State of California - your opinion?

[kaijura]

Both in regards to the state itself, or the condition it is in current budget crisis times.

Anything goes.

Seeing how this is a forum targeted for specific audiences, I would imagine grad programs are the top interests pertaining to it.

This is a home state state, left it for awhile during the budget problems and came back again to seek more programs. The budget problems initially led me to leave in the first place, but second thoughts about giving up residency made me think otherwise.

Based on another thread, I've somewhat came to the conclusion why this state is so late in giving the admissions decisions every year is due to the crisis itself. I mean, jeez, it must really suck to wait till June to wait for a decision because the department needs more time to allocate funding...

[TropicalCharlie]

California is also my former home state. However, I did not leave due to the state budget crisis. I do agree that the state's budget problems have cascading effects on its higher education systems and likely play a part in funding allocations and such. I think that the delay in admission decisions is campus and department dependent for both UC and CSU schools. Just looking at the results section here, you can see that admission decisions have been rolling out since Jan of this year for both UC and CSU schools. Keep in mind that many programs and PI's bring in their own funding. Yes, some come from state agencies. Others are from federal agencies which are also affected by the current economy and their own budget cuts. And some funding sources come from private industry. While the state's budget crisis is a major player here, other variables make this more complex an issue than we think.

[mandarin.orange]

An interesting article from last spring:

Higher Education the Next Bubble to Burst?

Financially, my institution and department seem to be doing just fine...on the surface. No grads are accepted without a guarantee of support for 4 years, and the number of recent full faculty hires/offers has been a whopping 6-7 in the past 2 years. However, tuition is obscenely high and getting higher (as the article discusses) and they accept increasing #s of students each year to continue the cash flow...we are definitely lacking the infrastructure, if rumors are true about the sheer increase in # of bodies that's going to happen next year.

I agree with TropicalCharlie that the issues surrounding higher education here are very, very complex, and often department and PI-specific. I'm more saddened to see State Parks absolutely hammered. I had very positive experiences working for them seasonally, and considered this as a career for a long time. That plan's been scrapped.

On a more general note, this is my home state as well, and after years of living in the Midwest and south, I am SO happy to be back. The climate, people, mountains and recreation opportunities are the best!

[TakeruK]

California is going to be my new home for the next 4-5 years! Here is the thoughts of one Canadian....

My wife and I were originally from the west coast of Canada. I applied to a fair number of schools in California because we wanted to live there. I think it's partly the "

poorness" of the UC system that I didn't end up getting into the UC schools as an international student but I did end up being accepted at a private California school! I think the international student fraction at the UC school is only 10% and my program admits less than 10 people per year ... so on average ~1 international every 2 years! Also the UC funding packages are barely above the poverty line.

California and Washington are probably the only two states we would like to live in as well. They are probably the two states that are most similar to the west coast of Canada (obviously, since they are on the west coast of the US!) in terms of climate, living conditions, politics, and the people. Although we had hoped California was moving forward, it was disappointing to see Prop 8 pass. Also it was funny to see the "governator" in action.

Overall, we are excited to be in California for awhile. In general, we aren't so happy about the right-wing-ness and capitalism of the US, but it seems like California at least seems to be less right-wing in the urban centres anyways.

[mandarin.orange]

Also the UC funding packages are barely above the poverty line.

On what basis do you make this claim? I find the funding/amenities more than reasonable.

[TakeruK]

On what basis do you make this claim? I find the funding/amenities more than reasonable.

Okay I admit I might be exaggerating a little here. UC Berkeley and UCSC both rejected me but according to the results database here, those who got into my program were offered a funding package that includes tuition and a 20hr TAship valued at 18,000. Maybe these numbers are wrong though. Also, due to US Immigration rules, it may not be possible for my wife to work (I will be on a J-1 visa and she would be legally allowed to work, UNLESS we need the income to pay for basic expenses). So I am also considering support for dependents in the funding package as well.

