something they can be upset about. Do you think each one of them is only meeting with you? Of course not, they're interviewing multiple students, so you have the right to interview multiple professors! Good luck.

Just wanted to add my thanks for all the suggestions above! Thinking about buying a bookshelf for all my new books gives me a strange thrill! I'm getting more excited by the minute! I also agree with the Western Digital hard drive. I own a few of them, and they are great! I suggest buying big, as the prices have really come down in the past couple years. If you buy small, you'll be buying a second one in no time!

Absolutely go with #1. Reread what you wrote, it seems so obvious! Especially with your comment about going into your field is like rolling a dice. If you already know you don't like the 2nd professor's work, and it most likely won't get you any farther, there's no reason to put up with it.

Hi Chemie2000, I thought I'd comment since I received so many helpful replies to my issue. I'm not all that familiar with your field, but I would say you should choose the place that has more attributes in your mind, over the big name. It's not like one is the best in the country and the other one is completely unknown. I can see how having lots of family and friends, not to mention lots of options for jobs after graduation would sway you toward Boston. However, I just have to say that I have always loved Baltimore. As lots of people told me, I don't think you can make a bad decision (but I know that thought doesn't make you feel any better). Good luck!

I am not a food science major, but randomly came across this thread. It reminded me of a Marine Bio-resources program I came across while looking at the University of Maine last fall when I was in the process of applying to schools. I thought it sounded fascinating (but it isn't what I wanted to do, so I never did apply). Just in case it would interest any of you, here a brief description of the program from the site, and also a link: "The program leading to the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Marine Bio-Resources is a cooperative offering of Bio-Systems Science and Engineering, School of Marine Sciences, and Food Science and Human Nutrition." http://gradcatalog.umaine.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=23&poid=2852&returnto=313

breakfast, here are two relevant topic links. If you want to see more, just type "buying a house" into the search box at the top right of the page and lots of useful information comes up.

I would choose A. Not only is the funding better, but I can't imagine signing up to work with someone that several other people had warned me about. I don't care how big of a name this person has! I'm not sure what "Human Factors" means (Sociology??), but in my field you work very closely with the advisor, and I would not set myself up to be miserable. Good luck!

I have recently accepted to a 3-year MS program, and I'm thinking about buying a house in the area. I know there are several topics on this already, and I have read through each one thoroughly. I am re-posting because I am really looking for grad students who have experience with this, and whether it has worked out well for them or not. Like many others, I don't like the idea of paying rent for 3 years, and walking away with nothing, but I do realize the added costs of owning a home. It's been about a year since the other similar topics. I'm looking for some fresh opinions, since another year has gone by with the housing market being relatively low, yet it does not seem as though the economy is going to improve in the near future. The area that I will be living in would allow me to buy a place in the $80,000 - $120,000 range, and I plan on living alone although I may consider renting out rooms if I need to. Any thoughts?

Yes, absolutely email them personally before declining to the school itself. It's just the right thing to do, and you very likely will have contact with them in the future if your field is relatively small. Most of them will not take it personally, but will know that you made the best choice for yourself. Your choice is based on so many things, and it sounds like you really liked and respected all of them, so other details proably led to your final choice. Just be honest and grateful. (For example, if you made your final decision because the location allows you to be closer to your family, say so.)

I'll add my vote to the "standard are more fun, but automatic are easier to find" mindset! I have only ever had standard, but that is absolutely a matter of personal choice. With that said, I do think it's really important to be able to drive standard, so it's good that you're learning. It's always nice to be able to drive anyone's car in a pinch, and also if you can drive manual, you will be able to drive any vehicle for any company or university of which you are a part.

Yep, go with your gut! Taking risks is not a bad thing. Even if it doesn't work out as you are hoping, you will always figure something out. I always think it is better to try something new, even if it fails, than to go with the safe bet and always wonder what "could have been".

Tough choice. I also am having trouble making a decision for a variety of factors. I recently spoke with a very wise friend of mine who shared with me how she chose both her undergrad and her med school. Take one full day, and all day long pretend that you have already accepted to UPenn. Think of all the things you'd be excited about, all the things you'd be unhappy about, fears, hopes, etc. The next day pretend that you have already accepted at Yale, and do the same thing all over again. I don't know that I have definitely decided yet, but this exercise above has yielded some very interesting thoughts and feelings! Good luck!

