[Buffalo, NY]

Hi everyone. So where is the best place to shop in Buffalo? Like for groceries, electronics, appliances, clothes, and furniture.

I'm moving in next week so I need some suggestions where to start.

 

Thanks!

[Gift for Boss]

If anyone cares, I just noticed that these coasters are back in stock right now 

Thanks! 

[Gift for Boss]

I got my MS PI a stainless steel travel mug with a leather wrap. One of my friends does embossing, and she embossed the leather for me with the ribbon diagram of the protein he got his current grant for that I worked on with him.

 Wow that sounds amazing. I think he would really like something like that. Lucky to have a friend that does embossing. I hope I can find someone online who can do this for me!

[Gift for Boss]

Hi all and thank you for your suggestions. I like the idea of getting him something from the place or university I'm going to.

I also LOOOOVE these coasters, maybe I'll have to wait till they're back in stock to get a set for myself!
 

I would say a thank you card would be fine, and to also thank him for the rec letter. But if you were looking for a gift, here are some really cool brain coasters! (or maybe just for yourself  )

Edit: darn it they're out of stock. 

 

Thanks again everyone!

[Gift for Boss]

Hi everyone. 

I've been working as a research assistant in a lab and was applying for grad school. I got accepted into a PhD program, and to my surprise, the PI of the lab in which I'm working got me a present (it's a book about the field I got accepted into).

What should I give him back? He is relatively young. He likes coffee (but says he's trying to cut back on it).

He is also one of the people who wrote my recommendation letters.

Thanks!

[SUNY Buffalo Fall 2015]

Hakandoga, Greyhound IS painful and not worth it! I would look into a cheap flight JFK to Buffalo- you can usually get one for around $100.00

 

This is what I will be doing personally. I think the money paid will be worth it

Any suggestions what to bring for my first semester at Buffalo?

[SUNY Buffalo Fall 2015]

Hi everyone!

Congrats on being accepted! Heading for UB this fall for the biomedical sciences program.

Good luck to all of you

[Worried. Just Venting.]

Hi everyone!

Just wanted to let you all know that I've accepted my offer from the University at Buffalo. Thanks all for your help and advice!

[Buffalo, NY]

Hello everyone,

I have been through all the pages and thanks for the info form all the users!

I am also accepted to the Phd program in Math department and I am thinking about accepting it.

Recently, I have started looking for the housing options, and I still can not make up my mind. Department is in the North Campus and everyone posted that it is really far(I will rely on public transport also). I will be a grad student but I like to go out and get a beer in the evening most of the time. Also I'd be happy about easy access to the transportation. So I am kinda sceptical about Elmwood and Allentown. 

I also understood that getting to North campus from South is kind of easier. So which areas would you recommend for a mathematician ((: in South campus area? As i said, I would be happy to go out and grab a beer from time to time with friends, so this is a quite important criterion for me ((:

One more question about getting to Buffalo, I will be flying to US since i am an international student. The last time I have been to US I had to go to south states, I went to JFK and took the bus Greyhound from New York. So what would be the most efficient and cheapest option to get to Buffalo? Going to JFK and taking another flight from there, taking the train or the bus? I'd appreciate any suggestion!

And congratulations on being accepted!

[Buffalo, NY]

Hi everyone!

I have been admitted to the biomedical science program and I have accepted the offer. I live overseas as well, and my housing plan is to sign up for on-campus housing for the first year, and then as I get to know the city more (and see the housing options first hand), I'll decide where to live (either move out or stay on-campus). I feel it's really difficult for me to decide when I'm so far away and never been to the place before. Also, people have different preferences and tastes so I feel I'm getting contradictory reports of the different housing areas and options available. So I thought it would be safest to just live on campus at first. Do you think it's a good idea?

I don't think I'll have a car either and I also plan to depend on public transportation and biking. Since I like shopping, do you think the public transportation system will be able to take me to shopping areas/malls etc?

Thanks!

[Worried. Just Venting.]

Hi Neuronista,

 

I can tell you that Buffalo is a great place to be, and that SUNY Buffalo is a great school. I just recently got accepted to their PhD program as well, and I am thrilled! Don't listen to anything about the weather, I have lived here my entire life and although it is difficult at times, there are so many more benefits that outweigh weather. We have an extremely low cost of living, very nice suburbs and in my opinion, we have made some awesome improvements to our city. We have great nightlife and diversity. You also cannot beat our team spirit, we love sports here. Feel free to reach out with any questions you may have! And congratulations!

 

I'm a senior at UB right now and will be attending the University of Toronto next fall for my masters (global top 20). UB is a really fantastic school actually, and is a really comprehensive school (largest in NY state and is the flagship public school of the state). Architecture, dental, medicine, engineering, business, education, law, public health, planning, etc.

UB's alumni are pretty well regarded too...including the CEOs of Paramount Pictures, A&E Networks, Coca Cola, j crew. Wolf Blitzer and the former prime minister of Somalia are also alum...and the school was founded by the 13th president of the US, millard Fillmore.

As for buffalo, the city has a ton of history, and was for a while one of the top 5 wealthiest cities in the US. Buff right now is going through a cultural and economic "Renaissance" and is attracting smart people who are involved in re-building and developing the region.