The biggest expenses are rent, food, and health insurance. We spend about $500 on food and supplies (toiletries etc.) per month so that's $6000. I'm not sure about the UC system health insurance program, but my new school will cost both of us a total of $6000. That leaves $6000 for rent per year, which is probably not doable. I can't imagine finding a 1 bedroom apt for less than $500 per month! And there might be taxes too -- I'm not sure how it will work yet.

Even if I only had to pay my own expenses, at 18,000 per year, it would just pay rent, food, and other bills. I wouldn't really be saving up money. So that's what I meant!

One could argue that I should include the cost of tuition in my income -- true but there is also an opportunity cost for attending grad school so I would say that kind of balances out.

If I'm wrong about the 18,000 figure, which I admit is only heresay, then I take it back! My current funding package is around 29,000 and with the increased rent cost in Pasadena, it is just enough for the two of us to meet our budgeted expenses -- fortunately this means that my wife will probably be allowed to work and we can use that money towards entertainment and our savings.

[Bimmerman]

I moved to CA from CO, and it's a nice state.....but the total lack of money is very obvious even outside academia. From an outsider's point of view, CA spends way more than it needs to on feel-good things while allowing infrastructure, education, and more to fall into disrepair. The roads are the best example-- they are crap because there is no state money to spend to fix them, as it is instead spent on things that appeal to voters' emotions.

The state itself is nice to live in, sunny, green, but it is WAY too urban for my tastes; there are sooo many people that it is impossible to get away. Taxes are double what I'm used to, cost of living is ridiculous, rent is out of control, food is expensive, gas is $1/gal more....etc etc. I'm here for my education but I won't be here past graduation.

If you like big cities, this is a great state. If you like wide open space, mountains, and not being crammed in with millions of other people, it's probably not the place for you (or me). My concept of a 'big city' is ~100k people, not 7.5m people....so feeling like sardines packed in a tin is not my thing.

Edited May 20, 2012 by Bimmerman

[TropicalCharlie]

I moved to CA from CO, and it's a nice state.....but the total lack of money is very obvious even outside academia. From an outsider's point of view, CA spends way more than it needs to on feel-good things while allowing infrastructure, education, and more to fall into disrepair. The roads are the best example-- they are crap because there is no state money to spend to fix them, as it is instead spent on things that appeal to voters' emotions.

The state itself is nice to live in, sunny, green, but it is WAY too urban for my tastes; there are sooo many people that it is impossible to get away. Taxes are double what I'm used to, cost of living is ridiculous, rent is out of control, food is expensive, gas is $1/gal more....etc etc. I'm here for my education but I won't be here past graduation.

If you like big cities, this is a great state. If you like wide open space, mountains, and not being crammed in with millions of other people, it's probably not the place for you (or me). My concept of a 'big city' is ~100k people, not 7.5m people....so feeling like sardines packed in a tin is not my thing.

California is a very large state, and like most places, it has urban, suburban, agricultural, rural and sparsely populated areas. You can go an hour north of LA and San Francisco and find towns with less than 100k people. There are plenty of quaint seaside towns along the CA coast and more inland where you can get away from the hustle and bustle of the city. You can hike the sierras for days without seeing anyone around. I grew up in and have traveled through most of CA and can honestly say that there are tons of outdoor activities to do with or without a bunch of people around. I get that urban living isn't for everybody, but to generalize all of CA as being the same is unfair. It's like saying that all of CO is like Denver which would be an unfair assessment.

[xxcheshirecatox]

I have spent a lot of time in California, and I really enjoy the bay area. I was actually accepted to a school in the bay area, but I ended up declining. A lot of it had to do with my impressions of the financial health of the department; not only was the stipend offer pretty low, but there were also other things surrounding the visit that kind of made me raise my eyebrow. I'm glad I ended up picking a program that is in better shape, financially.

I'm kind of keeping an eye on the California's higher ed system to see what ends up happening. I had originally wanted to work in the UC system once I graduated, but I'm really concerned about the budgetary issues happening in the state and the financial issues that have been reverberating through the higher ed system...

[TakeruK]

The state itself is nice to live in, sunny, green, but it is WAY too urban for my tastes; there are sooo many people that it is impossible to get away. Taxes are double what I'm used to, cost of living is ridiculous, rent is out of control, food is expensive, gas is $1/gal more....etc etc. I'm here for my education but I won't be here past graduation.

