an_internet_person

I went with "UC Berkeley" and "Berkeley "without any clarification. Good luck! This place is incredible.

Eh, Berkeley stipends are not always so great. Mine, for example, is just shy of $18k/yr before taxes.

Thank you friends for your advice! I have decided to take a chance on Berkeley Splitends-- Thanks for your commiseration-- it was a very tough decision, but in the end, I just couldn't beat the fit. I decided the gain in prestige was marginal, but the difference in research fit was big (and, ultimately, more important). =)

Hi again friends! I am currently deciding between Harvard (full funding) and Berkeley (one year guaranteed, the rest... ambiguous) for a PhD Environmental Health Sciences. Specifically, my interests lie at the nexus of household energy use, air pollution, climate, and health in the developing world. Harvard is a phenomenal program, with amazing PIs, but none of them are doing exactly what I want to do (just projects that are very similar). It's a great university with arguably the best all-around reputation, and it's situated in stellar little city. However, Berkeley is my dream school. Great scholars, great reputation, amazing research in my specific field. PHENOMENAL weather, and super close to San Fran nightlife, oceanic rhompings, and outdoorsy stuffs. But the PI can only guarantee one year of funding... and, on an admittedly superficial notw, it's difficult to turn down Harvard. I already solicited your kind advice on gently asking for more funding (they just don't have it), but now am scrambling to make a decision. Any advice would be greatly appreciated-- especially anyone who knows from experience. Cheers! werd

Congrats all! That's super exciting. Wish my partner's notification would get here already, hah.

My partner is waiting to hear... I'm getting super anxious-- probably moreso than she! hah.

Thanks koolherc and wildviolet! I emailed and made some telephone calls to the Berkeley folk, and was able to secure a bit of extra money for the first year, but that's all they were able to offer. I never flat out suggested that I wouldn't attend without more years of guaranteed funding-- just asked if there was anything I could do to find more monies-- but squeaking seemed to get this wheel a little extra grease. At least with one year, I can focus my energies on writing grant proposals, right? Harvard is still looking pretty appealing, though.

Ah, I'm having a similar seemingly-existential crisis. Berkeley is where my PI works, but that funding is iffy, and I've been offered muchos moola to work with not-quite-as-solid-of-a-match PIs at Harvard. Le sigh. If it helps, I think I'll end up choosing Berkeley because of the PI (regardless of the rank... though Berkeley ranks 6th, and H is at 8th), but the allure of "Harvard" and guaranteed monies is making this an extremely difficult decision. If anyone has any thoughts, I'd love to hear them. I guess my current advice is to go where the research match is. Otherwise, it's going to be 2 or 5 or more long years. Can't. Stop. Obsessing. Over. This. CU v. UMD: This may be silly of me to do, but because you did not mention PhD prospects, I am going ti assume that this is potentially a terminal degree. In that case, I feel that Columbia is a better choice than UMD... Columbia is only getting stronger, and in 20 years, my guess would be that the leverage you gain from an Ivy degree and alum network will gain you increasing benefits/open doors. That said, a lot of jobs right out of grad school are gained by your advisor's connections, so if the research/study topic is not what you want to do at the school you choose, the value of an ivy name (or rank) may be pointless in landing you that perfect job. Same thing Re: BU v. Columbia (I think), but the rank differential is much higher, so I'm inclined to believe that research quality will not be similar... though certainly this should be decided after careful scrutiny. If you know exactly what you want to research as a doctoral student, then go with the advisor/lab that is doing the highest quality work in the field. On the other hand, if you're still unsure of exactly what research you want to pursue as a PhD student, then Columbia all the way. A masters degree from Columbia will look nice on your resume regardless of the career you wind up with in 20 years, and will certainly help you get into those PhD programs... I chose Yale (ranked 15th) over higher-ranked UW (4th) for my masters, and the resources here have allowed me to explore my interests within the broader field (get the best internships via alum connections, perform projects paid for by school fellowship/grant opportunities, etc.) in a way that put me at the top of the pile during the PhD app process. ... hope that helps some. Also, FWIW, BU is definitely not a shabby name to have on your resume in the Northeast. Anyone have thoughts on H (funded) v. B (shaky funding)?

Hey friends, Just an update on Environmental Health programs. So far I've heard back from Berkeley, Columbia, Harvard and Yale. The Environmental Epidemiology departments have also released decisions at UW, Johns Hopkins. Any good news for anyone?

Thanks wildviolet! Great thoughts. My Berkeley PI really is the name of all names in this field (he came up in two of my interviews with other schools, and his name illicited audible swoons when I mentioned going to meet with him to my lab/school mates). It's just so hard to pass up a full ride and trust that I'll get a TA/RAship with all this talk of UC money troubles. Le sigh. Any thoughts on actually approaching my PI/dept. at Berkeley for more guaranteed years of funding? In other news... I think I may have posted this in the wrong thread. Will a moderator kindly move this to "The Bank"? Thanks!! And sorry for the trouble.

