Confused Goose

I just got back from a holiday and all the deluge of emails including this bursar bill issue left me very confused. This thread did clear it out for me though I'm up for a meeting anytime - brunch, BRB, anything's good.

Even I was under the impression that cards were to be given out during registration on 23rd. "You should plan to arrive in Ithaca on Friday August 20th. If you are planning to live in on campus housing, this is the date that the dorms will be opening. During the weekend, there will be a number of orientation events that you will want to take advantage of. Once there is a schedule posted, I will be sure to share that with you all." This is from a mail sent out by my dept. I'm guessing then that the schedule's not final yet, and the date mentioned on the To Do page may be last year's.

I submitted the ID form about 10 days back and it says on the to-do page that cards will be given out at the Cornell Bound check-in event on August 20. As for the health form, I sent it out about 2 weeks back, and there hasn't been any update yet. By the way, I also found out that they update immunization information in your Gannett records which you can access on the Gannett website. So, if they've received your form and verified it, and assuming they've updated the information, you can check it out online. @matcha : Is there a mailing list for students in your department? I don't know if you've tried it but I guess putting a word out among grads in your program (already studying or incoming) would be a good bet.

Thanks GradJen! I'm in ECE and will be moving back and forth between Pew Engg. Quad and Clark Hall for most of my work. Coming from the tropics, I guess it would be tough then to figure out how easy (rather, difficult) it is without actually going through my 1st winter there :-| I was hoping to be a Green Grad Anyway, it would be great to meet all fellow Cornellians in August!<br>

Hi. I've finally decided (again... ) to go to Cornell. So excited!!! Can't wait for August! I've left all other work aside and am looking for apartments, getting acquainted with the geography of the city, etc. I'm looking to use a bicycle as my primary mode of transportation. Can anyone tell me how feasible it is and how cyclist-friendly the roads and motorists are? Also, which neighbourhoods would be more convenient, considering the hilly terrain? I'd prefer some place which is lively but not raucous, and it seems lower-collegetown and downtown are two possibilities, but it looks like the campus is uphill from there. Anyone with a biking experience in Ithaca?

<br /><br /><br /> I got an admit off the waitlist on 16th evening PST. I called them on 19th, Monday, morning and was told that if funding hasn't been assured in the email notifying the decision, then most likely there wouldn't be any funding as they had used up all fellowship money! :-(

That's precisely the reason why I'm still considering it. The benefits are far to significant to dismiss the offer casually. However, arranging for funds is a little difficult, and the Cornell offer is really nice. In addition, there's the issue of seeking a release from Cornell...hence the dilemma. BTW...I work in photonics/optoelectronics. And a big congratulations on your decision!! It's a relief finally knowing where one is headed!

I'm in a similar position. I've already accepted a great offer from Cornell, but I got an admit to Stanford off the waitlist 16th evening (PST). I called yesterday and they said there were no more funds to give away Stanford's is easily a better program by far, and in my area of research, significantly ahead of Cornell. More so, there are many many more professors working in this area, as against 2/3 at Cornell. I'm still considering this offer, as I've been told by many friends who went there last year, as well as those from my school who have gone there over the last few years that getting an RAship hasn't been a big problem normally.

There shouldn't be any problem due to funding. The only requirement for an F1 visa is proving funding (your own or scholarships or financial support from the univ) for the 1st academic year. The details, such as an option to switch groups, are not mentioned on the I20.

By all means! Go Big Reds!

You're going to Cornell? Nice to meet future schoolmates :-) Perhaps we could arrange for a Cornell GradCafe Forumites party in August

Thanks everyone for all your inputs. I've decided upon Cornell (finally after sooo much vacillating!!!) I talked to loads of people, and realised that while I do have prefer the UCLA project, my interest in such a thing was purely academic, something not entirely compatible with my long term goals. Plus, I've been working on something relatively similar for a couple of years now, and am eager to learn something new. Once this got out of the way, the location question resolved itself. I guess many of my concerns, though genuine, were magnified in my perception because of this contradiction. Much relieved now and quite excited about Fall!!!

Hi. I just declined my UCLA offer. Will be joining Cornell.

Well...my head says 'Go to Cornell', heart says 'Go to UCLA' <br>As for Purdue, I guess it should be an easier decision since the offer is not funded.<br>

Purdue has at least 1 big-shot in photonics. There was another person too whose work I found interesting. Other than them, I haven't come across much work of my interest there. I guess that's because of the overall emphasis on optics and electromagnetics rather than photonics, so I'm perhaps not the best person to comment on it. Comparing the three, well, Purdue's is definitely a much larger program, so there's bound to be some good work going on there. Apart from that, I can't think of any particular reason why I would choose Purdue over UCLA. Your priorities and reasons may be different. And congratulations on the offers! All are really nice schools. What kind of a financial offer did Purdue make?

I can perhaps think of one research group at UCSD. UCLA's is a very well developed programme, however, with some big-shots there. If you've been accepted at both places and are trying to choose between the two, and you don't have any specific reason to choose UCSD, I'd say, go for UCLA.

