Choosing a Grad School in Molecular Biology

[KillahKarlos]

So I have gotten into University of Chicago, University of Michigan, Baylor College of Medicine, UCSC, and UCR... How do I choose the correct grad school?

[titan32]

You're first consideration should be whether or not you have multiple labs you are interested in at each of these schools. If you only like one lab a certain university, it's probably a bad idea to go there. You'd be screwed if you couldn't get into his/her lab.

Otherwise, the curriculum is important too. Some schools have more flexible curriculum than others that may allow you to pursue certain interests. Or maybe one school's curriculum more directly aligns with what you want to learn.

Your'e work/life balance matters as well. Do you have a preference of where you want to live? Do you despise cold weather? If so, Chicago and Michigan might not be for you. That being said, if you love labs at these schools, don't let weather turn you off. But all else being equal, I would take this into account.

 

[rising_star]

Research fit, available lab and resources, funding, collegiality, placement record? I mean, any of those are a way to decide. There are lots of posts on here where people discuss the criteria they're using to make their decision.