If you like big cities, this is a great state. If you like wide open space, mountains, and not being crammed in with millions of other people, it's probably not the place for you (or me). My concept of a 'big city' is ~100k people, not 7.5m people....so feeling like sardines packed in a tin is not my thing.

Ironically, except for the fact that my stipend will be taxed, California's 8.75% sales tax will be the lowest ever (BC was 12%, Ontario is 13%) for me. But I would say that a 100k town is a big town, not even a small city (300k would be the lower limit for city for me; 1m in the metro area is a big city). I guess it's all comes down to perspective!

Personally, I wouldn't want to live a big city because of the crowds. I moved from Vancouver (~1 million metro area) to a town of 150k for my masters degree. I had lived in the suburbs of Vancouver and didn't really like being in crowded downtown so I thought I would like the small town feel of my current home. However, I found that small towns could be very homogeneous (95% of the population is basically the same here) and trying to find international restaurants, or even groceries, is very difficult. It is also very hard for me to relate to others outside of the University here too.

So one big thing I learned about myself in the last couple of years is that I'm much more of a "city-slicker" than I thought! Even though I don't like crowds and traffic and all that, I would live with that in order to have multiculturalism and diversity! I guess this is another reason why I wanted to only live in Washington or California (the east coast is populated too, but too cold there). I'm looking forward to Pasadena because it's a small place (~150k or so I think?) but right next door to a really big place, which is similar to where I grew up, except LA is about 8 times the size of Vancouver!!

[Bimmerman]

California is a very large state, and like most places, it has urban, suburban, agricultural, rural and sparsely populated areas. You can go an hour north of LA and San Francisco and find towns with less than 100k people. There are plenty of quaint seaside towns along the CA coast and more inland where you can get away from the hustle and bustle of the city. You can hike the sierras for days without seeing anyone around. I grew up in and have traveled through most of CA and can honestly say that there are tons of outdoor activities to do with or without a bunch of people around. I get that urban living isn't for everybody, but to generalize all of CA as being the same is unfair. It's like saying that all of CO is like Denver which would be an unfair assessment.

Absolutely true. However, in terms of relative ease of access to mountains/getting away, CA is nowhere near as nice in that regard as other states where the top universities are located. Back in CO, a 15min drive got me either to university or to hiking and camping areas; 30 min to ski area and the ability to go backpacking for days and not see anyone...and I live in the city. While the same sort of outdoorsy things are possible in CA, and the terrain is just as nice, it's a half-day event to just get to the starting point. It's not possible to go backpacking or skiing on a whim after class on a Tuesday, things require more forethought and more time.

Whether that's a negative or not is debatable, but it's one reason why I'm only out here for school, then going back home for jobs.

[mandarin.orange]

Back in CO, a 15min drive got me either to university or to hiking and camping areas; 30 min to ski area and the ability to go backpacking for days and not see anyone...and I live in the city. While the same sort of outdoorsy things are possible in CA, and the terrain is just as nice, it's a half-day event to just get to the starting point. It's not possible to go backpacking or skiing on a whim after class on a Tuesday, things require more forethought and more time.

But can you go SURFING after that Tuesday class??

[ANDS!]

While the same sort of outdoorsy things are possible in CA, and the terrain is just as nice, it's a half-day event to just get to the starting point. It's not possible to go backpacking or skiing on a whim after class on a Tuesday, things require more forethought and more time.

This all depends on where you live. You can not just say that about all of California. Plus, California is huge. . .it is unreasonable to expect every piece of livable terrain to have it's own little forest/mountain range in it's backyard.

The roads are the best example-- they are crap because there is no state money to spend to fix them, as it is instead spent on things that appeal to voters' emotions.

For example?

The state itself is nice to live in, sunny, green, but it is WAY too urban for my tastes; there are sooo many people that it is impossible to get away. Taxes are double what I'm used to, cost of living is ridiculous, rent is out of control, food is expensive, gas is $1/gal more....etc etc. I'm here for my education but I won't be here past graduation.

