eal09 Posted March 13, 2014 Posted March 13, 2014 I'm trying to decide between USC and UC Irvine. I was wondering if you guys had some input into either school. I'm leaning towards UC Irvine because I connected more with the professors, they seem to value their graduate students (one of their selling points), and they are offering me a fellowship. I'm interested in many areas of neuroscience so I'm a little concerned that UCI has a large focus on learning and memory. I am interested in learning and memory but what if I want to study something else? Also, USC has a lot of money. They recently bought a bunch of people from UCLA. How does the wealth of the school affect my graduate studies? Lastly, what is the reputation of both of these schools? Is one better than the other in terms of status alone? That was a lot of questions and pertain more to the decision making phase rather than the application phase. But I thought since applications are over this is a good time to bring it up. If you guys have any suggestions I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks! Well, Irvine is ranked higher in about every category, at least as of 2010: https://chronicle.com/article/NRC-Rankings-Overview-/124747/ . But like you mentioned, that may change dramatically with the recent acquisition from UCLA, and those rankings aren't particularly up to date in the first place. Just released my offers at Emory and UMiami - I'm glad I was able to do that early, so someone else can hear back with enough time to make a good decision. Their interview weekends were both very impressive! Best of luck to anyone that's still considering them =) Hi NeuroGirl, I am currently making a decision between Vanderbilt NGP and U of Chicago psychology/integrative neuroscience. What swayed you to Vanderbilt in the end? I'm Elliot btw, I'm sure we probably met. NeuroGirl042 1
NeuroGirl042 Posted March 13, 2014 Posted March 13, 2014 If I already know that I don't want to attend a certain program, should I let them know now or wait until I've actually committed to a program and gotten confirmation? The paranoia of something going wrong is pushing me toward waiting, but I really want to let my spot go to someone on the waitlist if that's how the program is doing things. Well, do you have other offers? Could you see yourself going to this place if nowhere else works out? It is good to let the offer go as soon as you can, but it's also important to do what's best for you.
braaaaaiinnns Posted March 13, 2014 Posted March 13, 2014 Well, do you have other offers? Could you see yourself going to this place if nowhere else works out? It is good to let the offer go as soon as you can, but it's also important to do what's best for you. I've received other offers that I am more interested in but would still go to this school if something went wrong with the other schools. UCSF did just have a fire in Mission Bay...which was where one of my offers is from!
emguth Posted March 13, 2014 Posted March 13, 2014 Hi NeuroGirl, I am currently making a decision between Vanderbilt NGP and U of Chicago psychology/integrative neuroscience. What swayed you to Vanderbilt in the end? I'm Elliot btw, I'm sure we probably met. Yeah we were all on the same interview weekend Elliot haha NeuroGirl042 1
pachel Posted March 13, 2014 Posted March 13, 2014 Those of you who have gotten admissions offers and accepted... when did the school get back to you? I accepted an offer two weeks ago and it was confirmed on the website but haven't heard any further word from the school at all. Do they normally begin the admitted students correspondence later in the spring?
Neuro2014 Posted March 13, 2014 Posted March 13, 2014 Has anyone received admission offers from Drexel or Connecticut? If you are not planning to join please reject the same as I have been waitlised...
brainmatters Posted March 14, 2014 Posted March 14, 2014 Yeah I hope so haha! Which interview weekend did you go to? Btw...to help with your actual question about usc vs uci....did you enjoy the uci area/campus? for a lot of people its hit or miss and it could definitely get tiring/boring after a few years i bet. their program is really strong though, as you were saying. USC hasn't been known for their neuro until recently because of how much $ they are putting into it. I bet in the next several years it will become better recognized. I'd probably base it mostly on faculty interests and location - It seems like both schools are pretty good w/ funding. Im sure some other people have insight too! I went to the last USC interview. How about you? I did like UCI's campus. I didn't get to explore Irvine due to an early flight, but I like the idea of living in a more suburban neighborhood. When people at work ask me which school I'm going to, I say that it will probably be Irvine. Maybe I've already made my choice and just need to convince myself that it's the right one. Well, Irvine is ranked higher in about every category, at least as of 2010: https://chronicle.com/article/NRC-Rankings-Overview-/124747/ . But like you mentioned, that may change dramatically with the recent acquisition from UCLA, and those rankings aren't particularly up to date in the first place. That's a good point. The rankings will change during the five+ years we are at graduate school.
eal09 Posted March 14, 2014 Posted March 14, 2014 Yeah we were all on the same interview weekend Elliot haha Haha, I know. I just like trying to put faces and names to these forum aliases.
