New here - Animal behavior Ph.D hopeful

[glasscandie]

Hello all! I'm new to the board. I'll be applying to animal behavior/cognition/neuroscience programs for a fall 2010 entry, so I'm a bit early - but I don't want to be stressed, and want to get my apps done by Sept/Oct '09. My name's Courtney, and I'm interning at Johns Hopkins; and a local psychiatric rehabilitation center doing research and leading some reintegration classes.

I have a giant list of schools I need to cut down, but the top few I'm looking at are below - I'd love to hear any comments on the programs. Anyone know how I can find how they're ranked? I've looked at the US News Report rankings, but I think that might be basing it on the clinical programs - am I wrong?

- U of Wisconsin-Madison, at the Harlow Primate Lab.: I started talking to a faculty member there that I'm interested in working with, and the research there sounds awesome. I know nothing about the area though.

- American University: Also have been talking with a faculty member there, and visited the lab. It's not working with primates, though, which is my main interest.

- The New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology: It's a collaboration between CUNY, NYU, and Columbia.

- University of Maryland, College Park, NACS program: I think I might have secured a summer internship there, and the program is awesome - but I think it's really competitive.

- Johns Hopkins

- Georgetown

- Boston U

- Northeastern

- U Mass Boston

- University of Colorado, Boulder

- Colorado State, Fort Collins

- Cornell

- University of Pennsy, Philadelphia

- Tufts University

- University of Virginia, Charlottesville

- University of Maine, Orono: Good evolution program

[rae]

What about Washington University in St. Louis? They have really cognitive neuroscience, and behavioral neuroscience programs. I'm actually applying to the fall 2009 entry. You should look into WUSTL.

[glasscandie]

rae said:

What about Washington University in St. Louis? They have really cognitive neuroscience, and behavioral neuroscience programs. I'm actually applying to the fall 2009 entry. You should look into WUSTL.

I was looking into their program, and it sounds really great - I'm not so sure that I want to move 3,000 miles away from my family (I used to live in Monterey, CA and it was a pain); and I'm also nervous about the cost of living, considering I will probably be a single parent when I make my way to grad. school (have a daughter, in the middle of a separation).

What do you think the COL is like around there?

[rae]

I can definitely understand not wanting to move far away. As far as cost of living goes, I don't think St. Louis is nearly as bad as other midsize cities. You can find a 1 bedroom apartment blocks away from WashU for less than $700 per month. 

For groceries, I shop at Trader Joe's and I rarely pay more than $50 for a week's worth (feeding myself and my boyfriend). Movies are about $6 a ticket...

Anyway, that's probably more information than you are looking for. Good luck!

[glasscandie]

Thanks! That's exactly the type of information I'm looking for. I was having the same issue with COL in Maryland and DC, where I'm also applying, as well as the NY/NJ area - apartments (I'll need a 2 bedroom) are going to be well over $1,000/month, which I'm not sure I can afford on a stipend. Ex-husband will be paying child support, my truck, and for daycare, which will be a huge relief, but I'm still not sure I'd be able to swing it. Maybe I'll look and see if WashU has student family housing...the U of Wisconsin does, and it's marginally cheaper than living out in the "real world" lol

[rising_star]

glasscandie, you can check out the "City Guide" section for more info on cost of living in various cities and some COL calculators.

[glasscandie]

Oh awesome, I didn't see that before, thanks!