Something tells me you are generalizing your experiences to the entire state; which is just ridiculous. I will say, if you wanted to bump into woodland creatures everytime you go and walk the dog, then you probably shouldn't have come to California, where most of those locations are getaway spots, not centers of government and education. Being a large state, we can build like that.

If I'm wrong about the 18,000 figure, which I admit is only heresay, then I take it back!

If your stipend isn't enough, you can always apply for financial aid as a graduate student.

[Bimmerman]

But can you go SURFING after that Tuesday class??

Well, yes, if you're an ocean person. There are beaches aplenty! The water is colder than you'd think though.

This all depends on where you live. You can not just say that about all of California. Plus, California is huge. . .it is unreasonable to expect every piece of livable terrain to have it's own little forest/mountain range in it's backyard.

Yes, it does-- look at my post though, I mention the top universities. They're in coastal big cities, which have millions of people. If I were attending a school out of one of the cities, then things would be different.

For example?

El Camino Real, 101, Central Expy, Oregon Expy, 1, 237, 880, etc etc etc. I haven't found a well-maintained road yet, they're incredibly bumpy, inconsistently paved, potholes, crumbling, heaving pavement, deteriorating concrete, etc. Like I said: crap condition.

Something tells me you are generalizing your experiences to the entire state; which is just ridiculous. I will say, if you wanted to bump into woodland creatures everytime you go and walk the dog, then you probably shouldn't have come to California, where most of those locations are getaway spots, not centers of government and education. Being a large state, we can build like that.

You did notice the title of the thread is asking for opinions, yes? I gave my opinion, not my fault you don't agree or like it. I didn't come here for outdoors access, but it is startling how long it takes to 'get away' vs other places. For someone moving to the state, like the OP, it's something worth mentioning.

FWIW, I grew up in the bay area before moving to CO, and now I'm back to finish school. I have spent a LOT of time in CA. I'm not from the less urban areas, which I imagine are amazing. However, those areas aren't near my university or even most universities here....so...see my comment on time it takes to 'get away.' I've enough experience with both kinds of environments to have a clear preference and to notice the things I miss about CO and wish I had thought about more ahead of time.

[ANDS!]

You did notice the title of the thread is asking for opinions, yes? I gave my opinion, not my fault you don't agree or like it.

Generalizations are not opinions. "All blacks are great at basketball" isn't an opinion, its a generalization. Surely as a graduate student you should know the difference.

And the example I was asking for was public works projects that appeal to emotions and not sensibilities. The last "emotional" project that I saw a ballot measure for was the ridiculous high speed rail that was rightfully voted down.

[ghanada]

I think CA is completely what you make of it. That is the beauty of the state, it has everything you can possibly think of and if you are ambitious you can make live in any style you want. I was born and raised in CA, lived in various places for 26 years, 8 of which were near UCLA.

I think @Bimmerman is really generalizing a lot, which you can't do for CA because literally every 20 min drive brings you to a new, different city and each has a completely different vibe. I lived in some cool areas near LA like Redondo Beach where I could surf within 15 min, snowboard within 1 hour, hike within 15 min, and the population is 66k people. So basically everything he said he wanted. Also, the roads in CA aren't that bad, it is all relative. I live in Boston now and I can confidently say that the roads here are 10 times worse because of the snow and salt. I used to have a motorcycle in LA and since roads are a serious for bikes I know that they aren't that bad at all.

Again, I think cost of living is also very relative. CA is actually cheap compared to Boston and NY. It is more expensive compared to the midwest. But people are paid accordingly and the standard of living is really no different there than it is anywhere else.

It really is what you make of it. At the height of my time there, I was living ~1 mile from the beach. I started my morning with a 20 min motorcycle ride to work along the beach, surfed at sunset after work, ate dinner at 1 of millions of great restaurants, enjoyed a jazz bar/club after dinner, and ended my night with a beautiful hike with 0 people around and meditated, all while the temp. was 70 degrees the entire day/night. Not a lot of places in the world I could easily accomplish this on a regular basis.

[TakeruK]

If your stipend isn't enough, you can always apply for financial aid as a graduate student.

