zhao22

it includes the estimated living costs, so it is not too bad. but I do hope to get a PhD eventually. the Yale program may give me more options to apply for other PhD programs, but that would be another 4-5 years of schooling...

at this point I do hope to get a PhD eventually. about the research topic, I just feel it would be pretty confined if I enter the PhD program at CMU right away, but will get a much broader exposure at Yale. It really bothers me!

I did get some FA from Yale, so I probably have to finance total $30k for the two years master.

so I've been struggling in the past week trying to figure out where to go, I guess now I am really deciding between the master program from Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies (FES), and a PhD program from CMU's Engineering and Public Policy (EPP). I am hoping to working in sustainable energy field after graduate school, and the CMU program would probably provide me with a relatively easy path to do so: 4 - 4.5 years to get a PhD and works on policy analysis on energy issues with technical background; the fact that it offers tuition wavier and a full stipend is really tempting! But then comes the offer from Yale, the Forestry school is among the top environmental programs in the country. It supposes to have a excellent faculty and student body, and a strong alumni network. I will get to spend two years to explore different environmental topics before continuing to pursuing a PhD or entering the workforce directly. Even though I can't really study "energy" specifically in Yale FES, they do have a very strong focus on industrial ecology, which to some extent encompass energy topics. So I think it really comes down to 3 questions, in addition to the fact that I have to pay for my living expenses at Yale, but none for CMU. 1, the name: CMU is a great school, particularly in engineering and science, but overall it does not have the prestige that Yale enjoys as a top Ivy. You guys probably see this question al lot here, but does big name like Yale really help for one's future career? Will I get access to a better network of students, faculty, and alumni if I decide to go to Yale? Are Yale and CMU really that different in their levels of prestige? 2, direction: I am a senior in college right now, so even though I know I want to work on sustainable energy, it is rather broad and I have no idea what exactly I want to study or work on in the future. Thus, in this case, Yale may give me an additional 2-years to try on different courses and projects and help me figure out where my true passion lays? or I can go dive directly in the PhD program in CMU and just wait and say where the project will lead me? 3, time: CMU is 4 to 4.5 years, so I will be ready for the "real world" with my PhD when I am 27-28. Yale's master program is 2 years, from what I gathered it is hard to continue on with a PhD at FES, so if I decided to pursue a PhD somewhere else that means I will be in school for another 4-5 years. It seems like a lot of time investment if I decide to go to Yale. So in the end it is also a choice between 4 yr vs. 7 yr of schooling. What do you guys think? How should I balance between the 3 questions (or any additional concerns)? Which to you maybe more important? Thanks a lot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I got in as well! Congrats everyone!! Hope to hear about FA package pretty soon.

not yet...

still no news, it is Monday already!!! Have you guys heard anything yet? I applied to the MESc program (more research track) but it should come out with MEM.

I heard 19 admitted. either way, I am out as well. such a great (yet small) program. good luck you guys!

Hey gth822, I just heard back from EPP a few days ago as well. I am also an international student and getting my undergraduate degree in the States, what a coincident! The reason I applied to EPP is because of its interdisciplinarity. My background is in environmental science, but I am also hoping to explore more on the public policy side of issues in graduate school, particularly on climate change and clean energy. EPP seems a pretty good place to be for that! I know CMU is the top engineering school in the country, and Heinz is one of the top public policy schools, so I guess EPP should be very strong in the field, even though there are only a handful interdisciplinary programs like EPP out there. It seems that many professors in EPP have also positions in other departments so there could be many common classes with other more traditional programs. That's all I know and hope it helps. Are you gonna visit the school? Have you gotten your FA situation figure out yet?