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Well since no one else has started this, I will. The blank template is below Undergrad Institution: (School or type of school, such as big state, lib arts, ivy, technical, foreign (what country?))Major(s):Minor(s):GPA in Major: Overall GPA: Position in Class: Type of Student: (Domestic/International, male/female, minority?)GRE Scores (revised/old version):Q: V: W: S: Research Experience: Awards/Honors/Recognitions: (Within your school or outside?)Pertinent Activities or Jobs: (Such as tutor, TA, etc...)Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help:Special Bonus Points: Any Other Info That Shows Up On Your App and Might Matter:Applying to Where:

I got accepted into North Caolina State University and University of Virginia. I'm going to organic or biological chemistry, and both departments look good to me, though UVA is slightly better (I judged it based on the academic history of PIs). NCSU offers a much lower stipend than UVA. I'm an international student so I have very limited budget and it seems that if I live in NC, I won't be able to get a car because the stipend won't be enough for the car expense. The reasons that make me lean more towards NCSU are that I think NC is larger state with a greater number of population and it's also close to other well-known schools, I'm looking to work in industry afterwards, so I believe living at NC will be an advantage. I'm very lost right now as I don't know what criteria should I really look into and whether all my thoughts are right. If you have any knowledge on any of these subjects, please post a reply to help me.

