Is a University of Chicago PhD Impossible?

[H Bond]

So I've been admitted to several places, among them University of Chicago (full funding+fellowship). There are some professors doing really interesting physical chemistry research there, and I thought it was a good option. One of my professors got his doctorate there and has been mentioning how good U of C is for the past four years. Yet when I told him that I had an offer, he told me that studying there was "like trying to get a glass of water from a fire hydrant", that it was sink or swim, that no one would take me seriously until I became a doctoral candidate, and that pretty much that the next few years of my life would be miserable if I went there.

Hard work isn't a problem, but depressing professors and impossible expectations are. Current/former University of Chicago grad students out there: is a doctorate as undoable as he implied or was this just a well-intentioned warning to stay on my toes? Thanks for any advice.

[St Andrews Lynx]

I've heard that UChicago Chemistry is a very competitive department. The university itself is located in a less-than-nice part of town, which has affected the quality of some student's experiences there. 

 

However...it is hard to tell if the professor was basing his advice on how the school was when he did his own doctorate there, if he was relying on rumours rather than first-hand experience or if he was mis-remembering (and just because 1 person found the experience there rough, it doesn't mean that everyone is going to have identical experiences). And also...doctoral training in most places is sink or swim, to some extent.

 

My advice would be to attend the visiting day and find out for yourself. Talk to all the students - not just the appointed "tour-guides" - observe what the atmosphere is like in the labs. Ask a variety of recent alumni about their experiences. See how you find the place and if you'd fit in there. 

[H Bond]

Thanks!

[Karajan]

UChicago is a wonderful university.  Yes, it's a very intense environment, but see how you like it when you visit and try to see how you think you've feel/fit in at the university.  The resources are wonderful and the students -- undergrads and grads alike -- are great.

[Angua]

I agree that the best way to answer this question is to go and ask current students.  I don't know anything specific to chemistry, but the grad students I know in other departments are relatively happy here.  It is definitely (and perhaps a little more than most schools) an independent environment -- you are expected to find your own way in many respects -- but that is a good thing for many of us.  If you want more guidance/built-in support, it may not be a good fit.  But, again, the best way to find out is to ask students in your department.  They will be candid with you about the pros and cons of the program.

 

Congratulations, and good luck making your decision!