I'm originally from Boston, MA, and I've grown to absolutely love the Buffalo region. The people are friendly, the community is strong, and you can have a stake in something here. As for UB, the students are smart.

In terms of medical, Buffalo is becoming a center for top medical services in the country. UB is getting brand new medical facilities downtown in 2016 and the Buffalo Niagara medical campus is thriving. About $3 billion has been invested over just the last 5 years. UB is also a very wealthy University, and has the largest endowment over any public in the northeast ($730 million). Jeremy Jacobs (an alum) is the current chair of the UB council, he's a billionaire and owns the Boston bruins.

Buffalo is quickly becoming a top place for young people too, there's a recent NYtimes article that showcases top places where college graduates are going to, and buffalo was in the top 3.

UB is also about 30% international students, and buffalo brings in thousands of UN refugees, so the city is actually extremely diverse.

Come check out what's going on in Buffalo...you'll love it im sure

 

Fyi, there's a reason why Obama came to UB to announce his plan to reform higher education in August of 2013

Btw, the city's population might look small (290,000), but each town surrounding buff is 100,000. It's crazy actually how big the suburbs are....I believe the population of the region is about 1.7 million.

 

The Boston, MA area is far snowier than Buffalo this season: http://goldensnowglobe.com/all-snowiest-us-cities/

 

Think ice wine, Niagara Falls, and a short drive to Toronto. Buffalo isn't that bad. I'd totally move there!

Thank you all for your comments and encouragement. I feel much better already and even excited! I really feel that there will be a lot of opportunities for exploration, especially that I actually do like exploring and wandering about. And for those still waiting on decisions, I wish you the best of luck!

However, no-one has yet answered this question: is it acceptable to contact current students to ask about their impressions regarding the program?

[No decision to date - What does it mean?]

Hey!

I don't think this is necessarily a bad sign at this stage. I've applied to 8 schools and only heard back from two so far. Sometimes I get the urge to email those remaining schools to ask, but then I think I should just let them take their sweet time. If they have decided on anything, there is no reason they should not inform me!

You can check the status of your application on the online system. Some of mine say something like "under review" or "out to department." So this indicates that no decision has been made yet. If it says nothing at all, I also believe this means there is no decision yet.

It's only a matter of time.

Good luck!

 

[Worried. Just Venting.]

Why would you apply to a school if you didn't think it was good enough to attend?  I would assume you researched the program before deciding to apply so why doubt your decision now?  Like you said, it's your 3rd year applying.  Personally I would be happy for the acceptance and start making plans to attend.

I guess you're right. I did research the school before applying. At that time, and after applying to many places with no success, ranking and presitge were not major criteria for me. All I wanted was to get into a place where people are doing research that match my interests and experience (and therefore more likely to accept me). Now that I'm accepted and things became real, I started to doubt my choices! I guess it's weird human nature, or perhaps weird me!

 

[Worried. Just Venting.]

Friend was considering Buffalo. Cost of living is very cheap and grad students can live well there (some even buy houses, really, it's true).

Thanks for your input! I think I'll be living on-campus for some time, then I might consider other options as I get used to the city and surroundings.

[Worried. Just Venting.]

As far as the weather in Buffalo, lake-effect snow make winters pretty crazy (especially if you are from an area where there is no snow). I love snow but I don't think I could do Buffalo. Having to shovel snow so your roof doesn't collapse under the weight of it all seems like a little more maintenance than I would like to put up with. 

WOW these pictures are scary   especially that I come from a place where there is ZERO snow!

 

[Worried. Just Venting.]

In regards to the gloominess, it is central New York, so the winters will be cold, snowy, and probably cloudy a lot of the time. (I've been a resident of CNY for five-ish years, so I am well-acquainted with the weather here.) However, spring, summer, and fall can be lovely! Summers can be quite warm, somewhat humid (but still nice), and last well into September. Falls are very nice, especially with the foliage changing color! My personal favorite is spring, because it's always so nice to see the leaves and flowers coming out and the temperature rising.

I haven't lived in Buffalo myself, but my SO went to college there, and he says that the campus and school facilities are nice. There are some parts of the city that are probably less safe (just like many large cities). I don't think that that necessarily means that the school or its facilities are poor.

I wish I could help with your other questions.... But if you have any questions about the environment/area, feel free to ask!

Thank you so much. Where I currently live, it hardly even rains! So I think this will be a huge change for me. Clouds and cool weather actually make me happy since they are rare events here, but I'm not sure how I'll like if they last much more than I'm used to. I'll be sure to ask you if I have any questions later, especially when  I'm getting ready to leave since I'm not sure what kind of clothes to pack!

Thanks again!

[Worried. Just Venting.]

Hey everyone! Thank you so much for your replies, encouragement, and help! I really appreciate all your responses. 

 

Considering this is your third application season, are you really willing to do another round of applying?

 

Also, would you gain anything that would build your CV and application with another year? If not, then why wait another year to be in the same position you are now. 