Hi guys, here is my personal statement for a Chemistry PhD. program. Please take a look and give me some feedback. I appreciate any help! I can also look at yours and give feedback if you wish. Thanks!!!! A little bit about my application: GPA: 3.70, major GPA: 3.75. GRE general: 150 V, 165 Q. Although my GRE is not that high, my research professor told me to aim to top inorganic chemistry programs because of my strong research experience and the fact that English is not my first language + I take >17hrs every semester since I transferred to my current university in junior year. My nomadic life began at the age of 16 when I left my hometown to move to the biggest city in my home country, [name of the country]. Since that day, I have lived in 5 cities and traveled to 4 countries and 12 states in America. Change is my lifestyle. However, 3 things that never change in me are passion, curiosity, and a strong work ethic. With these values, I have not only overcome all obstacles from integrating into new communities but also set myself up to be ready for any challenge I will encounter in the future. My passion for chemistry is ignited by my father who is a veterinarian. I grew up helping him capping scintillation vials and watching him working with animal drugs and I was genuinely fascinated about how science impacts life and wished to be a veterinarian when I grow up. That preliminary dream motivated me to study science early in my life, which led to my first two academic achievements at the [Name of the competition] Provincial Chemistry Competition for Middle School Students and the [Name of the competition] Math Competition when I was 15. I was one of the two contestants who got the highest score on the chemistry competition and was selected for a scholarship to study at the provincial high school for talented students. However, I declined the offer. It is not fortuitous that I chose to dig more deeply into chemistry instead of sticking with my childhood plan of becoming a veterinarian. The more I learned about chemistry, the more I wanted to create. I wanted to create new chemicals that could change the world. Not so long after I won the chemistry competition, I realized this childish dream would not be practical if I kept staying in my hometown. I declined the high school for talented students offer to seek better opportunities in a bigger city. I attended a private high school and had a chance to do hands-on chemistry experiments twice a week participate in city science fairs and meet people from top universities in my country. I was also introduced to overseas education which excited my curiosity about the academic environment and life in the other hemisphere. To satisfy my curiosity, I went to the U.S. after graduating from high school. Spending my first 2 years of college at a community college where research opportunities are not available, I tried to get into some short-term chemistry research programs and industrial internships, but it is hard because of my citizenship status. At the same time, I found a huge interest in sharing my knowledge and helping people. I joined the science and writing tutor teams and developed professionalism in tutoring chemistry and math, editing students’ academic papers, and communication with my colleagues. To me, the purpose of gaining new knowledge is to share knowledge. That is my motivation for dedicating most of my college time to teaching and tutoring. I ended my first period of college with the honor of being selected as the outstanding student at [H] College for my contributions to the community. I transferred to [University___X] with intentions of looking for research opportunities and experiencing the south of the U.S., but the passion for teaching is still in me. Throughout the semesters, I operated Peer-leading team learning sessions to help students in the Inorganic Chemistry course and I became a mentor to support first-year chemistry students. These teaching and mentoring opportunities not only improve my skills but also put me in a position where I always have to update my knowledge. Also, here at [University___X] , I discovered another passion of mine. I joined Dr. [Dr. A]'s research group and was surprised by how immature I was. Little did I know that the way chemistry changes the world is not as loud as a speech from a political figure nor as emotional as a song from a singer. Chemistry changes the world on a molecular scale that most people do not even recognize. Here, I found my passion and curiosity of synthesizing molecules that can contribute to the growth of chemistry and society. In [Dr. A]’s lab, [Dr. B] and I studied the syntheses and characterizations of a class of sandwich-type mononuclear lanthanide single-molecule magnets which possesses high degrees of axial symmetry and exhibits novel magnetic properties. In this project, I learned air-sensitive manipulations, glovebox and Schlenk line techniques along with the uses of NMR, IR, UV-Vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID). As this is my first research experience, I was also taught how to plan and organize reactions before running them. My most appreciation for this project goes to the lanthanide elements. Because I did not learn a lot about lanthanides in undergraduate courses, this project made me curious about these interesting metals. This research experience also expanded my knowledge of magnetism and methods to design single-molecule magnets. Furthermore, the most important thing I got from this project is that I can finally identify my chemistry forte, which is synthetic inorganic chemistry. I continued my research journey by joining [Dr. C]’s lab. Here, I jumped into a new and fascinating project which focuses on syntheses of bio-inspired compounds that display catalytic activities for CO2 reduction and hydrogen production. Specifically, I investigated the synthesis of an unprecedented manganese compound with an [name of the ligand] ligand which, for the first time, shows a switching in the binding mode of the [name of the ligand] ligand from a tetradentate [x] ligand to a binucleating tridentate [y] ligand. The unexpected result inspired me and my mentor, Mr. [Name], to figure out how it happened. I consider this project as an exploration because over the summer, I performed more than 50 reactions, set up numerous diffusion tubes for growing crystals, and waited weeks to see the formation of the crystals. Eventually, we figured out that the role of an extraneous metal is vital to facilitate or to template the formation of the novel manganese compound. The exploration gave results that not only answer our questions about the phenomenon and motivated us to produce an academic paper, but also teach me how valuable and important patience, hard work, and critical thinking are in scientific research. The more I am excited about the results, the more I want to share them. I gave oral and poster presentations at three undergraduate research symposiums at the three biggest universities in Texas. In addition, further study of this project is also my undergraduate thesis that I am working on. This project has prepared me for graduate school in two major ways. First, I have gained strong skills and knowledge in synthetic inorganic chemistry which also reflects my interests in this subject. Second, I have learned how to effectively describe and interpret my research to audiences with different academic backgrounds and in different forms of presentations. Now I know that I can create and synthesize molecules and I want to create and synthesize more. My research experience has shown me how beautiful, important, and versatile compounds of transition metals (including lanthanides and actinides) can be. I want to keep synthesizing more coordination complexes and discover their applications from their structural, electrochemical, and magnetic properties. This, in addition to my passion for teaching, fosters my interest in pursuing a Ph.D. degree in chemistry, and [University___Y] is where I want to be to achieve this goal. Choosing inorganic chemistry as the concentration, I understand it is an interdisciplinary subject that requires knowledge in biology, physics, and materials science. I also understand that the synthesis skill that I have is not enough to solve recondite problems in real life. To do that, I need to understand problems at an interdisciplinary level. At [University___Y] , I believe I will have a chance to work toward that goal because every research group in inorganic chemistry here has a diverse research profile. My first attention is brought to Dr. [D] because her group has worked with single-molecule magnets. Moreover, I also want to be a part of her journey in quantum information science by approaching via coordination chemistry. Besides, I am also interested in Dr. [E]’s group where I can both be exposed to a variety of innovative chemical fields such as nanomaterials and nanolithography, and improve my synthesis root in coordination chemistry. Dr. [F]’s research group is also appealing to me due to their works in transition metals complexes. The [F] group can be a good place for me to utilize my passion for synthetic inorganic chemistry to apply to biological and medical fields. Committing several years for chemistry is not an easy decision but I am confident that I have enough passion, curiosity, and a strong work ethic for this challenge. Although my life has involved a lot of moving, since the day I realized the beauty and the importance of inorganic chemistry I always have a consistent goal of becoming an influential and dedicated chemist. Pursuing a Ph.D. degree from [University___Y] is a significant step toward my future. BEST!!!