My second question of the day (couldn't find much searching): My long-term partner and I are more or less applying to all of the same universities-- different schools/programs. The problem is that I have to make a decision for a few of our* top-choice schools before they are slated to let my partner know about their acceptance/rejection. Has anyone ever heard of someone's SO receiving an early review or any other sort of "special" info in such a situation? I'm trying to weigh the pros and cons of broaching the topic with either of our programs: Cons: - I've heard schools actively discourage accepting non-legally-bound partners for fear of catastrophic drama, and don't want to give away our position... though I'm not sure how true this is. - My programs may think that I am basing a decision solely upon my partner's status, when in actuality, we may utlimately decide that the academic/research/etc. advantages at certain schools outweigh the negatives of a long-distance relationship... though it clearly would be best to have all of our cards on the table before we force ourselves to make that decision. Pros: - Early notification, and it all works out super keenly. - Maybe programs like to have partners together? Who knows. Ah, I'm just a bit confused. Thanks kindly for any advice or thoughts or past/present experiences! werd

Hey friends, I have recently been admitted to both Berkeley and Harvard for doctoral studies. Berkeley and Harvard are more or less tied for my favorite program, but the PI at Berkeley carries considerably more weight in the specific field I'm interested in. The only problem: funding. Harvard offers full funding + (generous) stipend for 5 years, but Berkeley has, so far, only offered me one year of guaranteed funding (tuition + teaching gig for a low stipend). My fear is that in trying to ask for more funding, I'll offend the leading PI in my field... and I suppose I'm also afraid of being told no, which is admittedly silly. I also wonder if this is a sign of the general state of the UCs in general... should I take this as a sign that the UCs will be dropping in quality? (I know, another relatively silly thought). On the other hand, Harvard is, well, Harvard, and is the overall biggest name in the general field (specific PI aside). Also, it's just Harvard... hard to pass up almost regardless of the field. So, this presents a genuine dilemma (and a phenomenal decision to be made... I realize I can't go wrong). What do you all think? Is it worth probing for more funding at Berkeley, or is it pretty much futile at a UC these days? I'd love to hear from anyone with experience in negotiating, especially current doc students. Thanks in advance! werd

@slaNYC and 20-80, congrats!!! GO UCs! I heard via phone from my POI at Berkeley for a PhD in environmental health on Monday (2/13), and via email from the kind folk at JHSPH's Epi program-- in at both! W00t! Now to navigate the funding labrynth. Yikes.

Hey Friends, Congrats to everyone who has has an interview scheduled or received an acceptance! I just wanted to share that I've been admitted to UW (Epi-- email on Feb 1), and had interviews at Berkeley (EHS-- invited on Jan 29 for visit via email), Columbia (EHS-- pulled off waitlist Feb 2 for visit), and Johns Hopkins (Env. Epi.-- invited Feb 2 for phone interview via email). I am SO excited.

SlaNYC, All of us Berkeley-hopefuls are definitely drooling. That sounds like a tentative acceptance-- I hope it works out! I have a (lame) question for you about Wagner, if you've got a sec: my s/o is applying to the MPA, and is curious as to when they'll announce admissions decisions. Do you have any experience with this? They claim 4-6 weeks, and it's already been 6. ... also, the curiousity may be more mine than hers. I'd love for her to be at NYU.

I feel your pain! My adviser waited until after 11pm on the day three of my recs were due (at 11:59pm) to submit. That was a stressful day, but it all worked out =).

Howdy Shibboleth, Glad to see a home at the Grad Cafe for ES PhD applicants. I'm applying to mostly Environmental Health programs, but I'm doing the environmental studies thing at one school: Yale FES I've got a BA in Environmental Biology and Chemistry from a small liberal arts school in New England and a masters degree in Environmental Health Sciences from a larger research university. It'll be great to commiserate during the waiting process...ugh. I just submitted my app yesterday. Great load off my mind, but somehow not yet satisfying. hah.

rubber band

haha oldlady and psycholnguist. Y'all are funny. Chatted with Harvard profs-- no dice on moola. So, I visited Yale, and actually LOVED it. Absolutely moved it to the top of the list. It's hard to tell how much of an effect the money had on my decision, but either way, I signed the papers today. YALE!!

I'm applying to Environmental Health (Public Health) grad programs, and this is what it's come down to: a ) Yale is offering me a full tuition plus small stipend scholarship for an MPH. It's a great learning environment and I like the program, but b ) Harvard has offered me admission to their SM program with literally no funding (well a $3,500 work study). Harvard is my dream program (I look at the required course list and at every new course I think "yes!," my career heroes would be my advisors there, Boston is a bit nicer than New Haven, and I could take courses at MIT). My only qualm is the $120,000 of debt I would incur. Thoughts? I know I can't go wrong either way, but it's hard to turn down my dream school. Thanks!

coffee bean

Thanks guys/gals! And great anecdote, Emilee. Yay! @Faust: von Goethe ist mein lieblings Dichter... especially Erlkoenig.

Hey again everyone. Thanks lily (great personal advice), drfaustus (wonderful link), and genomic repairman (you slay me) for your replies! I just wanted to throw an update out there-- maybe it'll be helpful to those following this thread in the future (I know I often read old threads and wonder how the OPs fared in their dilemmas): I decided not to retake the GRE and, have since received a full tuition+ stipend MERIT scholarship from one Ivy (ranked 16th in my field) for a professional degree program known for lacking in funding, am being flown out for an interview at the University of Washington (ranked 4th), and am still waiting to hear from Harvard (ranked 2nd). No dice at Berkeley (ranked 8th), but a very friendly professor on the admissions committee sent me this e-mail in regards to their MS and PhD programs, verbatim: "On the GRE, the only time we look at it seriously is if you come from an undergrad institution that we are not familiar with and have something like a 4.0 GPA, but low GREs. That makes people have a second look. But that is unusual and often people do better on one than the other. For a PhD it is generally a minor issue compared to your GPA and its course distribution. I'd worry more about getting the spelling and grammar right on your statement of purpose." Cheers, and best of luck to everyone!

Thanks for the reply jkppjk! I chatted with somebody today, and they agreed that my request for an extension based on not being able to attend the opne house before-hand was reasonable.