Hello everyone,
I really loved both of these schools when I visited and it feels impossible to decide between them. I'm laying out some logistical things here and would welcome any insights that might help me decide.
UCSF
Pros:
- Four faculty that are close research fits and many more doing research that I am less experienced with but find fascinating
- Great grad students and culture - everyone seems happy and taken care of
- Excellent facilities
- Seems like a truly collaborative environment
Cons:
- I'm moving with a partner and a big dog so living in SF is probably not feasible, I would most likely have to commute from Oakland or Berkeley
- No undergrads (could also be a pro)
Berkeley
Pros:
- One faculty that is a leader in my research field, another that is a good match for my current interests, many more that are interesting (similar to UCSF in this regard)
- The "good match" is someone that I have met on several occasions and I really like, I am confident that I could join their lab if I wanted to and would be happy there
- Much better subsidized housing situation
- Easy commute by bike even if we don't move into grad housing
Cons:
- The campus is HUGE and PI that I have met with before is in a building that might make it hard to work collaboratively, maybe this isn't an issue but I'm not sure how much people see each other across campus
- The program is spread over so many departments it seems like the cohorts might not be very tight-knit
- A lot of undergrads and tourists everywhere
- Some of the other labs I'm interested in are much larger than I've ever worked in before, not sure if it's an issue for me
There are also many strengths that these two schools share such as career development services, opportunities for mentorship and science outreach, and the fact that I left both visits feeling very excited about the research opportunities and environment. Their stipends are similar - UCSF is a little higher but Berkeley has the housing and subsidized transportation perks that probably outweigh the difference.
Thanks for reading this and for any insights you can offer!