The way I understood graduate school offers, is that the total funding package IS inclusive of financial aid. Most of the schools I went to told me that if I received external aid, they would decrease their (internal) funding for me so that my total take home income would be equal to or slightly greater than the original offer. This happened for my MSc in Canada for the first year (they just moved money from one pot to another) and will be happening for my PhD coming up this fall too.

In addition, "applying for financial aid" is not a solution to "funding level does not meet living standards" -- I would not want to gamble having to go into debt for 5 years on the result of a financial aid competition (unless of course, I knew the results before April 15). When budgeting, I always consider financial aid as "a nice bonus", not part of the income required to pay for necessary expenses.

Finally, as an international student, I qualify for almost zero financial aid awards in the US. I did apply to and receive financial aid from my own government (Canada) and I will have that for my PhD program, but as I said, it results in no direct increase in income except that (a) I will get my money as 2 lump sum payments per year instead of in monthly installments (this is great for startup costs) and ( splitting my income between 2 countries means less US income, which is taxable, while my Canadian income is probably not.

Of course, you could say (and I would agree) that "it's my own fault" that I have a dependent. But the combination of US Immigration not allowing dependents of student visa holders to work in addition to the low level of financial support (and benefits such as subsidies for health plans) from UC schools makes California public schools a very unattractive place for international students with dependents. Maybe that's the way it has to be because of budget problems, but that is why I have this opinion.

[ANDS!]

The way I understood graduate school offers, is that the total funding package IS inclusive of financial aid.

Some schools must do things differently. I received a nice funding package from my school, and applied for financial aid for the fall semester to have some startup cash for buying new things. I saw no adjustment on my overall aid package. And really why should there be - it's a loan, while the stipend is a "wage" in a sense (it is certainly taxed as one).

As for the low level of support - 18,000 is a pretty average stipend level for most programs in the country. The hard sciences will always pay more, and the non-quantitative programs will generally pay less on average.

And yes, California costs a bit - in some places. It all depends on where you live. Generally the further south you go (Bakersfield notwithstanding) the more you are going to pay. /shrug

[OregonGal]

Something relevant for everyone headed to a UC in the fall-- they're projecting an at minimum 6% tuition increase over 2011-12 for 2012-13, and there might be major spikes in the second half of the year or for 2013-14 when the inevitable shortfall comes due... especially if the education tax ballot initiative fails in the November election.

I was already projecting a (I thought) pessimistically conservative increase of 6% but this might still blow a hole in my budgeting, since there's always the chance they decide to spike graduate tuition/out of state fees more than in-state undergrad tuition.

Also, ANDS (and I wish you wouldn't set your font size bigger than everyone else) when you're talking about financial aid through the school, it sounds like you're talking about federal student loans--something not available to international students like TakeruK. Also, most financial aid packages offered at time of acceptance for US students include the full package of grants, stipends, and loans to cover full cost of attendance but you can usually apply for a bridge loan/increase in loan amount--again, if you're a US resident.

[ANDS!]

Also, ANDS (and I wish you wouldn't set your font size bigger than everyone else)

My formatting looks about the same as the default (on my monitor). Now I'm also on 19X12 resolution, so I'd imagine on a CRT things might be a bit out of whack.

when you're talking about financial aid through the school, it sounds like you're talking about federal student loans--something not available to international students like TakeruK. Also, most financial aid packages offered at time of acceptance for US students include the full package of grants, stipends, and loans to cover full cost of attendance but you can usually apply for a bridge loan/increase in loan amount--again, if you're a US resident.

I am referring to federal loans. And if, in Takers case, they are boxed out - that is definitely something to consider. However, schools aren't likely to get in the habit of adjusting support per person and instead will continue to dole out dollars at a flat rate for general applicants. If 18K isn't enough (and in Takers situation, being from out of the country and having dependents) then this is one of those situations where hard choices have to be made. This would occur with or without a financial crisis in CA.

