Is it possible?

[dasouljah]

Hi,

I wanted to ask if its possible to commute (1.5 hours) everyday (or at least 3-4 times a week) for a science phd? I got into an ivy league, but the only way I would be able to attend is if I do that. I got into the computational biology program and they are ranked very high and found great lab/professor to work at. Is it do-able or am I playing myself?

-n

[joro]

If you have time to commute, then of course it would be possible. I didn't say it would be enjoyable and you might get tired of it after a while. I had a friend who had a 2 hour commute to and from school which he did all during his undergrad.

[UnlikelyGrad]

Hi,

I wanted to ask if its possible to commute (1.5 hours) everyday (or at least 3-4 times a week) for a science phd? I got into an ivy league, but the only way I would be able to attend is if I do that. I got into the computational biology program and they are ranked very high and found great lab/professor to work at. Is it do-able or am I playing myself?

-n

I'm sure it's possible, but it won't be easy.

One of my office mates commuted 1.5 hours to work every day. That lasted 2 months before he buckled down and moved in closer. I overheard him talking to a prospective grad student about this the other day, and he basically said it's ok to start out that way, but sooner or later you will end up moving closer.

And really...you think you can get a science PhD going in 3-4 times a week? I'm sure it's possible, but don't count on it. Even doing theoretical work there's a lot of face-to-face interaction time that's necessary.

[mbs191]

Hi,

I wanted to ask if its possible to commute (1.5 hours) everyday (or at least 3-4 times a week) for a science phd? I got into an ivy league, but the only way I would be able to attend is if I do that. I got into the computational biology program and they are ranked very high and found great lab/professor to work at. Is it do-able or am I playing myself?

-n

Perhaps, first answer - why is not possible to move closer?

[oldlady]

By public transportation or car?

[Postbib Yeshuist]

Honestly, only you can answer that question. is it doable? Absolutely. Anything can be done with the right determination. Do you have that determination? Again, only you can answer that question.

That being said, I think the question of why you can't move closer is a good one, as is the transportation method. A train, for example, affords you reading time you wouldn't otherwise get in a car. Additionally, what are the possibilities of staying locally during the week and driving home for the weekends? etc, etc, etc.

[shakespearebro]

Are you worried that housing costs close to campus are too high for the amount of your stipend?

[dasouljah]

Honestly, only you can answer that question. is it doable? Absolutely. Anything can be done with the right determination. Do you have that determination? Again, only you can answer that question.

That being said, I think the question of why you can't move closer is a good one, as is the transportation method. A train, for example, affords you reading time you wouldn't otherwise get in a car. Additionally, what are the possibilities of staying locally during the week and driving home for the weekends? etc, etc, etc.

[jlee306]

YES...it is possible! I have commuted 1.5 hours both ways to school (1.5hrs from home to school, and then another 1.5hrs from school to home) for the past two years for my undergrad degree. I will be doing this again for my graduate degree. The first 3 semesters after I transferred to my current university, I only attended school two days a weeks, so it was fine. But since this is my last semester of undergrad, I wasn't able to play around with my schedule and make all my classes fit in in 2 days; therefore I am going 4 days a week this semester. To be honest, you will absolutly get tired of all the driving, but it will be worth it if you are trying to save money (and you have a car that gets good gas milage). I also have a friend that lives about a mile from campus that has let me stay with her when I have had night classes or was just too tired to drive back home. I would totally try and find someone who lives near campus in your department and see if they mind letting you stay with them every now and then just for when you do not feel that you could make it home.

[dasouljah]

There is no issue of

costs, etc but my significant other also got into school by 100 or so miles

away in NYC, and the best case scenerio for me is 80 or so miles away. Worse case I can move and visit in weekends but after my first year I can do most of my work remotely. Maybe I should try for first month?

[shakespearebro]

My jaded, school of hard knocks, "older" grad student advice is to make the SigOth the LEAST important of your criteria. Don't dismiss, but the SigOth will either work out or not on its own, regardless of the commute. Choose the right opportunity.

[so47]

Honestly, I don't think it's possible to do a science PhD 3-4 days a week. I'm attending an Ivy for a Chem PhD next year, and almost all the students I talked to (even theoretical) said they are there 6 days a week. I think you would be pressured to be there much more than 3-4 days, especially if you are receiving any type of aid. My advisor also went to an Ivy and said it was the same deal, and she actually only went in 5 days a week but read journals on the weekends, and she still caught a lot of slack for it. So I wouldn't count on being able to do work remotely. And I think if you are wrong with this estimation of 3-4 days a week, that it would be absolutely miserable to have that long of a commute for 5-6 days a week.

[juilletmercredi]

Of, if this is a significant other issue - live near your school for the first three to four years; work remotely after that. I'm nearing the end of my second year; the fiance is stationed in central Jersey (military) and I'm in NYC for my grad program. It's about an 80 mile distance. We see each other just about every weekend and during breaks (he took leave and stayed with me for spring break, for example). It's not bad at all, really. You get more work done during the week because you're not focused on your SO, and if you're disciplined you can do the majority of your work during the week so you only have a little to do on the weekends.

We're planning to move together after I finish my third year.

I'm in the social sciences and I only go in 4 days a week - but of course social scientists don't have bench work. Most of my work can be done from home, once we get our subjects settled in (we do Internet-based diaries and phone surveys).

[dasouljah]

Sigoth? And I know it's tough but i already talked to my future advisor and he knows my situation well.

[dasouljah]

And 90% of my work will be in-silico..

[Postbib Yeshuist]

Sigoth?

Significant other.

also, I notice you quoted my first reply, but didn't type anything. Did your reply not post correctly?

[dasouljah]

I don't remember but my Sigoth is my wife...