Pennsylvania State university (Penn state PSU) - Hershey - Biomedical Sciences, PhD

[T.J]

Hi,

 

This may be pretty early in the season. Anybody got admitted into PSU (hershey campus) and considering this school for PhD? What are your thoughts?

Lets start a discussion.

 

TJ

[sunpenguin]

I didn't apply there, but I grew up in that area, so let me know if you have any questions about Hershey or the surrounding area. At least at the time I lived there, Hershey had no night life to speak of, but it's a cozy little town in a pretty part of the country, especially if you like hills..

[T.J]

I didn't apply there, but I grew up in that area, so let me know if you have any questions about Hershey or the surrounding area. At least at the time I lived there, Hershey had no night life to speak of, but it's a cozy little town in a pretty part of the country, especially if you like hills..

Can you manage without a car? I managed with a moped here in Houston for a yr.

[sunpenguin]

You could probably do it. Hershey itself would be pretty easy to get around on a moped, as long as you can deal with the fact that there's a lot of snow and freezing rain for almost half the year. You probably could easily get around downtown and to the medical center without ever having to go much above 40 mph. The surrounding area is very suburban and spread out, so without a car it would be hard to get to Harrisburg or other neighboring cities where there would be live music, museums, etc. If you like hiking, it's a good region, with nearby access to sections of the Appalachian trail, but again you would need a car to get to the trailheads.

 

Whatever you decide, congratulations on the offers! I'm still waiting for my first official acceptance. The programs where I'm interviewing may not get back to me until March.

[immuno555]

I interviewed and was accepted to Hershey. Speaking to some of my friends already in grad school, she advised against attending. Her words were "it would be a waste of your time." I think her opinion is based on rank, exposure and the quality of applicant pool. I thought everyone was welcoming and it seemed like a great program with all the amenities of being a Penn State student. It was my backup school and I have declined, but if it were my only choice, I think I would be in a tough place to decline and reapply next year.

[T.J]

You make a valid and interesting point. 

 

1. Ranking - makes you think thrice.

2. Applicant pool is not competitive.

3. If you have other options, better to pursue them and use this as backup.

 

My feeling was it was a good program and the professors are good too. You definitely have to prepare yourself to work hard to bring out good outcomes to offset the above points.

 

So far I have Clemson Vs Penn state to decide on while waiting on others. It is not an easy decision because its going to be Engineering Vs sciences and I'm more inclined towards sciences.

 

I interviewed and was accepted to Hershey. Speaking to some of my friends already in grad school, she advised against attending. Her words were "it would be a waste of your time." I think her opinion is based on rank, exposure and the quality of applicant pool. I thought everyone was welcoming and it seemed like a great program with all the amenities of being a Penn State student. It was my backup school and I have declined, but if it were my only choice, I think I would be in a tough place to decline and reapply next year.

Edited February 20, 2014 by T.J

[MackF]

You make a valid and interesting point. 

 

1. Ranking - makes you think thrice.

2. Applicant pool is not competitive.

3. If you have other options, better to pursue them and use this as backup.

 

My feeling was it was a good program and the professors are good too. You definitely have to prepare yourself to work hard to bring out good outcomes to offset the above points.

 

So far I have Clemson Vs Penn state to decide on while waiting on others. It is not an easy decision because its going to be Engineering Vs sciences and I'm more inclined towards sciences.

 

I think PSU is a perfectly respectable school.  If you're more inclined to sciences, don't stick yourself into a 5 year engineering ordeal that your heart won't be in.

[T.J]

I think PSU is a perfectly respectable school.  If you're more inclined to sciences, don't stick yourself into a 5 year engineering ordeal that your heart won't be in.

Yes, That is one major reason I am holding on to PSU - hershey. I still need to do some soul searching meanwhile and I had given myself till the end of march atleast to make a decision.

[MackF]

Yes, That is one major reason I am holding on to PSU - hershey. I still need to do some soul searching meanwhile and I had given myself till the end of march atleast to make a decision.

 

Well that at least gives you plenty of time.  Its definitely a hard decision.

[T.J]

I have accepted the offer from Penn state Hershey. Heading there this fall

[ERR_Alpha]

I'll be nearby at the main campus!!! Congrats

[T.J]

Hey ERR_Alpha, congrats on your decision to go to Penn state BMMB as well. May we will see each other in some event or collaboration or at a conference.

[cait0321]

I have accepted the offer from Penn state Hershey. Heading there this fall

 

Congrats! I've had friends attend PSU Hershey and do well there.  I saw your post earlier about needing a car for Hershey -- and I would definitely say yes! The weather is horrendous for half the academic year and you do not want to deal with a moped in the snow here. Plus, the buses are super infrequent and unreliable.  Hershey isn't really a "city" and to get to places where there are things to do (Lancaster, York, Harrisburg), you'll want a car. I don't know if you've started looking for rentals yet, but one of my friends rented at Briarcrest Gardens apartment complex with some other friends and it's within walking distance of PSU med center, so that was really convenient for her. Hope that's helpful!