&nbsp;Thanks everyone. I agree with all of the points that you all have made, and I guess I've considered them in one way or the other. I must say, my rational, sane side does say Cornell is the best option overall. But, I can't get rid of that nagging feeling at the back that something just isn't right, and am just unable to feel excited about it. And it's the opposite with UCLA - too many red flags, but I get that warm, fuzzy feeling of it being just right I am one super-confused goose I'm not worried about my research interests changing at UCLA, since the project sits at the convergence of everything I'd ever got interested in during undergrad. It is THE project for me. However, I'm seriously concerned about him being an as-yet untenured professor at a UC. Also, I very much prefer bouncing my thoughts and ideas off colleagues, and I'd be having none at UCLA. Now that I think about it, there are perhaps a couple of other profs with whom I wouldn't mind working. Another point is, I have little idea of placements post-PhD. This area of work is relatively new, especially so at UCLA. As for Cornell, ho-hum. Things are okay, perhaps good, as far as research is concerned. I love the outdoors, so that's great there. Have a LOT of friends there from my current school, as well as my aunt and her family living on Long Island/NYC. This is a pretty big plus, being an international student. Grrrghhhh...I really need to make a decision and get on with my thesis. @psycholinguist : Did you ever stay back in the summer? I can imagine things being pretty nice during school months, but how's the atmosphere in town during breaks? @origin415 : Yeah, those are exactly the reasons why I'm still considering UCLA, in addition to the project proposal, and why I am so confused right now. @watergirl : Thanks a lot. You surely make Cornell and Ithaca sound a lot more appealing, really @fuzzylogician : The isolation that you mention is one of the reasons of my confusion too. LA - bigger, brighter place, but no colleagues. Ithaca - many colleagues, but dreary, isolated location. I usually socialize with my co-workers, so I guess Cornell edges out on that front. @remixed486 : Thanks for the info on LA. I haven't been to either school, so can't say much, but have gathered a fair bit of info on Cornell from my friends there. Trying to get in touch with some EE PhD student at UCLA now.

Hi. I'm having a really really hard time in choosing between UCLA and Cornell. I'm on a couple of waitlists, and I'd prefer going there. It would also make for an easier decision, but seeing as how things are this year, I'm certainly not hopeful. Anyway, I need to decide between these two and I'd appreciate any input in making a final decision - UCLA Pros Puuurrrrfffffecccttt research fit. It is, in fact, exactly the kind of thing I had been aiming to do in grad school, and probably the only reason (not exactly true) why I'm even considering UCLA. The project is also something that would be a significant advancement (if achieved). In the words of the professor, it's a high risk - high reward project.Los Angeles - Big city. I've lived in a big city all my life, went to school in the same city. Would very much prefer a big city atmosphere, a constant buzz around.Milder weather - Something I've just begun considering. Since I tend to pick up lung infections easily, the easy, dry weather would be helpful.Proximity to technology industries in silicon valley, San Diego Not as well regarded as CornellVery new professor. I'd be the only PhD student with that professor, and the only person in that group working on that project. That means, no one else apart from the professor to turn to in case of assistance.While there are other professors I had mentioned on my SoP, I wouldn't want to work with anyone else now, so effectively, for better or worse, I would be stuck with my prof.From whatever I could glean from their website, their program is perhaps not as comprehensive/flexible as I'd like.Part of the UC system. Lot of things highly uncertain, but my funding is guaranteed through project grants.Expensive city, terrible public transportation Cornell Pros Better ranked overallVery flexible programAbsolutely beautiful campusAn inexpensive townHave quite a few friends here, already studying or joining this FallPlacements seem to be good from what I hear Cons [*]Not as good a research fit, although there are more profs with whom I can see myself working.[*]Small town - Coming from a large metropolis, this is the kind of place where I can very very easily get bored.[*]College town - I've never really experienced such a place, but living in a town dominated by college population can have its drawbacks. Things may be great during school, but summer and breaks can be quieter. As I said, I like the constant buzz of human activity around me.[*]Isolated - This is something I'm apprehensive about. It's a small town with no escape if one doesn't have a car.[*]Weather - again, a little concerned about colder weather Wow...it's a nice little (nope....long) list. What do you guys think? Have I missed out on any point? And more importantly, what do you think I should do?

1. $21900 (9 months) + 8000 (summer, not included but assumed) + medical insurance (1590) 2. $29900 (including summer and IQP)

ROFLMAO

Thanks! Not a top choice, but I'm having a very hard deciding between the offers which I have as of now.

I got the financial (combination fellowship+GSR) offer mail yesterday, probably around 1pm Pacific time. I'll graduate with my master's in June. You can find my profile in the 2010 engineering applicants profile thread.

I've been using Mendeley for a while now, and I love it. Sure, it's still beta, so there are a few bugs (imperfect extraction of meta-data from pdfs) and crashes once in a while, but all in all, it's great. The only major caveat is that while it is free for now, it's not open-source, so once they come out with the final version, it may become non-free or feature-limited.

Thanks everyone. Actually, I did send emails to as well as call both. But, nobody answered at one of the schools (on 4 separate occasions) and at the other, they just said that they couldn't reveal information about waitlists :-| Anyway, would it be advisable to send an email to any professor at this point? Or would it seem too pushy? If indeed he doesn't have any open positions in his lab, then I may just move on.