PhD Neuroscience: Emory or UCLA

[shebelle]

Here is my dilemma:

I am trying to decide between two great neuroscience programs, UCLA and Emory. I am finding that when it comes to research it is a safer bet for me to choose UCLA, much variety in my topic of interest (Alzheimer's disease) and great facilities and funding. On the other hand, Emory is safer in terms of program (in my opinion, please feel free to disagree, I'd love to hear other views) and location. I think that the program there is well structured and organized, the students are a high priority and the location is safer and more affordable. So, my question is this, which is more important when it comes to choosing a graduate program, the research or the everything else?

I appreciate any and all comments and advice!

Thanks all

-M

[ANP]

Here is my dilemma:

I am trying to decide between two great neuroscience programs, UCLA and Emory. I am finding that when it comes to research it is a safer bet for me to choose UCLA, much variety in my topic of interest (Alzheimer's disease) and great facilities and funding. On the other hand, Emory is safer in terms of program (in my opinion, please feel free to disagree, I'd love to hear other views) and location. I think that the program there is well structured and organized, the students are a high priority and the location is safer and more affordable. So, my question is this, which is more important when it comes to choosing a graduate program, the research or the everything else?

I appreciate any and all comments and advice!

Thanks all

-M

EMORY, EMORY, EMORY!!! Emory, all the way! Okay, so, I'm slightly biased. I'm headed to Emory as well, and I am a fellow lover of the brain, but with a slightly different approach. I will be studying cognitive/brain evolution in the biological anthropology department, but I will be doing lots of interdisciplinary work with neuroscience faculty (mainly Todd Preuss). I know he doesn't fall within your focus, but he is a pretty incredible human. I also got a wonderful impression from the faculty members/ current graduate students during recruitment weekend. You really can't beat a supportive environment. They really, really, REALLY want you to succeed... and it shows.

Oh, I'm sure UCLA is alright, too...

Congratulations! Definitely keep us updated... I'd love to know what you end up choosing!

[shebelle]

I felt the same kind of supportive atmosphere that you are talking about and the students seemed legitimately happy there and this is why the decision is so hard. So imagine the research that you are going to do was not there, then how would you decide?

There are people there of course working on alz, just not as many or as large a variety of people as at UCLA. I totally agree with what you have said and this is what makes it so hard!

[shebelle]

sorry duplicate.. I was trying to add the poll.

Edited March 15, 2010 by shebelle

[NeuroNerd86]

I can't say anything about Emory, so here are my 2 cents about things good and bad at UCLA:

The good:

-rankings and funding. UCLA is a very strong research school with many different PIs doing some great stuff. It is well funded by NIH and other sources, so you can't go wrong with that

-weather - it is about 75F as we speak. With sun.

-campus - it is lovely, and some (key word SOME) biomed research buildings are wonderful.

-Westwood neighborhood is very safe - bad things happen once in a while, but in general it is one of the safest parts of the city

Not so good:

-cost of living - your stipend will make it VERY difficult to live close to campus, so you will have to commute. Traffic in LA is horrible and parking at UCLA is expensive as hell

-some research buildings are far from being in a good state (such as the old hospital center, where many neurosci labs are located)

-I don't think it is the most collaborative of the schools

I hope it helps!

[shebelle]

Neuronerd, do you have any info about the UCLA program or the faculty as potential mentors? How would you feel about going there for grad school? Thank you for the info.

[geichat]

Here is my dilemma:

I am trying to decide between two great neuroscience programs, UCLA and Emory. I am finding that when it comes to research it is a safer bet for me to choose UCLA, much variety in my topic of interest (Alzheimer's disease) and great facilities and funding. On the other hand, Emory is safer in terms of program (in my opinion, please feel free to disagree, I'd love to hear other views) and location. I think that the program there is well structured and organized, the students are a high priority and the location is safer and more affordable. So, my question is this, which is more important when it comes to choosing a graduate program, the research or the everything else?

I appreciate any and all comments and advice!

Thanks all

-M

are you interested in working with primates at all? you said you're interested in studying Alzheimer's but I'm not sure if you're interested in primate models. If so, I'd say Emory would definitley be a good place since they have such a wonderful resource for that. However, I don't know much about the neuroscience program at UCLA. But congrats on having such wonderful options to choose from:)