Deciding without visiting each school

[Fezziks]

I was accepted to both the Ohio State University and Lehigh University, funded for a PhD in physics (cosmology).

I was supposed to visit Lehigh last weekend but the storm canceled my flights. Now I don't think I'm going to have the time to visit Lehigh, their alternate visit day is during the Ohio state visit and I won't have enough time off from work to fit in another trip before the decision deadline.

Can someone give me some advice for how I can make the best decision? My goal after graduating is academic physics.

On paper I match well with Ohio state,  my research interests are in theoretical cosmology and astroparticle physics and they have several people doing that work.  Lehigh doesn't have many doing cosmology and only one doing theory.

Lehigh is offering slightly more money but Ohio pays for more of the insurance so financially it comes out as kind of a wash.

Ohio is a huge program, while Lehigh is smaller.  My undergraduate was from a very small department (20 undergrads, no graduate program), so that's what I'm used to but I don't know that I have anything against a big department.

[strawberrykat]

That's rough, sorry. But here are some other ways to get a feel:

1. Virtual tours, either through the university website or YouTube 

2. Have you spoken to anyone? Professors or students? I have Skyped with quite a few grad students that are working in labs that I'm interested in. They're usually very helpful and eager to speak with you! I also highly recommend trying to speak with professors because sometimes their work seems more interesting on paper than it really is

[Fezziks]

I'm emailing one professor from Lehigh, and trying to contact some grad students.  Any questions you think I should be asking in particular to get a feel for the department?

[iwearflowers]

Bummer about the weather. I’m also doing one of my visits virtually due to time constraints, and talking to students and professors is helpful. Ask professors about their mentoring style, what projects you would be working on, and what professional development opportunities the department offers. Ask students about their mentoring and research experiences, what opportunities they’ve had to publish, and how ready they feel for the job market. I’ve also spoken to some recent grads, which was great. Good luck!

[rising_star]

I would definitely try to get in touch with current grad students to get their impressions of the program. From what you've written, it sounds like Lehigh isn't a good fit for you research-wise, which would have me leaning towards OSU if I were in your shoes. (Of course, I also like Columbus better than small town PA...)