Anyone going to UT South Western Medical center at Dallas?

[souparno123]

Hello everyone,

I am an international student from India. I have applied to 7 schools for PhD in Bio medical science/ Immunology for entry in Fall 2012 term and I have been accepted by 4 of these schools so far. One of these schools is UT southwestern medical center at Dallas which has offered me a pretty amazing financial package ( 28k p.a, all tuition and ancillary fees paid and 100% health and dental insurance). Even though I have not accepted the offer formally yet, I am pretty much leaning towards this offer. Is there anyone else who is going to attend this school?if there is anyone from this school in this forum, can you please offer some insight about the school ( mainly the environment, faculty student relationship etc, also how it is like living in Dallas etc). being an international student I did not have the chance to visit the school so any information would be appreciated.

I am also waiting to hear from Vanderbilt University IGP program ( I have done 3 rounds of interviews, and hopefully would hear from them any time this week). they also have a very good financial package and they would also pay the airfare+visa cost+ cost of relocation in Nashville if accepted. Both UT Southwestern and Vanderbilt University were my top choices. So if i get accepted by Vanderbilt IGP program it would be a difficult decision regarding which schools to attend. My research interest is quite flexible ( I consider immunology as my domain, but i have interest in other fields like cancer biology or stem cell biology as well , in fact that is why I applied mostly to biomedical science programs where I would have the chance to do lab rotations before finally selecting a host lab). So in terms off research fit both schools are pretty good. Ranking wise UT southwestern holds the edge ( it is ranked 9th in immunology research, the biomedical science program has 5 Nobel laureates at present) but Vanderbilt University Medical school is also very good ( 15 th in U.S) and I really like the people during interview ( people from Midwest are generally very nice..is it true?) I am somewhat reluctant to move in a big city in Dallas but i guess after my PhD if I want to go to industry, there would be more opportunties in Dallas.

So, if you can please put forward your views. Thank you

[mustangintokyo]

I lived in Dallas for undergrad at Southern Methodist (and may be headed to Vanderbilt for graduate school) and I just wanted to say that Dallas is really not THAT big of a city and that's what makes it so great. Then again, I come from Tokyo so it depends on your perspective, I guess? I really don't know much about the medical stuff in Dallas but I can assure you it's a fabulous place to live. Not that dangerous but things can get difficult without a car since everything is so spread out and Dallas doesn't have a great public transportation system. I never tried it though so maybe I shouldn't knock it. I think people in the midwest are very nice and the folks in Dallas are no exception. I know I enjoyed my time in Dallas and if that's where you end up, I think you'll enjoy it too. The city has a lot to offer and that stipend package sounds pretty amazing!

[souparno123]

Thank you for your reply. Well vanderbilt is a cool place ( I have a friend there). Actually I did some research on Internet about Dallas and it said Dallas- Fort Worth metropolitan area is quite huge and well, I come from a big and over populated city myself and that is why I am somehow reluctant to move to a big city. Also I saw that Dallas has quite high crime rate. Public transport is a problem but probably I would be staying in Grad apartments for the first 6 months and UT southwestern Medical center have a shuttle bus system. But one plus point is that Dallas has a pretty low cost of living and I would be able to save a substantial amount of m,y stipend, may be buy an used car in the 2nd year.

[aes0151]

Hey there! I got accepted into UTSW for the coming fall too. They have a list of accepted recruits in their offices and it's always nice to check it. I think there were only a handful of international students coming in (7-12 if I remember right).

I was born here so think I can tell you a little more about DFW. It's large in the sense that the metroplex is sprawling like LA. It's very spread out and the downtown is smaller than other big cities. We do have 2 major cities though (Dallas and Fort Worth). Dallas is known for business while Fort Worth is known for cattle/rodeos. People tend to prefer Dallas, but Fort Worth is definitely cleaner and the buildings are more gentrified. They're 40 min - 1 hour apart depending on traffic. Anyways, because of this sprawl you'll absolutely need a car. It's very difficult for metro systems to cover such extensive ground well. There are 2 grocery stores next to campus, but the weather gets so terrible that you'll want a car. The city is NOT pedestrian-friendly and in summer it gets 100+ easily. In winters it's typically just rain and wind, no snow. Springs and fall are nice and mild.

