[Cornell or Columbia?]

On 1/31/2022 at 3:38 PM, bilcant said:

There are professors that I'd like to work with in both universities. There is one research group at Columbia I am very enthusiastic about, however, not many others coincide with my interests. On the other hand, I can think of working with many more groups at Cornell. How important is this -- having the possibilities? Also, professors from my uni state that Cornell has a stronger program for PChem. However, I don't know how would it be like to live in Ithaca. It seems kinda harsh, given the weather conditions and so on. What other factors should I consider while deciding? Any suggestions would be highly appreciated!

I would recommend first deciding off of your impression from visitations. Speak to PIs if possible, by zoom or otherwise, and ask questions. I would recommend the program that offers more groups you are interested in. There is a possibility for things to not work out with your group of choice. This advice is based off of the advice of my friends who are 3rd+ year students.