Hey everyone, I was hoping to get some insight into what my chances might be for admissions to PhD programs in organic chemistry. Any constructive criticism is much appreciated!! Undergrad Institution: UCLAMajor(s): ChemistryGPA in Major: 2.90, upper div: 3.0 (First two years were ROUGH--was between a 2.6-2.8 overall GPA. Third and fourth years were a significant improvement academically).Overall GPA: 3.20GRE Scores: Q: 163, V: 165, W: 5. Taking the Chem GRE in 2 weeks! Interests: Transition metal catalysis, organometallic chemistry, experimental and computational mechanistic study. Schools I'm Applying To: Princeton (my number one), UPenn, UMich, MIT, UC Berkeley, University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of MinnesotaResearch Experience: 2.5 years working in an inorganic/organic chemistry lab on boron cluster-based applications to organic synthesis. 1.5 years in a computational organic chemistry lab studying cycloadditions as well as transition metal catalysis/photoredox catalysis. Publications: First paper is inorganic/organic in Chem, authorship: 6/11. Second paper is inorganic/organic, about to submit, authorship: 2/2. Third paper is computational organic, manuscript in progress, authorship: 2/2. Fourth paper is a photoredox collaboration for which I did calculations, so I'll probably be towards the end of the authorship--manuscript in progress. Hoping to have them submitted before I apply!! Relevant Advanced Coursework: Practical and Theoretical Organic Synthesis, Organic Spectroscopic Methods, Organometallic Chemistry (grad class), Physical Organic Chemistry (grad class).Awards/Honors/Recognitions: Research fellowship for summer 2019, awarded by the department of chemistry. Pertinent Activities or Jobs: Undergraduate Teaching Assistant for lower division organic chemistry courses (Summer 2019-present), tutor for lower division organic chemistry courses (Summer 2016-present), member of AXS, the professional chemistry fraternity (Fall 2016-present).

I am applying chemistry PhD for the next fall. I know that I want to do something that's related to spectroscopy. But I have experience using different spectroscopies (ultrafast, 2D) and look at different system (nanomaterials, protein) and honestly, I dont mind exploring a new area relating to spectroscopy. I dont know if should be honest in SOP and say "My interest is spectroscopy, and I dont mind the exact project"? I'm afraid that gives an impression that I dont have a passion for a beneficial cause (such as energy conservation/curing diseases) or that I'm not totally clear what project I want to do, which in reality I'm not.... Thanks in advance for any advice!

I was accepted into graduate school for MS in Pharmaceutics with a specialization in Cosmetic Science in the spring. I could not attend due to the fact that I was completing a prerequisite course and working in the evening part-time which conflicted with my grad school classes. I decided to defer admission for a semester. I am supposed to be beginning in September. However, since deferring the program, I have decided that a second bachelor's in chemistry (BA) may be a better and more cost effective choice (my first bachelor's is in psychology), so I declared a major as a post-bacc student at the university where I was taking grad school prerequisites. I have already talked to the grad school about this, but I have not asked about deferring again because I would be done with the second bachelor's in December 2020, so I would have to wait until Spring of 2021 to begin graduate school which means I may have to reapply. I would like to break into the cosmetic industry and ultimately become a cosmetic formulator and a science degree is a requirement. I currently have no experience in the field. Would it be smart to defer or decline admission to grad school and get the second bachelor's first so I can try to gain lab/work experience for a bit before grad school, or should I just go with the master's program? I have also played with the idea of possible taking a few grad school classes while getting my second degree, but that will require me to take out more student loans.

