lucybrick Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 So here is my situation. And I can really use all the input you can provide. I have been accepted to Berkeley MCB and UCLA ACCESS... and I am really 50-50 between both. On one hand, Berkeley is a super great program. Many students excel here and secure outside fellowships. The program offers a more basic science approach, but the students may end up being stronger scientists because of this... at least this has been an opinion I've heard from a few sources. Berkeley may also be the change I need to get out of the bubble that is Southern CA. I have always wanted to live elsewhere and I love the character of Berkeley and the rest of the Bay Area. The liberal culture is much more up my alley than down here in SoCal. There are a number of faculty in my program that I am interested in working with, and they have also expressed interest in working with me. HOWEVER, my significant other and I have been together for a really, really long time. And moving to Berkeley would mean he would have to leave his well-paying job that he just secured a few months ago. He was unemployed for over a year when this job landed on this lap, and he may not be able to find the same opportunities up North or transfer departments (he works for the UC system). He would need to stay down South to finish out at least a year at his job before he could even think about moving up here. I know there are lots of people in the same boat as me, so let me know your thoughts! UCLA is a very strong program too, not quite and strong as Berkeley, but great nonetheless. One advantage is that that program boasts labs from the basic and applied sciences, which I like because my interests lay heavily in disease-related biology. There are an overwhelming number of labs to choose from in every topic imaginable. UCLA also has many potentially interesting faculty that I would like to work with. When I attended the interview, I immediately fell in love with the program, it was one of those "gut-feeling" sort of things. At Berkeley, it took me a while to warm up to the area and the program. I was really intimidated by the caliber of the students. And while UCLA is still in SoCal, the big city offers so many different opportunities that I am bound to find activities that are in my interests. Most of my family lives in the area, which is good and bad. Living near UCLA would also mean that my significant other can keep his job and stay living together, which he would really appreciate. I only have 11 days to decide. And I'm freaking out, just like everybody else. So please someone ease my mind and tell me your opinion. THANK YOU! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emmm Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 Well . . . I restricted my applications to one school so that I could stay with my SO (but we've been married for over 20 years), so I'm probably not the best one to give you advice, but I think your life situation is worth taking into consideration. Both programs sound wonderful, but it almost sounds as though you still like the UCLA program more (?). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucybrick Posted April 5, 2011 Author Share Posted April 5, 2011 Well . . . I restricted my applications to one school so that I could stay with my SO (but we've been married for over 20 years), so I'm probably not the best one to give you advice, but I think your life situation is worth taking into consideration. Both programs sound wonderful, but it almost sounds as though you still like the UCLA program more (?). You're right. I think I'm really pushing myself to love Berkeley because of the reputation, the opportunities there, and the area. I would love to live in the Bay Area. BUT I really like UCLA, a lot! Without thought. And it would be much, much less of a logistical nightmare. I still think though, I don't want to be in SoCal my whole life. If I commit to 6 more years down here will I be stuck forever, with even more ties to the area, ie a family, pets, a bigger job. IDK... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaza Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 Berkeley no question (but learn to spell it). this is a no-brainer. berkeley is a top tier graduate program. UCLA, while good, is definitely a notch below berkeley. Also, berkeley culture is more fun, grad student life is good, and you aren't stuck in los angeles... bluebunny, anōnumos and JSmoove 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jesus disciple Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 UCLA, stay with your significant other... Berkeley no question (but learn to spell it). this is a no-brainer. berkeley is a top tier graduate program. UCLA, while good, is definitely a notch below berkeley. Also, berkeley culture is more fun, grad student life is good, and you aren't stuck in los angeles... bluebunny 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teelee Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 If your partner will help you financially while attending grad school, you should go UCLA. Living on stipend alone can be difficult so having a partner to help you out is really great and reduces some of the financial burden in future. bluebunny and mirah 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaza Posted April 12, 2011 Share Posted April 12, 2011 If your partner will help you financially while attending grad school, you should go UCLA. Living on stipend alone can be difficult so having a partner to help you out is really great and reduces some of the financial burden in future. berkeley stipend is like 30k, how is that difficult to live on? if you're considering leaving your significant other then the relationship's not worth saving (uh oh shouldn't have said that hahaha) Anyway i guess you'll enjoy UCLA JSmoove, mirah, anōnumos and 5 others 1 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGrad2012 Posted April 14, 2012 Share Posted April 14, 2012 UCLA, you should stay with your SO cause long distance relationship does not work. bluebunny and aberrant 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSmoove Posted April 14, 2012 Share Posted April 14, 2012 Go with UCLA. You clearly like it better. The fact that your significant other is close by is a plus. Forcing your to warm up to Berkeley just for the sake of a school ranking and the area is just silly when you already have a school that you got that special gut feeling about and that has a ton of labs that you could see yourself being interested in. Rankings are not the end all, be all. As long as you find a good PI with connections and that does good research and with whom you can publish, you will be fine. Furthermore, going to grad school in SoCal does not mean you'd have to stay there. That's just false. Most people are encouraged to and domove elsewhere after their PhD. You can always do your postdoc in a completely different location, in the Bay Area or even across the country if you wanted to. Long story short, I don't think that you should go to UCLA solely because of your SO, but if you really love the school AND it just happens that it would be better for the both of you, why force something else? You're very lucky. mirah 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
an_internet_person Posted April 14, 2012 Share Posted April 14, 2012 berkeley stipend is like 30k, how is that difficult to live on? if you're considering leaving your significant other then the relationship's not worth saving (uh oh shouldn't have said that hahaha) Anyway i guess you'll enjoy UCLA Eh, Berkeley stipends are not always so great. Mine, for example, is just shy of $18k/yr before taxes. mirah 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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