UW-Madison (MDTP) vs. WashU (DBBS-Cancer Biology)

[IamPokemon]

I said I would make my decision between UW-Madison's MDTP program and WashU's Cancer Bio program after my visit to the campus. I have already decided to decline the acceptance to UW-Madison's IPiB Program. Well, I finished my WashU trip. I guess I was hoping that this trip would either be extremely good, which would make my decision easier, or bad, which would also make my decision easier. In truth, it made me even more torn, as it was just as great, albeit for different reasons, as the trip to UW-Madsion. I've given myself a self-imposed deadline of Friday to make a decision so that those on the wait list at either institution would have a chance.  

UW-Madison Pro's
- Very laid back atmosphere.
- Very laid back town, with very nice people.
- Madison has a relatively low crime rate.
- There is at least one faculty member conducting the exact research I'm interested in.
- They will give me a one-time, $1500 welcome check after the completion of orientation.  
- Great family-like culture among the current students.
- Many opportunities for professional development.

UW-Madison's cons
 - Stipend amount lower than other universities.
 - In addition to lower stipends, have to pay about $1.5K in fees every year - unless I get a fellowship that covers them.
 - Madison has a higher cost of living. 
 - Not as diverse as other Universities (though they are trying to improve in this area).
 - I'm not wild about the climate.

WashU's Pro's
 - Stipend Amount is better and more competitive with other universities, with no required fees to pay.
 - St. Louis has a cheaper cost of living, making it easy for me to afford to live without the need for a roommate. 
 - WashU has better prestige and a slightly better research reputation.
 - A program that is generally more focused on my research interest (Cancer Biology).
 - Love the level of diversity in their overall DBBS program.
 - More Integrated Biological Sciences program structure with easy opportunity for interdisciplinary learning and training. 
 - Climate is better than Madison.
 - Provide free pass for unlimited rides on Public Transportation.
 - Great city for Barbecue. 

WashU's Cons
 - St. Louis has a significantly higher crime rate than Madison - though the area of town that the University is in, is very nice and feels protected and I observed cops walking the beat regularly around the area. 
 - Program feels more intimidating. Current grad students were a delight to get along with but they carried a more serious and anxious tone. 
 - As far as I could tell, no reimbursement for moving expenses or a welcome check. 
 - Not as many virology labs as I'd hoped for. 
 - Feels more cramped than UW-Madison. 
 

[IamPokemon]

Hello Everyone,

Just wanted to let you all know that I have made a decision: I have chosen to attend Washington University in St. Louis. 
In the end, it came down to research. WashU's program is interdisciplinary and its easy to get training from other Bio Science disciplines. I emailed the program director about my research interest and I was put in touch with one of the PI's there who shared the status of what they were doing in that particular lab. This made my decision easier as WashU already had a lot going for it.