astrobuzz

In a similar boat in deciding between great schools with different pros and cons, but here are some things you can maybe ask yourself that might help clarify what you value most: 1.) If you go somewhere with a location/advisor you're not crazy about, how likely is it that you'll be able to stick it out? Are you someone who can enjoy doing research outside of your interests, or if that going to be something that causes your motivation to suffer? 2.) Do you have any specific companies in industry you're interested in? Which colleges have had students go on to work at those companies (or in similar companies)? You might find that one of the less "big-name" schools (lol) has a decent population at a company of interest. 3.) This is purely rumor and hearsay, so if someone knows more they should correct me but I've heard that MIT isn't the friendliest place at times. I know an undergrad at my school who was accepted and opted to go to the less presitigious school because she didn't like the vibe at MIT. When I was touring a lab at one of my grad acceptances, I met a student who'd transferred there from MIT due to some legal troubles with his advisor at MIT (he didn't go into details, but it sounded like the advisor did some questionable things and the students suffered for it). There may be some excellent stories of how the students come together and work as a team as well, so it would probably be a good idea to speak with a current student at MIT. 4.) Trust your gut! If a day somewhere made you unhappy, how likely is it that several years would change that? If you're going to uproot your life, you want to make sure you're somewhere where you can be happy to go out and work. Good luck with your decision!

I would agree with the above posters - given how much time you'll be spending at this place, it's probably worth it to lay eyes on the campus, even if you know you're good to attend. (also for any students who are still waiting to hear back and deciding whether or not to pre-emptively visit...I would recommend it. I've had two positive effects from visiting schools before acceptances. The first school rejected me, but the advisor liked me so much from my visit that she sent me a personal apology email and offered me a summer research position in her lab. In the case of the second one, I actually got the acceptance, even though I didn't think I was competitive enough for the school)

Hi! I'm considering a PhD program at Mines, and was wondering what the social life was like for an LGBT person? A quick web search lists the area as fairly conservative, and I was wondering if this was conservative in the economic sense, or in the social sense? Since I'd be looking to be there for several years if I went, is there anything I should know? Would it be better to live in Denver and have a longer commute? Any insight is appreciated!

Also curious about this, and currently in the same boat. My smaller school seems like it's a better fit overall (with a few exceptions), but the other program I was accepted into is much more well known, and I actually have an existing network there. I'm interested in jumping into industry research after I get my PhD, if that influences anyone's advice.