Black Beauty

Under Represented Minority. Unlike undergrad, graduate schools admissions' (in addition to GRE scores, recommendations, and grades) place a good bit of emphasis on the individual's research history. With that said, I would argue the opposite of what you stated. If two applicants had similar stats and research history, being a URM might give one applicant an advantage in the admissions process. But I believe funding will be the same for everyone accepted into the same program, unless someone brings in an outside scholarship/ fellowship.

@aeroHans I am very sorry that UCLA or University of Washington (Seattle) did not provide you with funding. I am in agreement with @fuzzylogician statements that you should be prepared to not have funding the second and future years. I applied to UW (Seattle) because one of my undergraduate professors was very impressed with the university's programs and suggested I applied. Like all the other schools I intended to apply to, I did my research and thought I was very thorough in eliminating schools where FULL funding was not available for the duration of their programs. I was thrilled when I got the invitation to interview and tour UW facilities. But with all the research I did, was surprised when I heard that funding could be a problem after the first year, unless you won an outside fellowship/ scholarship. Upon returning home, I sent an email to UW stating that I no longer wished to be considered for admission because FUNDING was one of my TOP criteria when applying to schools. I would not enroll at a school that did not provide funding and take the chance that I MIGHT be able to secure funding in the following years. This move is very risky.

@voafduLJ Continue to follow up on the availability of PhD funding at all schools you apply to. I can only speak to the availability of funding at Washington (Seattle). For Geoscience, Washington(Seattle) has an excellent program. I was fortunate to be invited to interview but soon found out that being funded each year (after the first) may depend on winning external scholarships.

@Moccalatte Yes, there is public transportation from Columbia MD to University of Maryland, College Park. Depending on where you reside in Columbia MD, you would need to take at least 3 buses and it will take a little over 2 hours each way. You can take a combination of buses and metro rail and that should take you about 1 hour and 45 minutes each way. If you are attending UMD and planning on living in Columbia MD and taking public transportation, you may want to consider moving a bit closer to College Park.

I agree with @shikkui about financial support being an important part in making your decision. In addition, I believe Duke University is a "TOP" school.

@bilibili The number of boys who left the class (12 boys) would be bigger since twice as many boys left than girls who joined.

@Eshtah These are some of the nicer areas in Washington DC but rent will be expensive. In order to find more reasonable priced apartments, you may have to make some compromises. The approximated prices are for 2 bedroom apartments. I suggest you start looking for apartments soon. If you wait until the summer, you may find your choices limited since you will be competing with students not only from Georgetown University, but also from George Washington and American Universities. The Metrorail has been going through a lot of maintenance track work and has adjusted their times of operation and services. Right now there are a few proposals to cut services and times that Metro operates for the forceable future. · Tenleytown/Friendship Heights ($2000 - $4000) o Metro Stop(s): Tenleytown, Friendship Heights o Located north of Georgetown University's main campus o Probably just within your 30 minute requirement · Capitol Hill/Eastern Market ($1300 – $3900) o Metro Stop(s): Capitol South, Eastern Market, Union Station o Expect to pay approximately $2500 - $3900 to live on Capitol Hill o A bit outside your 30 minute requirement · Cleveland Park/Woodley Pa o Metro Stop(s): Cleveland Park, Woodley Park, Van Ness ($2200 - $3900) o Within your 30 minute requirement · Foggy Bottom (approximately $2700) o Metro Stop(s): Foggy Bottom, Farragut North & West o Located near Virginia's Key Bridge and adjacent to downtown D.C.; this neighborhood is centered between Georgetown and downtown DC. o Within your 30 minute requirement · Adams Morgan/Dupont Circle ($1800 - $3000) o Metro Stop(s): Dupont Circle, Woodley Park o Within your 30 minute requirement Take a look at Georgetown University’s website for more information https://studentliving.georgetown.edu/off-campus/rental

I did a 'search' on the forum but could not find any information on Beaufort, NC. Would some one shed some light on life in Beaufort, NC? (a) Does one need to have a car to live here or in the neighboring areas? (b) What is the social life like for graduate students or young adults in the area?

@Dichromate I am sorry that you feel MIT is the only school for you, but what if you find yourself in same position next year? MIT is one of the most difficult schools to get into and has a very good chemistry program but other schools have very good chemistry programs too. You obviously took the time and spent money applying to schools, so why would you not pick one of these schools to attend? For what it's worth, my suggestion is that you figure out why you would put your future 'on hold' for acceptance into a single school before next year's application cycle.

Bad-mouthing a school after one receives a rejection may make one feel better but that feeling will be short-lived. And, exactly what type of useful information can one acquire about any school based on an emotional response to rejection?

I do not believe people get self-righteous about how one reacts to rejection. Rejection hurts and each of use deals with rejection in our own way. The problem, from what I have observed from these forums, is when one attempts to smear a school because he or she did not receive an acceptance.

'Availability of funds' would make me worry a bit. One could ask about this when visiting but the contract you sign containing this wording will be binding. I wonder if anyone has ever been successful asking for his or her contract to be amended from 'availability of funding' to 'guaranteed funding'? No one can predict the future but guaranteed funding for the duration of a program is always a preferable choice.

Universities and colleges in DC have their commencement exercises no later than the third week of May, so you may find that there are many vacancies by the end of May. But you may want to start checking much sooner than June (if you want to live in DC) because students would have to give advanced notice of when they intend to move. As for the College Park area, where the University of Maryland is located, some of my friends had to put down deposits to secure their apartments at least 6 months in advance for the following school year. But they wanted a particular apartment building that rents out very quickly.

I agree with your statement but the statement made by @FailedScientist, whether one agrees or disagrees, also holds some value, as far as my background is concerned. I have an undergrad degree from one of the very TOP schools in the US, 1.25 publications (will have to explain the .25 another time), and, from the letters I received thus far from PIs, an impressive and exciting research background. Thus far, my responses to my applications and acceptances have been very good, with two schools left to hear from. My impression is Research, SOPs, FIT, grades, GREs are very important in this whole application process, but from some of the statements I received about the excellent education I must have received because of the undergraduate school I attended, I cannot discount that one's undergraduate school can be a SLIGHT advantage.

One poster politely asked that the list of names posted be removed, which was the right thing to do. Although it did seem that only first names were listed, there were names that were unique, not your usual common names. I was a bit surprised that someone would post names from an email correspondence but am happy to see that the list was removed. Other's privacy should not be infringed upon without permission, especially on a public forum.