Hi everyone, I'm a college senior who will be applying to schools in the fall for a PhD program, but have a slight dilemma. I will be obtaining a BA in the spring, where most chemistry majors have BS degrees when applying to graduate school. I chose this degree because I couldn't handle the math or physical chemistry, which I am both bad at and don't have much interest in. I'm worried that not having this math/physical chem background will be detrimental to me in the application process, with most of my peers having these backgrounds. Conversely, I maintain a ~3.9 GPA and have taken many upper level chem courses, included advanced inorganic, physical organic chemistry, biochemistry, polymer chemistry, etc. I have been doing research at my home institution for ~2.5 years and have had two REU's at high level graduate institutions, and have presented several posters, but I just fret that it won't be enough. I would really like to get into a top 30 program. Have any of you had similar experiences or words of encouragement/advice? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Hello Everyone! I am a bit worried to decide between schools. My background is computational chemistry and computational material science and I been accepted into the following schools : 1) UCLA-Chemical Engineering 2) EPFL-Chemistry and chemical engineering 3) Oxford-Chemistry (still waiting for funding ) I am a bit distressed about what to choose. Can you please help me out here? Any kind of help would be very appreciated! Thank you so much in advance!

I applied in my senior year without hope as my stats weren't good, but I tried to take a shot to gain some experience. I applied to about 4 schools for chemistry and biochemistry programs and got all rejects, which I wasn't too surprised since I wasn't finished taking major courses. I'm not too proud of my stats: 3.2 GPA, 3.1 major GPA, 143/154/4.0 GRE, 2.5 years of research experience (both experiences in synthesis and biochemistry research), and no pub. I graduated already, and I'm trying to apply again this upcoming cycle around October-December. I have about 6-8 months before submitting my applications, so what would be the most productive way to fill this gap? Some things that I'm already working on are: - I am currently working on GRE, and I'm also planning to take the Chemistry GRE in September. - I talked with my research advisor, and we can work on a paper to submit for one of the research I did. So, I might possibly be a second-author for the paper. - I am also trying to replenish the LORs. The research advisor said he wrote a strong one before, and he would update it more for this one. I also have different professor writing LOR for this time who is very understanding and knows me well. I'm currently looking for 3rd recommender, but it's in process for now. - I am trying to find a research position of some sort to gain more research experience. I'm not sure if that would be helpful at this point, since I just have months left. - I am getting the feeling that doing Masters to recover my GPA won't be worth the chance, since it is another investment, and I have a set goal that I want to go for PhD for academia path. I've been seeing some good constructive advice here, and I would love to hear back thoughts and comments on my situation. Thank you

Hi everyone, I was recently accepted to JHU and Emory for chemistry PhD program. Now I am trying to decide which is the better choice. I visited both schools and they both offer very good research and have great people. I heard rumors that JHU is very intense and competitive, however they seemed pretty laid back (which I think is great) during my visit , whereas Emory was more serious and enthusiastic. Also I am an international student, not sure if this is relevant info but just putting it out there. I would really appreciate any input. Thank you!!

Hello everyone: I am trying to decide between UCLA and UCSF for a Biochemistry PhD and I would appreciate any input. Does anyone know which place has better success for academic vs industry employment and what the reputation is at both locations? Both programs have great research, advisers, and students. Thank you everyone in advance for your input!

Has anyone heard anything about interviews for the OxCam NIH Partnership program?

I am a female international student, got my BS in the US. I'm finishing my application but I think I'm not applying to enough schools. Undergrad School: A small, non-research, liberal art women's college in the US Undergrad Major: Chemistry Undergrad GPA: 3.95 out of 4.0 GRE: Q = 170 , V = 157 , AW = 5.0 TOEFL iBT: 114 (S = 25) Chemistry Subject GRE: I bombed it, so I won't send it in unless it says "highly recommended" Courses: I had all the basic required Chemistry classes except Inorganic Chemistry Took the only advanced Chem class available (Advanced Organic Spectroscopy) Research Experience: _1.5 years working at an oceanography lab on 2 projects _ 2 independent projects on trivial stuff (method developments) _ 2 internships at the state's toxicology lab (building reference library) and an industrial R&D lab (work on a method development projects) _ A bunch of independent mini-research projects for classes. _ All of my research projects (big or small, academic or industrial) are presented at either school/Southern regional seminars and conferences. No publication Other relevant info: _ Award for outstanding chemistry senior, award for academic achievement, members of honor societies _ 3 years working as a tutor for Sciences classes LORs: _One solid letter from my professor (taught me 5 classes and oversaw my projects) _One okay-good one from my lab's PI (pretty famous in her field, but I'm not applying to her field unfortunately lol) _One good one from my academic advisor SOPs: I'm tailoring my SOP to each program I'm applying to make sure my interest and experience are relevant to the said program. Applying: Duke, Purdue, Northwestern, Carnegie Mellon, GaTech, Emory Am I aiming too high for schools in the 30s rank? I try to apply to private institutions tho. What are other programs should I try that would be more in my range? Also, is it too late now to contact professors? Thank you for your input!