[T.J]

Great! Thank you for sharing the info. Already bought a car and going to drive all the way from Houston to Hershey! 

 

I was thinking about the university housing - they said $523/month includes utilities, internet (from medical center). Although i will be sharing it with another roomate in a 2 bedroom apartment (bathroom is shared - downside, unlike here in houston). I will certainly check out briarcrest. Thank you!

 

Congrats! I've had friends attend PSU Hershey and do well there.  I saw your post earlier about needing a car for Hershey -- and I would definitely say yes! The weather is horrendous for half the academic year and you do not want to deal with a moped in the snow here. Plus, the buses are super infrequent and unreliable.  Hershey isn't really a "city" and to get to places where there are things to do (Lancaster, York, Harrisburg), you'll want a car. I don't know if you've started looking for rentals yet, but one of my friends rented at Briarcrest Gardens apartment complex with some other friends and it's within walking distance of PSU med center, so that was really convenient for her. Hope that's helpful!

[Dollopsp]

Hello, 

 

I was wondering if anyone following this could comment on Albert Einstein College of Medicine v/s Penn State - Hershey. I am inclined towards doing research in diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. In terms of environment (nice, small, supportive) and funding(guaranteed)- Penn State is better but considering the location, proximity to companies and reputation- Einstein wins. I am struggling big time, so any specific comments would be highly appreciated.  

 

I have emailed profs at Einstein asking for the funding situation in their labs but haven't gotten a response yet. Does anyone know the funding situation there? 

 

Thanks! 

[ss2player]

Hello, 

 

I was wondering if anyone following this could comment on Albert Einstein College of Medicine v/s Penn State - Hershey. I am inclined towards doing research in diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. In terms of environment (nice, small, supportive) and funding(guaranteed)- Penn State is better but considering the location, proximity to companies and reputation- Einstein wins. I am struggling big time, so any specific comments would be highly appreciated.  

 

I have emailed profs at Einstein asking for the funding situation in their labs but haven't gotten a response yet. Does anyone know the funding situation there? 

 

Thanks! 

 

I interviewed at Einstein; pretty sure you are guaranteed money for 5 years from the program and the hefty stipend combined with the cheap on-campus housing, you'd be raining $$$. I mean, Penn State is fine, but it's really not a competition in my mind.

[kimmibeans]

Hello, 

 

I was wondering if anyone following this could comment on Albert Einstein College of Medicine v/s Penn State - Hershey. I am inclined towards doing research in diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. In terms of environment (nice, small, supportive) and funding(guaranteed)- Penn State is better but considering the location, proximity to companies and reputation- Einstein wins. I am struggling big time, so any specific comments would be highly appreciated.  

 

I have emailed profs at Einstein asking for the funding situation in their labs but haven't gotten a response yet. Does anyone know the funding situation there? 

 

Thanks! 

Funding for Einstein is given through the graduate program, not the labs. All graduate students are guaranteed a yearly stipend of at at least 31K for the 5-6 years that they are attending the school, in addition to ridiculously inexpensive subsidized housing.

[Dollopsp]

Thank you so much for the responses! I understand the guaranteed stipend part but I meant funding for our research and hence well funded professors. I dread the part of leaving a project/lab because of funding issues(NH cuts prevalent)  and then joining a new lab or starting a project all over again. That is one thing you would want to stay away from, right!? I am unable to get info on that front in the research areas I am interested in 

[ss2player]

Thank you so much for the responses! I understand the guaranteed stipend part but I meant funding for our research and hence well funded professors. I dread the part of leaving a project/lab because of funding issues(NH cuts prevalent)  and then joining a new lab or starting a project all over again. That is one thing you would want to stay away from, right!? I am unable to get info on that front in the research areas I am interested in 

 

Only the professors would know their own grants. Try calling the ones you most want to work with and ask them straight up "So what kind of grants do you have and when do they last until?"

[T.J]

If I am not wrong, at Penn state, You are funded by the department for only the first year. Although you are guaranteed for 5 yrs and the dept chair sees to that, the funding for next 4.5 yrs comes from your PI - so which is dependent on PI's funding status and available project.

 

Are you funded for all 5 yrs by dept by some sort of fellowship at Einstein? If so, you don't have to worry if PI has money - except may be 5k$ to 10k$ to fund for reagents for that semester - depending on your project. In theory you can work for any PI.