That's definitely a tough one. I think the most important thing to consider is whether your top choice is indeed your top choice by a big enough margin to go through this whole process again. Not only will you have to commit time to the applications and deal with the stress all over again, but are you willing to wait another year? Also, very importantly, have you really give thought to an honest assessment of whether or not you'll get in to your top choice next year? Have you visited the schools? How recent were you given the waitlist news? I ask because for me personally, given time to think about things, I often change my mind without even trying to. For example, last fall I visited one of the schools I applied to this January. While I was there, it was my number one choice. I thought, "this is where I'm going if they'll have me!" Since then, it has fallen out of my favor so much that I'm not even considering it anymore. Maybe if you visit all three (if you haven't), you will find that your are less intent on your #1 choice, and you might really fall in love with another one. These are never easy decisions, good luck!

Yep, I agree with those above. Why waste any time finishing it, not to mention the money? You got into your first choice, what more do you want?

Personally, I would choose the apartment. However, nothing says you have to start out living in an apartment right when you start school. If you're not sure, stay with your parents. If you change your mind you can always get an apartment later. The alternate would work, too, as long as you don't sign a long-term lease. (That is, to get an apartment, and if it doesn't work out, move home.)

I agree with everyone else - dream school. I may be biased because I am also in the marine science field (marine fisheries), and to think about going into forestry is just so very different! To emphasize what someone else said, you can always look for more funding later. Apply for fellowships, etc. Good luck!

I think OSU, solely based on what you said about each school. It seems to be the one you are leaning toward, and you just sound more enthusiastic about it! With that said, I do realize that it's always easier from the outside - I'm agonizing over my own decision. Good luck!

jrisingsun, I would like to PM you, but I don't know how. (How did I get into grad school when I can't figure this out?!) Can someone help me, please? ------------- Never mind, I found it. Maybe I'm not quite as stupid as I thought!

What's in store for me in the direction I don't take? ~Jack Kerouac To add to my earlier post, I always think of this quote in circumstances like this where I'm fearful of regret and missed opportunity. Sometimes it's very difficult for me to deal with the fact that I'll never know what would have happened, had I made a different choice.

I'd go for option #1 for all the reasons you listed as the differences. Option #2 just sounds uninspiring, and option #3 wouldn't be an option that I personally would consider, but that is just because I prefer to move around and have new experiences. With that said, I know how easy it is to choose from the outside. I am agonizing over my own decision, and no matter how many pro/con lists I make, nothing is clear to me.

Yes! A week ago I would never have believed that his existed. And yes, admittedly I would rather be facing this depression than the despair that I personally would have felt had I not been accepted anywhere, despite the fact that I did not expect to be accepted anywhere. When I did get an acceptance, I was thrilled. However, when I realized I would most likely have to make a very difficult decision, all that excitement drained away into a stress that I haven't felt since the night before submitting each of my applications. I think in my case I am terrified of making the "wrong" decisions and having regrets. I have lived my life with very, very few regrets, but somehow this decision feels like it could be full of them and it scares me. A friend pointed out last night that there "is no wrong decision" because I have great options. I know he's most likely right, but I can't shake the fear that I'm going to mess up. And then along come the doubts, and I think, "people in grad school are really smart - can I really be successful in this endeavor?"

I agree. This is a ridiculously demanding process for the applicant in so many ways. It seems like it would be better for everyone involved if all decisions were revealed the same day, and then we were given a specified amount of time to decide. That would eliminate the whole problem of people accepting, then later skipping out on that school for a better offer! johndiligent, if I were you, I'd start the process of elimination by making a decision between the three that have been offered to me, and then see where that puts me. Obviously if you are choosing C over A and B, then you will automatically have more time to wait and see if you get any more acceptances. At that point you can ask for an extension if necessary. Of course if you choose A or B, you have to start the extension-requesting process sooner, but at least you will have begun to narrow down your choices.