Cincinnati or UVA?

[hopesam]

I cannot decide between University of Cincinnati or University of Virginia for a PhD in immunology (at UVA through the umbrella program while Cincinnati is in a children's hospital and is just immunology). Any insight on experiences or what you have heard about either program would be great! Also just opinions on those places to live at well. 

[microbenerd2018]

Hi! I am a tech at UVA and I know a lot of graduate students in BIMS (immuno included!). Do you have any specific questions? Also - cville is great! It’s a little small and traffic sucks, but rent is really affordable if you live a few miles away from campus. I live with my boyfriend and we rent a 2 bedroom/2 bathroom apt (W/D included!) about 3 miles away for $975/month. However, you really do need a car to live here, IMO. The buses are free with your student ID, but they don’t go everywhere. There’s tons of stuff to do, especially if you’re into hiking. Shenandoah National Park/Blue Ridge Parkway is 20 mins away, which is amazing! If you’re into beaches, it’s also really easy to do a day trip to VA Beach. Richmond is close, and DC is only about ~2 hours away. Also - VINEYARDS! If you are into wine, this is seriously the place to be. Feel free to DM me if you have other questions!!

[historygeek]

Just popping in-- I'm a Cincinnati native! 

Cincinnati is a great little city. It's not super big, but it's not a small town either. The cost of living is pretty low and you can easily get around with public transport (we just put in a street car, too). There's tons to do and tons of little neighborhoods to explore. The Cincinnati Zoo is amazing, and then of course you have the Cincinnati Museum, Reds Hall of Fame and Museum, Newport (with the Aquarium). The people are friendly. If you're into beer, there are tons of craft breweries around, and lots of small businesses (read: amazing restaurants and bakeries). It's a great city if you want a city that doesn't feel like a huge city!