dare2lare Posted March 14, 2014 Posted March 14, 2014 (edited) I went to the last USC interview. How about you? I did like UCI's campus. I didn't get to explore Irvine due to an early flight, but I like the idea of living in a more suburban neighborhood. When people at work ask me which school I'm going to, I say that it will probably be Irvine. Maybe I've already made my choice and just need to convince myself that it's the right one. That's a good point. The rankings will change during the five+ years we are at graduate school. I was at the 2nd interview session, and no one I knew from it has heard so idk...I'm really hopeful! I didn't apply to too many schools and only got 2 interviews, and a rejection from 1 even after one of the faculty wrote a recommendation email to the committee post interview ( ), so this is kind of my last shot. USC is my top choice over the other one though so I'm remaining hopeful. Yeah it seems like you might have already made your decision haha! they are both great programs so I don't think you're going to be limited either way at all. Edited March 14, 2014 by dare2lare
Der Strudel Posted March 14, 2014 Posted March 14, 2014 Made my decision: going to MUSC and couldn't be more pleased. Just posting to say hi and bye...this forum has been great and terrible. good luck to everyone! Any future peoples feel free to PM me with questions. stmwap 1
NeuroGirl042 Posted March 15, 2014 Posted March 15, 2014 (edited) Has anyone been REJECTED by Wake yet??? I haven't, but I did get an interview and declined it. I should be in the next wave of rejects that come out - I can certainly let you know if I hear something! Edited March 15, 2014 by NeuroGirl042
neurogeek Posted March 16, 2014 Posted March 16, 2014 I'm sort of under the impression that they haven't sent out ANY rejections yet. And I feel as though I would have heard something by now, but haven't. Ah well, next year. I'm just going to assume that my lack of hearing means I'm out.
NeuroPhysicist Posted March 16, 2014 Posted March 16, 2014 I emailed NYU neural science to ask about the the process. It seems that no interview so far = rejection in the end of the month (they actually used the words 'extremely unlikely' to be accepted). Well, guess I'm not going to the USA this year.
brainmatters Posted March 17, 2014 Posted March 17, 2014 I was at the 2nd interview session, and no one I knew from it has heard so idk...I'm really hopeful! I didn't apply to too many schools and only got 2 interviews, and a rejection from 1 even after one of the faculty wrote a recommendation email to the committee post interview ( ), so this is kind of my last shot. USC is my top choice over the other one though so I'm remaining hopeful. Yeah it seems like you might have already made your decision haha! they are both great programs so I don't think you're going to be limited either way at all. I made my decision: going to UC Irvine. Hopefully that will open up a spot for you at USC. Marisa.UVA and dare2lare 2
Marisa.UVA Posted March 17, 2014 Posted March 17, 2014 After lots of thinking, I've finally made an official decision to attend the University of Pittsburgh!
SLPosteriorCricoarytenoid Posted March 26, 2014 Posted March 26, 2014 (edited) Hi, sorry if some of these have been recently asked/answered, but has anyone heard anything from University of Texas-Dallas, Texas A&M, or Rutgers Behavioral and Systems Neuroscience? These are the last schools I haven't heard a peep from or seen anything about on here. Just wondering if anyone has heard anything. Oh, and I haven't heard any kind of rejection yet, which I'm expecting from Colorado State. PS---If you've been accepted to University of Nebraska Omaha's Neuroscience program and you don't plan on going, please back out! I was all set up for an official interview there and had been in talks with the professor who was interested in me. She happened to check on the funding available only to find out they didn't have enough for me at the moment unless someone backs out. :l So here I sit on the wait list unless someone backs out. Edited March 26, 2014 by neuronparty
SLPosteriorCricoarytenoid Posted March 26, 2014 Posted March 26, 2014 Who is the professor at UNO? I have been accepted, but was told that funding has not been decided yet and that it is not available for all students. That was a few weeks ago and I still haven't heard anything. Dr. Sollars. She said she checked on the funding they had available and it wasn't enough for another student..? I believe she told me in an email that they will have all that figured out at the latest by April 15 when their incoming class is completely finalized.
eal09 Posted April 1, 2014 Posted April 1, 2014 Officially attending University of Chicago (Integrative/Social Neuroscience through the psych. department), and working with John Cacioppo! LMac 1
moonchild1093 Posted April 5, 2014 Posted April 5, 2014 (edited) Still on the wait list for NYU Sackler's Neuroscience program anybody thinking about declining their offer? Edit: I declined my offer from UMiami, hope someone benefitted from that! Edited April 5, 2014 by moonchild1093
ScannerBrainly Posted April 15, 2014 Posted April 15, 2014 Anyone STILL waiting on receiving a decision from USC but received an email directing them to fill out a FAFSA and an "enrollment and housing form"? Anyone still waiting for a decision from USC at all?
NeuroPhysicist Posted April 15, 2014 Posted April 15, 2014 I am waiting for USC since my interview almost two months ago. No communication since then, not even when I asked two times by email... I already assumed rejection.
moonchild1093 Posted April 16, 2014 Posted April 16, 2014 Finally got my notification from NYU...........ACCEPTED!!!! I'M GOING TO GRAD SCHOOL EVERYONE stmwap, LMac, dare2lare and 1 other 4
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