Biostatistics: University of Pittsburgh vs UT Health Science Center (Houston)

[titan32]

I've been accepted to both Pitt and UTHealth for a PhD in biostatistics. The difference in program ranking is negligible, and I received funding at both (guaranteed for the first year).

UTHealth awarded me the NIH T32 training grant (8 hours a week working on research projects, monthly meetings for the grant), and said funding could continue. On the UTHealth website it says the grant covers all PhD coursework, which would be for 2 years. Pitt awarded me an RA for 20 hours per week, and said they've never had a student not be funded for the second year. 

Pitt seems to more or less fund all of it's PhD students which is reassuring. UTHealth, does not seem to really offer funding. They say you can apply for an RA (some cover tuition costs) or TA once you accept admissions, and they have a few lower value scholarships for tuition.

I'd like to go with UTHealth over Pitt because I like Houston over Pittsburgh and because I want to work on clinical trial design, being in the largest medical center in the world would be great. However, it worries me that they seem to mass admit people and not offer funding. I'm worried once my training grant is gone, I'll end up being screwed. Moreover, I've emailed about a week ago asking extra information about the grant and they haven't responded. And their admitted students day is April 6th, which is extremely late when people are trying to make decisions by April 15th.

Basically I want to take UTHealth, but they're giving me a lot of red flags. Does anyone have any experience with or knowledge about these 2 programs that could push me one way or another?

[Laoceberg]

On 2/18/2018 at 8:00 AM, titan32 said:

I've been accepted to both Pitt and UTHealth for a PhD in biostatistics. The difference in program ranking is negligible, and I received funding at both (guaranteed for the first year).

UTHealth awarded me the NIH T32 training grant (8 hours a week working on research projects, monthly meetings for the grant), and said funding could continue. On the UTHealth website it says the grant covers all PhD coursework, which would be for 2 years. Pitt awarded me an RA for 20 hours per week, and said they've never had a student not be funded for the second year. 

Pitt seems to more or less fund all of it's PhD students which is reassuring. UTHealth, does not seem to really offer funding. They say you can apply for an RA (some cover tuition costs) or TA once you accept admissions, and they have a few lower value scholarships for tuition.

I'd like to go with UTHealth over Pitt because I like Houston over Pittsburgh and because I want to work on clinical trial design, being in the largest medical center in the world would be great. However, it worries me that they seem to mass admit people and not offer funding. I'm worried once my training grant is gone, I'll end up being screwed. Moreover, I've emailed about a week ago asking extra information about the grant and they haven't responded. And their admitted students day is April 6th, which is extremely late when people are trying to make decisions by April 15th.

Basically I want to take UTHealth, but they're giving me a lot of red flags. Does anyone have any experience with or knowledge about these 2 programs that could push me one way or another?

I also get accepted by UT Health at Houston. I think it is an unranked program. Basically, there are two biostatistics Ph.D. programs in UT Health. One is GSBS- which is primarily funded by UT MD Anderson and UT Health-graduate school of biomedical science. The other one is where we got accepted, it is UT Health School of Public health. The GSBS is ranked in 53rd in USnews but SPH is unranked. I would rank UT MD Anderson > U Pittsburgh >>>> UT SPH.

Edited March 7, 2018 by Laoceberg

[titan32]

Hmm, why do you think it is unranked? I was looking here: http://www.amstat.org/asa/files/pdfs/OGRP-USNews_BioStatisticsRankings.pdf

And I've seen similar rankings being mentioned a few times on threads before. Also, on USnews, UT SPH is ranked 21 (Pitt SPH is ranked 15). 

[Laoceberg]

11 hours ago, titan32 said:

Hmm, why do you think it is unranked? I was looking here: http://www.amstat.org/asa/files/pdfs/OGRP-USNews_BioStatisticsRankings.pdf

And I've seen similar rankings being mentioned a few times on threads before. Also, on USnews, UT SPH is ranked 21 (Pitt SPH is ranked 15). 

Basically,  UT health has two separate biostatistics phd programs. The one we get accepted is unranked, the other one is ranked 53.

[Laoceberg]

12 hours ago, titan32 said:

Hmm, why do you think it is unranked? I was looking here: http://www.amstat.org/asa/files/pdfs/OGRP-USNews_BioStatisticsRankings.pdf

And I've seen similar rankings being mentioned a few times on threads before. Also, on USnews, UT SPH is ranked 21 (Pitt SPH is ranked 15). 

The one ranked in 53 : University of Texas Health Science center at Houston Graduate school of biomedical science - University of texas MD anderson cancer center 

https://gsbs.uth.edu/quantitative-sciences/biostatistics-track

The one we get accepted (Unranked): University of Texas Health Science center at Houston School of public health

https://sph.uth.edu/divisions/biostatistics/

 

Edited March 8, 2018 by Laoceberg