nanotechgrl

I haven't seen a thread about SF, so I thought I'd start it. Where are good/cheap places to live in SF that are either walking or easy commuting distance from the UCSF campuses?

One thing to think about though is what else are you going to be doing in the next year? Unless you have significantly improved your application with a new research position or another degree, it is unlikely that your chances of admission will be much better next year. It sounds like since it's a masters program, you'll only be shelling out $18000 which isn't too bad in the bigger picture. That way, you can also add a masters degree to your resume when you reapply which should definitely boost your chances. On a side note, I definitely agree that its a lot harder to get into grad school than I expected. Especially in my field, the stats are around 10-20% acceptance rate. Good luck! It's a difficult position to be in!

thanks guys! To answer some questions: The network I've made so far in this area is relatively modest, so there's room for a lot more networking I think. There is only one professor at School B that does exactly what I want to do, so working with the others would mean a change in focus (although under the same broader focus area). I'm not too worried about this though because I am open to small changes in my research area and am not set in my current area of interest. I'd like to stay close to home because of parents and siblings as well as the fact that I love the city I would be living in. It is true that the two schools are relatively close when it comes to reputation - you could say its the difference between a silver and a gold medal Does this information change anything?

Hi All, Like everyone else, I too am confused about where to go for grad school. I'm trying to decide between two great schools and I would really appreciate some help! School A: - In the top 10 schools in my field - Very interesting research by potential PIs - Close to home (good thing ) - I like the city and weather much better School B: - In the top 3 schools in my field (brand name school) - Higher stipend than A - Research is interesting but not as much as A - Other end of the country! - Don't like the city or weather as much I guess bottom line is, I would really like to go to school A. But, how much weight should I give to the brand name the School B carries especially if School A is also very well known though comparatively less than School B? Thanks for your help!