Fallneuro16

As someone trying to figure out rotations as well, I highly recommend that you try to contact PIs and their lab members. You don't need to set up all of your rotations before coming to graduate school but it's fairly common for incoming students to have their first one set up. Realistically, all basic research can be made translational (since that's how many many labs get more grants). For example, people might think work on insects is irrelevant to humans but that is completely untrue. Also, if you have PI's available that are getting CNS publications, then I don't know why you are hating on your school. It is an immense achievement even at top tier schools to get a CNS publication. These faculty members getting the publications will usually have the most funding and will be able to do the top notch research that you need to get your own CNS publications. Finally, to figure out how much prospective PIs expect from their graduate students and postdocs, ask to speak to some of them. While there are some PIs that just want their graduate students/postdocs to always be "busy," there are others where they are able to motivate their lab members to do so on their own. Ideally, you want to get to the point where you are working long hours because you want to. Personally, I found this article very inspiring and recommend that you have a read too: https://www.statnews.com/2015/11/06/hollywood-inspired-scientist-rewrite-code-life/

Much appreciated from both of you. Glad to hear that I'm not the only one and will try to write as nice of a thank you note as I can to the schools I decline.

I don't know about that but it's almost making things awkward now. I am pretty sure that I am going to go with another school but I feel bad saying no...

Does anyone feel like there is a school that is trying particularly hard to recruit them? After my interview, I sent thank you emails and received very lengthy and nice emails about how thought I would do very well at their school. When I was accepted, a couple of the faculty sent me another email congratulating me and then offering to answer any of my questions to make a decision. It's been a few weeks then but I just received another email today again offering to answer any questions and saying how they hope I will choose their school