The shuttle services are nice. If you don't plan to go off campus much, you won't need a car. There's a service direct from the University apartments to research buildings. However, if you live in other apartment buildings, you'll have to walk a bit to get to a stop.

The crime rate isn't terrible. The University itself is on the outskirts of downtown (you can see the skyscrapers in the distance) on the edge of the more ghetto area, but it's relatively safe. I walk plenty around the area to the train station and it's not bad. Don't be stupid, you won't get mugged. Just be smart about when you go out at night (another reason to get a car). The homeless tend to stick more to the downtown side, and people wandering about are usually other students or people looking for the free hospital.

Dallas is supremely cheap compared to most other places. We're known for our low income tax, but sales tax and property taxes are slightly higher. Fun fact: DFW sells the most groceries by volume than anywhere else in the nation. Food is dirt cheap. Gas is almost always at or below national average. Restaurants don't charge much more than $15 (average: $7) unless if you're going upscale. Apartment space next to campus is a little pricier ($700-1100) than elsewhere in the metroplex ($400-1000).

Edit: Reading your post, I should add that UTSW is an umbrella program. By that I mean, you can join any program (cancer biology, immunology, neuroscience, etc) after accepting, even if you applied under a different program. I don't know if the same is true for Vanderbilt, but it does allow flexibility if you choose UTSW.

Edited April 14, 2012 by aes0151

[souparno123]

Hey there! I got accepted into UTSW for the coming fall too. They have a list of accepted recruits in their offices and it's always nice to check it. I think there were only a handful of international students coming in (7-12 if I remember right).

I was born here so think I can tell you a little more about DFW. It's large in the sense that the metroplex is sprawling like LA. It's very spread out and the downtown is smaller than other big cities. We do have 2 major cities though (Dallas and Fort Worth). Dallas is known for business while Fort Worth is known for cattle/rodeos. People tend to prefer Dallas, but Fort Worth is definitely cleaner and the buildings are more gentrified. They're 40 min - 1 hour apart depending on traffic. Anyways, because of this sprawl you'll absolutely need a car. It's very difficult for metro systems to cover such extensive ground well. There are 2 grocery stores next to campus, but the weather gets so terrible that you'll want a car. The city is NOT pedestrian-friendly and in summer it gets 100+ easily. In winters it's typically just rain and wind, no snow. Springs and fall are nice and mild.

The shuttle services are nice. If you don't plan to go off campus much, you won't need a car. There's a service direct from the University apartments to research buildings. However, if you live in other apartment buildings, you'll have to walk a bit to get to a stop.

The crime rate isn't terrible. The University itself is on the outskirts of downtown (you can see the skyscrapers in the distance) on the edge of the more ghetto area, but it's relatively safe. I walk plenty around the area to the train station and it's not bad. Don't be stupid, you won't get mugged. Just be smart about when you go out at night (another reason to get a car). The homeless tend to stick more to the downtown side, and people wandering about are usually other students or people looking for the free hospital.

Dallas is supremely cheap compared to most other places. We're known for our low income tax, but sales tax and property taxes are slightly higher. Fun fact: DFW sells the most groceries by volume than anywhere else in the nation. Food is dirt cheap. Gas is almost always at or below national average. Restaurants don't charge much more than $15 (average: $7) unless if you're going upscale. Apartment space next to campus is a little pricier ($700-1100) than elsewhere in the metroplex ($400-1000).

Edit: Reading your post, I should add that UTSW is an umbrella program. By that I mean, you can join any program (cancer biology, immunology, neuroscience, etc) after accepting, even if you applied under a different program. I don't know if the same is true for Vanderbilt, but it does allow flexibility if you choose UTSW.

Hey there! I got accepted into UTSW for the coming fall too. They have a list of accepted recruits in their offices and it's always nice to check it. I think there were only a handful of international students coming in (7-12 if I remember right).

I was born here so think I can tell you a little more about DFW. It's large in the sense that the metroplex is sprawling like LA. It's very spread out and the downtown is smaller than other big cities. We do have 2 major cities though (Dallas and Fort Worth). Dallas is known for business while Fort Worth is known for cattle/rodeos. People tend to prefer Dallas, but Fort Worth is definitely cleaner and the buildings are more gentrified. They're 40 min - 1 hour apart depending on traffic. Anyways, because of this sprawl you'll absolutely need a car. It's very difficult for metro systems to cover such extensive ground well. There are 2 grocery stores next to campus, but the weather gets so terrible that you'll want a car. The city is NOT pedestrian-friendly and in summer it gets 100+ easily. In winters it's typically just rain and wind, no snow. Springs and fall are nice and mild.