[Sigaba]

If I'm wrong about the 18,000 figure, which I admit is only heresay, then I take it back! My current funding package is around 29,000 and with the increased rent cost in Pasadena, it is just enough for the two of us to meet our budgeted expenses -- fortunately this means that my wife will probably be allowed to work and we can use that money towards entertainment and our savings.

Takeruk--

If one likes a coastal climate, Pasadena is one of the last places in the L.A. area one would want to live. (I lived in Pasadena for more than five years.) In the early spring, the temperature typically goes from warm to hot and basically stays there until late fall, if not longer. If you do live in Pasadena, or anywhere else in the SGV or the SFV, you might benefit from factoring in to your budget calculations the additional costs for running your HVAC.

To save money, you might consider the advantages of renting a room or rooms inside of a house. There are plenty of listings for rooms on craigslist. As your rent money would most likely be used to help a homeowner cover the mortgage payments, I recommend strongly that you have a straightforward conversation about the status of said mortgage. You specifically want to avoid moving into a house that is 'under water' and the homeowner is stressed out about that situation. (You might increase your savings if you live west of Pasadena. You might find a copy of the map and schedule for LAMTA's 780 bus line and look for places close to its route. )

In regards to the politics, bluntly, as a native Angeleno, I think your own preconceived notions and your own attitude are going to cause you more heartache than anything else. From my reading of many of your posts, your situational awareness when it comes to the nuances of politics is less than it might be.

When get out here, you'll find that you're going to meet all different kinds of people and that conventional notions of left and right are not always applicable to state and to municipal issues--especially those issues that have impact people's everyday lives (such as traffic, parking, the Industry, the work place, and teaching). When you get out here, I strongly urge you to consider the advantages of taking the "I've got it all figured out and know how things should be" chip off of your shoulder and getting a better (and closer) read on situations, the human terrain, and the local conditions before you dive into a conversation.

HTH.

Edited May 23, 2012 by Sigaba

[kaijura]

One aspect with the cost of living in CA is that if one wants to be closer to the beaches, the more $ is needed. This is of course, real NorCal (past bay area) not withstanding. Once you start going further east in the mid-cal/socal area out in the boonies, you get cheaper COL standards comparative to eastern states (OH, WV, VA, PA, Upstate NY, NC/SC, etc). But generally these places are not exactly desirable habitats due to the hot summers and potentially cold winters.

Granted, there are not many schools available out in those areas anyway. Recognized CSU's like Modesto, Chico, Bakersfield, etc east or northward past the majority of saturated civilization in some cities.

Assuming one being a grad student and living on a $20k/year stipend, it is sort of teethering on the bottom edge for decent living standards. Rent in LA and SF can reach ~$1000's easily and is comparative with NYC, Boston, or other major locations.

This in effect downscales a rent choice into some possibly less desirable conditions (who really wants to share a complex with some undergrads or out in unsafe areas?)

[TakeruK]

Some schools must do things differently. I received a nice funding package from my school, and applied for financial aid for the fall semester to have some startup cash for buying new things. I saw no adjustment on my overall aid package. And really why should there be - it's a loan, while the stipend is a "wage" in a sense (it is certainly taxed as one).

Okay -- I misunderstood. I thought financial aid meant financial support of any kind, including awards or bursaries. Loans would definitely be on top of whatever funding package I may have. Also, I do agree with you that the extra cost of being international and having dependents should not be on the school to cover and it should be a choice we have to make (i.e. go to a different school or go into debt). What I mean to convey by that post was my opinion on the status of funding in UC schools for people in my shoes. There were other offers from public and private schools in the US that would have been more than enough to cover costs of being international + dependents (and there was also one that would not). So, because I was asked for my opinion on California, my opinion was that the support (for people in my shoes) provided by the UC system doesn't stack up very well compared to similar programs elsewhere. I speculated (wrongly perhaps) that this was due to the economic situation. I am happy with how everything turned out in the end though.

Takeruk--

If one likes a coastal climate, Pasadena is one of the last places in the L.A. area one would want to live. (I lived in Pasadena for more than five years.) In the early spring, the temperature typically goes from warm to hot and basically stays there until late fall, if not longer. If you do live in Pasadena, or anywhere else in the SGV or the SFV, you might benefit from factoring in to your budget calculations the additional costs for running your HVAC.

