Hello all,
I am applying to various Chemistry PhD programs this fall. Here are my stats to get it out of the way:
GPA: 3.9
GRE: 167V167Q, 5.0 W
No subject GRE (curse the absurdly early registration deadline)
Dual degrees in Chemistry and Mathematics with a minor in Physics from a state flagship school usually ranked in the 200s or 300s (although it's been climbing of late).
Research experience of working with the department chair on an inorganic/nanochemistry project, also writing an undergraduate thesis and earned a small (1500 dollars) grant for the project. Will total about 2.5 semesters when done.
Three strong letters of recommendation.
5 semesters experience as a teaching assistant (yes, really)
So here's the deal. I am interested in having a career in academia (I know, shocking on here). I legitimately enjoy teaching, and I would like the future opportunities to do research. I know that with this resume, I can probably get into most programs outside the top 10 or so, and maybe even sneak into a top 10 one. That said, I would like to stay in the northeastern united states. I have been looking around at colleges, and trying to use the rankings as a guideline. The one school that has stuck out to me the most is UMass-Amherst (#59), which is also what my advisor recommended coincidentally enough.
I probably can't get into Harvard, MIT's phd program is pretty much a disaster right now from what I've been reading, I don't want to deal with the chaos and risk, because I don't have the money to survive if they decide to randomly pull my funding. Probably couldn't get in anyways haha. I might be able to get into Yale, but is that a good thing? Yale is in a really terrifying location, so I'd probably want to live in the dorms the whole time. That could make things difficult as well for when my SO joins me in a year or so. Also not sure how bad the Ivy league culture is there.
Then it's a big dropoff down to BC, BU, and Mass, which are all ranked in the 50s. I am worried about the cost of living in Boston a lot. Looks like I could get a 2-bedroom apartment in Amherst for less money than a studio apartment in Boston, but they all offer the same graduate stipend. Plus Amherst is much safer, has free transport, and to be completely honest I'm a country bumpkin from a small city in Maine, moving to Boston might be a bit of a shock. Additionally, Amherst seems to have a lot of opportunities in inorganic, physical, and nanochemistry, my primary interests.
But my question is, is Mass too low ranked for me to have a shot at a decent career in academia? How low is "low-ranked"? Am I wasting my potential if I go there over Yale (if I got in)? I'm not trying to look for any future career working at Columbia or winning Nobel prizes or making a ton of money or something, I just want a comfortable career.
Thank you,
benzyne