The shuttle services are nice. If you don't plan to go off campus much, you won't need a car. There's a service direct from the University apartments to research buildings. However, if you live in other apartment buildings, you'll have to walk a bit to get to a stop.

The crime rate isn't terrible. The University itself is on the outskirts of downtown (you can see the skyscrapers in the distance) on the edge of the more ghetto area, but it's relatively safe. I walk plenty around the area to the train station and it's not bad. Don't be stupid, you won't get mugged. Just be smart about when you go out at night (another reason to get a car). The homeless tend to stick more to the downtown side, and people wandering about are usually other students or people looking for the free hospital.

Dallas is supremely cheap compared to most other places. We're known for our low income tax, but sales tax and property taxes are slightly higher. Fun fact: DFW sells the most groceries by volume than anywhere else in the nation. Food is dirt cheap. Gas is almost always at or below national average. Restaurants don't charge much more than $15 (average: $7) unless if you're going upscale. Apartment space next to campus is a little pricier ($700-1100) than elsewhere in the metroplex ($400-1000).

Edit: Reading your post, I should add that UTSW is an umbrella program. By that I mean, you can join any program (cancer biology, immunology, neuroscience, etc) after accepting, even if you applied under a different program. I don't know if the same is true for Vanderbilt, but it does allow flexibility if you choose UTSW.

Thanx for your post. I have just accepted the offer from UTSW. I guess I would see you in August. Yes I know its an umbrella program. I am more interested in Immunology but I would do one lab rotation in a cancer biology lab. What is your preferred domain\/

[Atkum]

Hey there! I got accepted into UTSW for the coming fall too. They have a list of accepted recruits in their offices and it's always nice to check it. I think there were only a handful of international students coming in (7-12 if I remember right).

I was born here so think I can tell you a little more about DFW. It's large in the sense that the metroplex is sprawling like LA. It's very spread out and the downtown is smaller than other big cities. We do have 2 major cities though (Dallas and Fort Worth). Dallas is known for business while Fort Worth is known for cattle/rodeos. People tend to prefer Dallas, but Fort Worth is definitely cleaner and the buildings are more gentrified. They're 40 min - 1 hour apart depending on traffic. Anyways, because of this sprawl you'll absolutely need a car. It's very difficult for metro systems to cover such extensive ground well. There are 2 grocery stores next to campus, but the weather gets so terrible that you'll want a car. The city is NOT pedestrian-friendly and in summer it gets 100+ easily. In winters it's typically just rain and wind, no snow. Springs and fall are nice and mild.

The shuttle services are nice. If you don't plan to go off campus much, you won't need a car. There's a service direct from the University apartments to research buildings. However, if you live in other apartment buildings, you'll have to walk a bit to get to a stop.

The crime rate isn't terrible. The University itself is on the outskirts of downtown (you can see the skyscrapers in the distance) on the edge of the more ghetto area, but it's relatively safe. I walk plenty around the area to the train station and it's not bad. Don't be stupid, you won't get mugged. Just be smart about when you go out at night (another reason to get a car). The homeless tend to stick more to the downtown side, and people wandering about are usually other students or people looking for the free hospital.

Dallas is supremely cheap compared to most other places. We're known for our low income tax, but sales tax and property taxes are slightly higher. Fun fact: DFW sells the most groceries by volume than anywhere else in the nation. Food is dirt cheap. Gas is almost always at or below national average. Restaurants don't charge much more than $15 (average: $7) unless if you're going upscale. Apartment space next to campus is a little pricier ($700-1100) than elsewhere in the metroplex ($400-1000).

Edit: Reading your post, I should add that UTSW is an umbrella program. By that I mean, you can join any program (cancer biology, immunology, neuroscience, etc) after accepting, even if you applied under a different program. I don't know if the same is true for Vanderbilt, but it does allow flexibility if you choose UTSW.

Hey there,

I live in Dallas too and I'm planning to apply to PhD program at UTSW for the fall of 2013. It's a very competitive program. I was wondering if you had any tips regarding the application process. How well did you do in your GRE and undergrad? Thanks for your help.