danubecities

I'm currently a part-time MBA student at NYU Stern (about a third of the way through). I've been considering applying/transferring to other PhD programs related to management/business/technology within NYU. I'd like to eventually do research related to business and technology. Given my profile, it's unlikely I would get into Stern's PhD programs, however, I probably could get into some of the less competitive programs at NYU's other schools (Steinhardt, Wagner, NYU-Poly). Anyone here have experience with such a transition?

I'm sure some people love Irvine, but I couldn't find my niche there. I found UCI to be too slow paced, suburban, sterile and segregated. I disliked Irvine enough to leave my fully funded grad program after a year. I got depressed thinking about living there for 4+ years. The campus is very separated from the community. You'll definitely need a car if you want to stay sane in such a suburban environment as the campus shuts down after classes end and on the weekends. Groceries/shopping are at least a 20 min walk from grad housing and are inconvenient to get to without a car. Embrace the automobile as public transit is dysfunctional. Zipcars are in high demand and require booking/planning a few days ahead of time. If you're not from the West coast, be prepared for some culture shock. Southern Californians are super casual and indirect. The majority of the undergraduate student body is east Asian and they definitely shape the culture of UCI. Having lived in much more diverse places, I found it odd how students stuck so closely to their own race when making friends and dating. I suppose it's merely the result of circumstance. There isn't much interaction with the white, preppy, republican suburban population nor with the working class Hispanics in Santa Ana. With it's nice weather, beaches and surfing, Orange County is more of a place to spend a vacation. Then again, maybe school should feel like a long, slow paced vacation.

I'm currently in my first year of a fully funded Ph.D. program at UC Irvine. I haven't been completely happy with the research guidance I've been getting from the faculty nor with living in Irvine. I'm considering transferring to U Michigan (also fully funded, with an advisor who seems good), but it would mean spending an additional 1-2 years getting the Ph.D. U Michigan has a better reputation, but the program I'd transfer to is more or less equivalent to the one I'm in at Irvine. Ann Arbor seems like a nice town, but a bit small. I don't know if I could spend 4-5 years there. I should be happy with these options, but the thought of spending so much time in school is getting me down. I want to finish things up now. By the time I'm done I'll be in my mid-30s. Part of me wants to quit, move back to the East coast and take the cushy tech job I used to have. Advice on what to do? Anyone else having second thoughts about the Ph.D.?

I visited UM last week. Ann Arbor seemed like a nice college town. I liked the coffee shops and the ambiance of the town, but I'm not sure if I could spend 4+ years there. It's bit far from Chicago and I'd like to be able to meet people outside of the university, which would be tough in such a small place. Anyone a current grad student at UM? How do you like living there?

I'm surprised Michigan's research budget is "largely intact." The university's endowment lost a billion some dollars.

How much coursework will Dartmouth or Penn State accept? Which university will be better in supporting your dissertation work? How sure are you that going to Dartmouth or Penn State will help you career-wise? If you effectively have to start over again after three years in a Ph.D. program, it's probably not worth transferring unless you're *really* unhappy where you are. I'm also considering changing programs, but I'm in my first year and the programs I'm deciding between are about the same. A strong program at a so-so school vs. pretty good program in a well-respected school. While my current program has been fine, I've been quite unhappy at my university and with living in suburban Southern California. I personally think it should boil down to where you feel happiest because that will probably influence the quality of your work and how long it will take to finish.

I'm not sure if Irvine is much better in that respect (culture wise and in terms of commuter students). Though Orange County does have a nice performing arts center and there are some smaller art museums. I guess the real question is would you rather be closer to New York or L.A.?

I thinking about starting at UM next fall. Can you tell us a bit about Michigan and Ann Arbor? What kinds of activities are there in the area? Do you know anything about grad student organizations at UM?

I came to UCI because the graduate program I enrolled in is particularly strong in my field and there's lots of interesting research going on in my department. The faculty have been wonderful and I have no complaints about the quality of courses and research. UCI gave me a generous fellowship and that helped draw me here too. Now, I thought I could engage myself only with academics and cruise through school, but social factors are important too and I'm coming to realize that. UCI doesn't really have much of a campus spirit and students don't seem to like to move outside of their comfort zones and interact with different people. Exacerbating this behavior, much of the campus was built in the 60s at the height of architectural brutalism and the counter culture movement when students across the nation were protesting, so the campus itself doesn't really have a central place for students to congregate and socialize casually. Many students who are seeking more diversity (economic, racial, social) seem to live in Long Beach, which is about a 20 minute drive away. I didn't want to commute so I stayed on-campus, but I've found the experience of living sequestered away in suburbia with few people to interact with a bit depressing. If you come here, I highly recommend buying a car so you can get away from the campus bubble and do daily activities. The campus is highly car centric and most students own a car. I'm on-campus with a bike, and even buying groceries can be a bit of a hassle without a car. As for Irvine and the surrounding area as a community, it's mainly upper income, republican people who care a lot about image. Go to any of the malls and you'll see expensive cars and upscale stores. You're poor as a grad student, and when you see people being so conspicuous you're even more aware of your income. Even when I went to my grad health plan recommended dentist at "California Smile Design" the staff pushed fixing my smile with cosmetic enhancements, whitening, etc. rather than conventional dental maintenance. It's particularly odd going from campus, with mainly Asian students of moderate means, to the malls with these polished white people. I'm Asian-Indian, I grew up in a town Midwest where everyone was white and middle-class, so moving to Orange County has made me more aware of how racial and economic stratification can manifest itself. So I have nothing bad to say about UCI academically, but there are lots of social and cultural factors that make the place a bit weird. Then again, I'm sure this is true of many other campuses too.

I'm currently in my first year of a PhD program at UC Irvine and I'm thinking of transferring to UM Ann Arbor (just got accepted). I finished my coursework requirements in Irvine, so transferring means starting over and losing a year, but then again Michigan is a good school. I haven't been thrilled about living in Irvine, in the heart of Orange County, but would Ann Arbor be any better? Any recommendations about transferring? Stay or go?