Thanks for the tip about budgeting for HVAC. As for climate, Pasadena may not be an ideal coastal climate, but according to Wikipedia, the summers in Pasadena don't get much hotter than where we live right now. Southeastern Ontario is very humid and hot in the summers and very humid and cold in the winter! At least Pasadena won't end up as cold! Compared to our other options (Arizona, upstate New York), Pasadena definitely has the best climate for our preferences.

To save money, you might consider the advantages of renting a room or rooms inside of a house. There are plenty of listings for rooms on craigslist. As your rent money would most likely be used to help a homeowner cover the mortgage payments, I recommend strongly that you have a straightforward conversation about the status of said mortgage. You specifically want to avoid moving into a house that is 'under water' and the homeowner is stressed out about that situation. (You might increase your savings if you live west of Pasadena. You might find a copy of the map and schedule for LAMTA's 780 bus line and look for places close to its route. )

Just to be clear though, I am not complaining about the actual funding package I received from my school -- one of the reasons behind our choice was that the funding package was reasonable -- i.e. (just) enough to pay for rent and the living standards we want. The 18,000 figure was from what I saw posted as the UC schools' offer for people in my program (which I did not get accepted into anyways). Thanks for the transit information though.

Maybe it sounds like money is (too much of) a big deal to me. I don't need to be making a whole ton of it, but we needed to find a program where the funding will pay all the bills and not force us into any debt. Our mindset is that we don't want to put our lives on hold for 5 years for me to finish my PhD -- we want to be a part of the "real world" as well (i.e. doing/having things like raising kids, living in a place we feel safe and comfortable in, eating properly, etc.). When my wife and I made the choice for me to pursue a PhD, we realised we had to set limits for ourselves so that it's not just me chasing my dreams and my wife "putting up" with whatever situation we end up in. We agreed that I would only go and do a PhD if we could meet these so called "standards". We also have discussed things that we would and wouldn't be willing to compromise on for jobs after my PhD -- i.e. where and how often would we be willing to move for post-docs (I know this is far in advance). While I really do enjoy my research, I don't love it enough to give up certain things in life for science. I admire those that are more passionate and hope they will do great things for humanity's knowledge. But the reason I am pursuing a PhD is to end up with a career doing something I enjoy. If I make it in academia/research, that's great. But if getting there requires sacrifice of one of our fundamental goals in life, then I'm ready to walk away and do something different.

I'm not trying to say that what we decided for ourselves is the "right" way -- it just what currently works for us. I hope it doesn't sound like I think those with different priorities are "bad" or "wrong" in some way, because that's not my intention!

In regards to the politics, bluntly, as a native Angeleno, I think your own preconceived notions and your own attitude are going to cause you more heartache than anything else. From my reading of many of your posts, your situational awareness when it comes to the nuances of politics is less than it might be.

Thanks for the honest assessment. I know that many times I am still young and naive enough that I still would point towards the idealist view even when I don't know all the details. But I think I can only learn about the nuances from experiencing and learning from it.

When get out here, you'll find that you're going to meet all different kinds of people and that conventional notions of left and right are not always applicable to state and to municipal issues--especially those issues that have impact people's everyday lives (such as traffic, parking, the Industry, the work place, and teaching). When you get out here, I strongly urge you to consider the advantages of taking the "I've got it all figured out and know how things should be" chip off of your shoulder and getting a better (and closer) read on situations, the human terrain, and the local conditions before you dive into a conversation.

I also have to admit that the pseudo-anonymity of the Internet has allowed me to be much more vocal in my opinions and how "things should be". Maybe my online persona does not reflect the real me. Or maybe it does, but I have not taken a step back to really assess how I think. So, I appreciate the reminder to get that chip off my shoulder so that I can understand the different circumstances better. I will be well aware that I am a "guest" in California and Pasadena -- that is, I'm not a resident and I'm not going to go and try to change things etc. If the topics come up in conversation, I will share my opinions and how I think "things should be". But I will make sure to remember to not let me preconceptions get in the way of learning new things.