Hi I am not a native English speaker, It would be great If you could correct my mistakes in my SOP thank you very much. and i want to end it few more sentences, like USA will be the great place etc. please help https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jAoI0MRenPGLux1SBMmo5DeH1fIRPHmBTN37C48lqnw/edit#heading=h.gjdgxs

I would like some advice from current grad students in the chemistry field who got a BS in chemical engineering; I am currently getting a dual degree BS in chemistry and engineering. I have to transfer to another school to get the engineering part of my degree and I think it will be about 2.5-3 years at that school. I am already in my third year at my current school, so that would be six years total from the start because I would start on my engineering degree in Fall 2019. Because it is a dual degree, there are four classes that most chemistry majors must take that I am not required to take and just have to finish up next semester with a few math courses required for the engineering part. However, I really think I want to go to grad school for analytical chemistry. I've started realizing if I pursue this path then getting the engineering degree would be pointless as I would not ever apply it to a job (right?). It would be a major waste of time and money (was planning to go to Georgia Tech). If I am lucky I could finish grad school in 5-6 years, so I would finish around 2025 (I would have to finish those few chemistry courses if I switched to just a regular chemistry degree and because of how they are offered at my school would not be able to finish until Summer 2019 or Fall 2019). If i pursue the engineering degree and end up going to grad school anyways then I would not be finished with school for 9-10 years! I still really enjoy engineering, but I love analytical chemistry more than anything, so I am really feeling like I should not waste those 2.5-3 years of my time (and money! since grad school is "free"), but at the same time a Chemical Engineering Degree from GA tech would be able to land me a great job. I want to go to grad school because again, I love analytical chemistry and would love to specialize in it. I love research and I know that is a must for grad school. But thinking about going to GA tech and taking more specific chemical engineering classes also makes me very excited. Should I just say screw it and go for the engineering degree as well? Or is it a much smarter idea to not waste my time and money? I suppose I could always apply to grad school at tech because they have a decent enough chemistry department.

Hi good people, I am Shams from Bangladesh. I completed my bachelor of pharmacy in 2011 and master of pharmacy in 2013. I admit that I was not a good student and scored around 60% marks in bachelor and masters. Later, I took GRE and TOEFL and scored 305(v-148, Q-157, AWA-3.0) and 92. Since TOEFL expired after 2 years, I took IELTS and scored 7(L-8, R-7, W-7, and S-6.5). I have a very small research experience in Phytochemistry(a thesis during master's) and was able to publish a few articles on a few typical Indian journals (not significant to be honest). In total, I have applied for 2 Pharmaceutical Sciences Ph.D. program in the fall of 2015, 4 Biochemistry Ph.D. program in the fall of 2016 and 1 Biochemistry Ph.D. program in the fall of 2017. All the programs & universities I applied were down of the list on US News graduate school ranking list. Yet, I got rejected on all of them! I have 3 years of experience as a Quality Assurance Officer in a pharmaceutical. To be honest, I don’t love spending my life doing what I do now. So, even after all those rejections, I am kind of desperate now to get back to academic life. But repetitive rejections in last 3 years, have kind of made me think that I am not good enough for a Ph.D. program though out of those 7 programs 3 professors in 3 different terms assured me to provide funding. Yes, I don’t have good grades and that might be a cause of rejections. At this point, I am thinking whether I should lower my expectations or try for a Master's or would it still be a good approach to try again for a Ph.D.? It is always a hassle to get recommendations from previous professors and I am tired of getting rejected! Can anybody please give me some kind advice on what I should try for? Master's or Ph.D.? If master's, then can you please name some easy to get into master's program in biological sciences, biochemistry or pharmaceutical sciences? Your precious words can save my academic life. So, help appreciated. Thanks.

