belleoftheball

I definitely think you should see what your gut feeling is. A lot of those considerations won't really have an effect if you already have a gut feeling. I was in a similar situation and I made my self go crazy before I finally picked my school. There were a lot more pro's for the other school, in terms of funding, housing, exciting research etc, but in the end I felt more comfortable with the one I ultimately chose, because it was closer to my family. This doesn't mean that if I chose the other school, I wouldn't have been happy. In fact, the other school is in New York City, a place that I have wanted to live my entire life, but when it came down to it, I could really only get myself excited about the school I chose because it felt more comfortable to me. So that means I'm going with less money and possibly less stable funding for the future, research that I initially didn't think was that exciting (but now I'm really excited) and not living in nyc, which has a really great collaborative scientific community. I did get more prestige out of the school I chose over the one I didn't but that wasn't really a consideration, since its really who you work with and not where you go. I knew either way I went, I would end up at a reputable school. Its definitely up to you if you want to take that risk to move away from your family or not, if that is your largest factor or not. I think that if you're in an environment that you're happy with, you can get excited about the research unless its research that you absolutly know you don't want to do. I don't know what kind of degree you're going for, but if its a Ph.D. and its a 5 year commitment, you definitely need to be excited and comfortable with where you are, otherwise you'll never make it. It sounds like both of your schools are pretty reputable, so you should really just make sure that there are enough faculty at the school you choose so that if the one guy you really want to work with isn't taking students, you won't be at a dead end. Every one was telling me "you're going to end up in nyc, I know it", and I really wanted to want to end up there and I weighed all the things like more money etc, but you really just have to pick the one you feel most comfortable with and that's the most important factor. Good luck!

I know what you're going through! I'm deciding between UC Berkeley and NYU for PhD programs in molecular biology. I know that for my field "rankings" don't mean much, but i know that berkeley is more renowned than NYU in just about every field. NYU's research is more appealing to me than Berkeley's and there are environmental factors about both places that I like. But when am I going to get the chance to live in in New York again?? Now's the time before you settle down and (maybe) choose a less hectic lifestyle. Weather only makes a difference if it's that much of a hindrance to you. Like I would love to live in 75 degree weather all year round, but living in snow is not a deal breaker for me, whereas for other people, I know it is. So that's up to you. I think my current opinion is that the rankings really shouldn't influence you (unless you're in the Law field where I've heard its super important). Just remember that environment should be half the decision because if you're not happy in you're environment, you're never going to make it in school! So, I think that, and how well the program prepares you for your future endeavors should be your biggest factors. Hope this helps, and if anyone has any advice for my NYU/Berkeley dilemma, please help!!!

I don't think you should feel bad about knowing that leaving after 2 years is a possibility. I think about it all the time. That's not to say I will or want to do that, but some of my best friends have started off in PhD programs and after the first year knew it wasn't for them. I hope I can finish a PhD, but if I can't, its not the end of the world. You do want to have something to show for the time that you were there though. For me, knowing that there's an out, if I really can't do it, makes me feel less stressed about starting a PhD!

I don't think you'll die of boredom in Davis. If you get a car, you can easily get out and go to Napa, or the bay or Six Flags or anything like that. But honestly, I was so busy just hanging out with my friends (and doing school work) that sometimes it would occur to me that I hadn't left Davis in months, and I wasn't bored! Davis also has college sports team. We're division one (even though that doesn't mean we're good!), but football and basketball games are lots of fun to go to! Also intramural sports go on year round there. There is no lack of things to do in Davis and the surrounding area, it just doesn't sound as exciting as NYC. If you find a good group of friends to do things with, you'll have a blast!