 

In regards to your concern about Buffalo. Never been there. However, I have to imagine that it is more exciting than many of the typical college towns around the country. As long as the cost of living is reasonable, I don't see the problem. 

 
I guess you're right. It would be stupid to decline an offer at this point for no real reason other than my anxiety! I've already improved my CV since my last application season (better GRE scores, more research experience, publications) so I think it's time 

[Worried. Just Venting.]

Hi everyone.

So this is my third application season. I want to attend a PhD program in neuroscience, and I applied to 8 schools and so far heard from two (one acceptance - SUNY Buffalo, one rejection - U Kansas).

I've been interviewed at Baylor College of Medicine before, but then rejected "due to limited funds." No news from them this year yet.

Now while I'm very happy and grateful that I've accepted at least somewhere this year, I'm worried. I did do some research about the program and I do like the biomedical sciences program there. I also have a few professors in mind with whom I'd like to work, but I'm worried that the ranking of the university is not so high (as Baylor, for example). Am I wrong about that? And does this matter anyway?

Also, how is the life in Buffalo like? I've seen a lot of people on this forum ranting about how gloomy and poor the city is. Is that true? Does this necessarily mean poor facilities at the university?

Unfortunately, I won't be able to attend the recruitment weekend, so I won't be able to meet professors and see the campus for myself. Is it acceptable to e-mail current students to ask them about their experience there and about the academic and research environment in general? What advantages they gett? What they like and dislike about their program? Also, can I e-mails POI's (even before I accept the offer) and ask them about some details regrading their research? What other questions should I ask, and whom should I ask?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Also, if anyone is accepted into SUNY Buffalo Biomedical Sciences this season (or is already attending), please share your thoughts and opinions!
 

[GRE study partner]

Hello,

I am also studying for the GRE, am scheduled for Nov 28th. I'd love some companionship.

I'm in!

Today, hopefully, I'll be finished with math. I'm also done with the verbal, but of course I need to study lots of vocab. I'm using both Princeton's and Barron's review books.

Starting from Nov. 1 till the day of the exam, I'll practice practice practice! I have a problem with speed, so I need to practice being fast and accurate at the same time.

So how about you? \what have you studied so far? What are your plans? How are you studying? :)

[Favorite pens?]

Nice topic! And congrats on raising your stipend

My favorite note-taking pen is the Bic 4-color pen. I like multi-colored pens because I can change the color without changing the pen, and I like this one in particular because works well for me as the tips are not too fine (I tend to press hard on the paper when I'm writing for some reason, and fine-tipped pens tear the paper!).

I also love Stabilo Boss highlighters for studying. I use them in 4 colors: yellow, orange, green, and pink.

For general, everyday use, I just use the ones from conferences. I have dozens of them

As for pencils, any Zebra mechanical pencil would do. They're the best!

[GRE study partner]

I'm studying for the GRE too

I scheduled mine to be on November 15. I'm studying verbal right now. You?

[2012 Application Accountability and Discussion]

If this is the case with most POIs,then why should we email them?

I have heared that some schools ask prospective students to mention in their online application POIs they have contacted.While other schools urge students to contact POIs.

Well, I applied last year without contacting anyone and didn't get accepted anywhere. So I thought this year I'll change my approach and be more "interactive". I've heard that once you have a POI interested in your work, they might help get you into the program, if they were part of the admissions committee or if they have any kind of influence over them.

Yes, some programs urge applicants to contact professors, and the funny thing is that one of the professors who said it's too early for him to decide now belongs to one of those programs

[2012 Application Accountability and Discussion]

I myself don't know if I would stay interested into my POI research topic after 2 years from now or I would find another more interesting one in another lab.

I know! This is one of my concerns too. What if my interests change when I get exposed to other research topics during my rotations?

But then I thought, let me state what my current interests are, which basically stem from my MS research topic. This will give adcoms an impression that I'm focused and that I know what I want, and gives them an idea about my areas of expertise, which will make it easier for them to decide whether I'll be a "good fit" for their program. Then, if I do get interested in something else, which will most likely be something related, I may persue a project that links these areas.

[2012 Application Accountability and Discussion]

I mean If I contacted POIs now "in september/october 2011" while I'm applying to their programs and if I got accepted I will attend their school next year "in september/october 2012".And of course I will spend the first year studying core courses and lab rotations.Then I will join my PO lab on "sept/oct 2013".These are 2 years from now.

Exactly. In most programs, students are not given a chance to choose a lab before their first year, which is already one year from now. That's what many POIs are telling me and they're saying they can't decide from now.

The best thing to do is to apply to programs where there are several profs whose work you're interested in, so that if one of them is not available by the time you choose a lab, you can happily join another one.

But I am still surprized that so many people say that POIs could actually make a decision from now about where or not he/she will need a student later on. Maybe I'm e-mailing the wrong people

[2012 Application Accountability and Discussion]

One issue I'm facing when I'm contacting POIs is that they do seem interested in my research but they're saying that they cannot decide from now whether they will have vacancies in their labs by the time I join (I'm applying to the sciences).

So what should I do in this case? What should my reply be? I still want them to remember me as a potential student, but they seem that they're not exactly ready to discuss research opportunities with them for the time being.