Out of all the admits I have, I've narrowed it down to these two but am finding it hard to make a decision. Points in favour of UZH: MUCH cheaper, as they have no tuition fees, better and bigger city (I'm a city person :P), Less specialised program could leave me with more options after graduation. Points in favour of Uppsala: Potentially better program (I'm getting a Theoretical Chemistry specialisation there), Seemingly more lively community and culture (Uppsala being a student town plus I've received countless follow-up mails after getting the admit, makes me feel like they want me more and more welcoming?) I'm really inclined towards Uppsala, but it would turn out to be twice as expensive as UZH :(

I need to add my physical science after I graduate and I have to choose between physics and chemistry. I took geology for the sake of not destroying my gpa with the former two, but now my grad school that I'm attending (Texas State University) does not take geology. Thoughts?

Hello everyone, I am a rising senior studying at a small liberal arts college where I major in Physical Sciences with a focus in Chemistry. I hope to study total synthesis in graduate school and have started working towards that goal. I have taken p.chem, inorg, and organometallics. However, I have not taken Ochem. Now, here is the catch, I was the TA for the course and carried out tutorial classes with them. In the fall, I would be taking retrosynthesis course. I know it sounds odd. However, would it hurt my chance? ## I have 4.5/5 GPA, done 2 summer research projects. I have spent additional 4 semesters doing research. Next year, I am going to do a senior thesis (just took GRE Chem last week!) Thank you

I am really stuck between attending one of these schools to pursue a PhD in organic chemistry and am desperate for some advice! I’m most likely choosing between Stanford and Yale. I came out to Berkeley and am familiar with both the Bay Area and the NYC area. After visiting both schools, I feel more comfortable at Stanford, being that I liked the campus/weather/area more and really connected with the graduate students. Yale was comparable (if not quite as nice) in terms of facilities, although I didn’t resonate with the campus and graduate students as much. I am also not a fan of the cold winters. The problem is I feel the research in my field is stronger at Yale. I feel much more inspired by the work they’re conducting. There are also more PI’s whose labs I’m really interested in joining, and know they are consistently putting out strong, interesting research that I could get in on the ground floor. d Im afraid of being stuck in Stanford. However, the grad students there seemed obviously bright and capable and very happy. After being on my visits, I also don’t know anyone committing to Yale, but know a few at Stanford, and am afraid of not getting a strong incoming cohort at Yale. Any thoughts from people who had to make a similar decision? Research strength vs lifestyle?

Hi I am currently trying to decide between 2, potentially 3 MS chem programs. I have offers from GWU (w/ fellowship), SDSU, and UBC (conditional offer). I think the UBC offer is less likely as it is contingent on me confirming a lab supervisor prior to May 31 and I have not had any luck so far. I'm currently about to graduate from UCSD where I have had some research experience. I am mostly choosing between GWU MS in Environmental and Green Chemistry and SDSU for MS Chemistry. I want to pursue environmental chemistry work in the future but mostly, I want to really focus on research, and I am considering doing a PhD in the future. Although GWU is a more prestigious school, the program does not really provide a 'thesis' option. I know that this doesn't mean I can't do research, but I feel that it is less likely? Rather, it's more centered around coursework and 1 capstone project during the last semester. SDSU is very thesis based with a lab supervisor that you work with throughout the whole program. I am wondering if it would be better for me to choose SDSU over GWU based on the fact that I am guaranteed to really gain experience in a lab-setting and doing research, whereas at GWU, I feel that I would be less able to conduct serious research, although I could be wrong.