I totally understand your dilemma...I'm deciding between Berkeley, NYU and Weill Cornell (Cornell's med school in nyc). I love love love NYC and have wanted to live there FOREVER!! I've never been to the Columbia main campus. I know its not in the best part of town (but I think its gotten better). NYU is in an amazing location!! But Davis and NYC are polar opposites. I went to UC Davis for undergrad. I had an amazing time, but its definitely small college town, and after undergrad I was like "I have to get out and live in a city." I don't know if you've been to Davis, but there is an amazing farmers market twice a week where so many people (students, families, etc) come out and theres live bands that play and stuff...lots of fun! You don't need a car to get around davis, everyone bikes and there are school run buses that reach pretty much every part of town and are free. As a grad student, i might suggest a car, so that you can get out and do things on the weekends. There's lots of great things near davis: Tahoe= 2 hr drive, Berkeley and SF= 1-1.5 hr drive, Sacramento (has more things to offer than you think)=20 min drive...and all around Davis is farmland. But Its a great chill place! Also if money/funding is an issue for living, Davis is super cheap for the students. 1 bedroom runs around $500 and there are a variety of apartments and houses that are rented to students. Also think about the undergrad population in this case: there are 25,000 undergrads in a town of 50,000 people....in NYC there undergrads are more diluted by the amount of "real" people. Anyways, Davis is super cute (and yes there are cows!) NYC, on the other hand is totally opposite!! So much to do there, which may be a blessing and a curse as a grad student! First off, waaaaaaaay more expensive for both housing and just about anything else. For example, a drink at bar in Davis may cost you about $3-4, and in NYC you're looking at least $8-10. You don't have to worry about a car because you'll take the subway or walk anywhere you need to get. I think everything you'd ever need/want to do is somewhere in the 5 boroughs. Also think about CA weather versus NY weather. If you can't handle snow and cold, don't go to NYC. Davis rains a lot in the winter but gets into the high 90s and low hundreds on a daily basis in the summer. No humidity though and I would gladly take 105 in davis, over 90 in NYC any day! I think basically, you need to decide if you want a more busy (and possibly tense/stressed) life style in NYC, or a super laid-back, quiet lifestyle in Davis.

I know that you said you're not at NIH, but here are some programs called the Graduate Partnership Programs (GPPs) that are affiliated with NIH. The local schools that have these programs are GWU, GU and JHU and you do your coursework at the university and do the lab work at an NIH lab. It might be worth it for you to look into them and contact the coordinators about if its possible for you to do these programs but work at a non-NIH lab. Along with these "formal partnerships" any person at any school, can make an individual partnership with NIH and work in a lab there. There may be some way for you to do an individual partnership with the lab you're in, once you get into a regular program. Sorry I don't know anything about non-NIH government labs, but I am currently at NIH and applied to the GPPs this year. While I don't know everything about these programs, I can't believe that there wouldn't be a way for you to stay in the lab you're in for your Ph.D either through the GPPs or in a different way.

I mean, I am deeply in love with NYC, and would love to say its a deal breaker for any school not there, but its not because I know its more worth it to go to a good school than to be in new york. (and I'm from california, so no, I am not afraid of sunshine and/or a vampire!) However I just got accepted to Weill Cornell's Allied program. What are people's opinions on that, compared to the other two. Its seems like the best of both worlds: very reputable, but also in nyc!

Hi, I've been accepted to both the Berkeley MCB and NYU Sackler programs, and was very enthusiastic about both when interviewing/visiting. I know that Berkeley is an amazing program, but I am interested to hear what people's opinions are of Sackler. It seemed like a great program to me, but what is it's reputation. Would I be insane to turn down Berkeley for NYU????

Duke University: Feb 4-5 or Feb 18-19 Gerstner Sloan-Kettering: Jan 18-20 Indiana U, IBMG, February 3-5 (2 dates total only offered one) NYU Sackler Institute, Biomedical Sciences, Jan. 13-14, Jan 20-21, Feb. 3,4 or Feb 10,11 Rockefeller University, March 3-5 or March 10-12 University of Alabama-Birmingham, Jan 13-15 U of Maryland, Baltimore, Neuroscience, January 21st, February 11th or 18th UNC, BBSP, January 27-29 (5 other dates) U of WA, immunology, Feb 17-19, Feb 24-26 Wake Forest, Neuroscience, January 13-15 Washington University in St. Louis Neuroscience (WashU/WUSTL): Jan 27-29 UCLA, ACCESS, January 29-31, Feb 12-14, Feb 26-28 UCSD, Biomedical Sciences, February 17-20 The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, February 24-26 or March 3-5 Columbia University CMBS Jan 21-23, Jan 28-31 USC PIBBS Jan 13-14 UC Irvine CMB Jan 27-29, Feb 3-6