Hello All, I want to keep this relatively short so I'll start by saying that I am currently deciding between UChicago & UMichigan (fully funded PhD), although I just visited UIUC (am still processing the visit but my gut is not as blown away as I was by the first two). UMichigan gave me a full merit fellowship (5 semesters, full funding the rest of my 5 years) that would allow me to avoid TA duties if I so choose. UChicago's stipend is higher and they gave me a small recruitment fellowship after I visited. I came from a small, liberal arts college so I feel like UChicago, as an institution, is more in line with the educational philosophy of my own undergraduate institution; it also has the small-school feel I am used to. Additionally, I feel like it has a higher prestige, as a whole, than UMichigan, which my advisor said might come into play after grad school (though I feel like on the department level, they are very much equals). I also come from NYC so Chicago is much more like home. What's making my choice very difficult is my bias towards UChicago as an institution and the fact that I am being recruited fairly heavily by my favorite professor at UMichigan; the stipends are almost identical when adjusted for cost of living but UMichigan's holds more prestige. Anyway, as a first-generation college student and a student from several underrepresented backgrounds, I thought I'd ask you guys for any advice. Any, and all advice/thoughts would be much appreciated! Please feel free to message me as well!

I am deciding between Duke and UNC-Chapel Hill for a Chemistry Ph.D. I know UNC has a stronger chem program overall but I am looking to do more chem bio with biomed applications, and Duke has one of the best med schools. In terms of research groups, they're pretty balanced with 2-3 groups at each school that I could work for. So in re: pros/cons, UNC and Duke are tied for me. My question is: are students happier/less stressed at Duke or at UNC? I get that UNC has a top program and that likely comes with additional stress, but is it so bad I should choose Duke instead? I know that the programs at Columbia, Stanford, etc. are pretty cutthroat and stress-inducing and I am wondering if that is the case at UNC.

Hi, this is my first post on thegradcafe so bear with me. I recently committed to Temple University to start pursuing a PhD in physical chemistry in the fall. I also received a presidential fellowship that means I get an increased stipend and only need to work as a TA or RA for 2.5 out of the 5 years. Therefore, I am not planning to work as a TA my first semester. From what I've found online, Temple suggests you take two 3-credit electives and a 1-credit "Teaching in Higher Ed" course while teaching. Since I don't have to work as a TA, should I take more than that? I'm used to taking a full load of courses and working 3 jobs in undergrad, so I like to be busy. Also, I was looking at course offerings for next semester and it seems like a majority of the classes I could/would like to take are only offered at night. Is this typical for a full-time PhD program? It seemed odd, since you're strongly discouraged from having another job. Lastly, can anyone who has had this kind of schedule tell me how you managed your time? In my first semester, I won't officially be in a group yet, so I won't have my own office. Do you just bounce around between libraries and cafes to work during the day until your classes at night? How much time do you spend on campus? Sorry for all of the questions, I'm just not sure what to anticipate. Thank you!

I was just accepted with funding to Cambridge, and it has totally thrown a wrench in my decision. I have tried to explain my pros and cons for each school, but I am also concerned in general about the difference between a USA and a UK PhD - some people say it doesn't matter while others say it is a kiss of death, so I do not know where the truth lies. If anybody has any feedback or experience, this would be greatly appreciated!! I am a younger PhD candidate and American if that matters. Cambridge - I have been working with this professor since last August, when he helped me to write a proposal for the Churchill Scholarship (I didn't make it past the first round lol but we stayed in touch after). The lab is a really great fit, and the POI is very interested in me, but I am somewhat tentative about attending a UK PhD program for several reasons. I am coming straight from undergraduate and would lose out on some valuable advanced coursework and well as connections for job opportunities down the road (since I would be in the UK). I love the idea of finishing my PhD 1-2 years earlier, but I am worried that this would limit my opportunities afterward. I also spent a year living in Germany previously and consider living in Europe to be a huge advantage. UChicago - Another great fit in terms of the professor, and they offered me a pretty competitive fellowship which would ease the cost of living. I also applied for GRFP under this professor, but that is by no means a given award. The professor is young and extremely productive, and I got along quite well with the graduate students. I think that I would benefit from the first-year graduate courses in a US school, and I really liked the first-year TA experience at UChicago. My main concern here was the atmosphere - I got the feeling that the program was rather competitive and that a lot of the graduate students were unhappy.