 

If Einstein is no different from Penn state in this regard (dept funding for only first year), indeed your decision will be based on which professor at which university has funding for your next 5 years.

 

PhD is a gamble in that sort of way: You expect professors to have funding next year while you take classes during first year and do rotations. The profs may get small funding or big NIH grants. If small funding you depend on the professor to get funded after every year or so by other grant. If its big NIH funding, it depends on when the funding has started and when it is going to expire. Not all professors have NIH-R01 grants or even R32 for that matter. You may ask each professor if they have guaranteed funding, but its hard to get a straight answer. Moreover, they may have already taken a student if they do have funding, etc.

 

However, you can only trust that if a professor takes you in, based on previous track record of his/her performance, you can TRUST him/her to join the lab. It is hard to make a definite conclusion about the professor without talking to the students under him/her. 

 

At hershey, I found that this conversation between students and admin was encouraged and I was able to learn more about the professors I am interested in and how they are. This was the most valuable key for me to make that decision.

 

Hope this helps!

[kimmibeans]

Thank you so much for the responses! I understand the guaranteed stipend part but I meant funding for our research and hence well funded professors. I dread the part of leaving a project/lab because of funding issues(NH cuts prevalent)  and then joining a new lab or starting a project all over again. That is one thing you would want to stay away from, right!? I am unable to get info on that front in the research areas I am interested in

Oh okay, that makes sense. Only the professors know their own research. From my experience with the professors I spoke to there they won't take on a new grad student unless they can support them for the 4 years. They may also not be answering because they genuinely don't know at this time what their funding situation will be next August when they take us on.

[Dollopsp]

Oh okay, that makes sense. Only the professors know their own research. From my experience with the professors I spoke to there they won't take on a new grad student unless they can support them for the 4 years. They may also not be answering because they genuinely don't know at this time what their funding situation will be next August when they take us on.

Yeah, the professors are not responding probably because they can't concretely comment right now as you mentioned. And that is why I am super tensed if it is worth to take risk. And moreover, I am an international student, so won't be able to apply for many NIH fellowships/training grants. But at the same time, because the school is so specific and good at what they are doing, it is of course very well reputed in the biomedical research/science community compared to Penn State.  Thus, most of my post-docs and profs are recommending me to join Einstein without thinking about funding so much because of its dynamic nature, along with the hope the profs might get their grants renewed. 

[Dollopsp]

If I am not wrong, at Penn state, You are funded by the department for only the first year. Although you are guaranteed for 5 yrs and the dept chair sees to that, the funding for next 4.5 yrs comes from your PI - so which is dependent on PI's funding status and available project.

 

Are you funded for all 5 yrs by dept by some sort of fellowship at Einstein? If so, you don't have to worry if PI has money - except may be 5k$ to 10k$ to fund for reagents for that semester - depending on your project. In theory you can work for any PI.

 

If Einstein is no different from Penn state in this regard (dept funding for only first year), indeed your decision will be based on which professor at which university has funding for your next 5 years.

 

PhD is a gamble in that sort of way: You expect professors to have funding next year while you take classes during first year and do rotations. The profs may get small funding or big NIH grants. If small funding you depend on the professor to get funded after every year or so by other grant. If its big NIH funding, it depends on when the funding has started and when it is going to expire. Not all professors have NIH-R01 grants or even R32 for that matter. You may ask each professor if they have guaranteed funding, but its hard to get a straight answer. Moreover, they may have already taken a student if they do have funding, etc.

 

However, you can only trust that if a professor takes you in, based on previous track record of his/her performance, you can TRUST him/her to join the lab. It is hard to make a definite conclusion about the professor without talking to the students under him/her. 

 

At hershey, I found that this conversation between students and admin was encouraged and I was able to learn more about the professors I am interested in and how they are. This was the most valuable key for me to make that decision.

 

Hope this helps!

 

Even at Einstein, it is the same process, first year- the school funds you and then the PI takes over. But PI needs to 'SHOW' that they have enough to funds to keep the student for  at least 3 years and then only you can join that lab unless a student is confident and wants to get her/his own funding.  God forbid if prof runs out of money after 3 years, the school will take care of the rest. 

 

You are right, the uncertainty makes PhD a gamble in a way, and a little bit of luck is always helpful and might be life changing too.  

[Hadeel.naghnaghieh]

Hello there,

To whom follow this forum respond to my inquiries please.

I am interested to join bio-medical science graduate program at Penn state university/Hershey campus. I went through the Penn state university/ medicine college website but I couldn't find any information regarding eligibility and financing.

I am not a citizen but I reside at Harrisburg, PA. I hold a bachelor degree in bio-medical science, GPA 3.57. Regarding the financing does it matter if I am a citizen or not? I really need my graduate study to be financed because as I mentioned I am not a citizen and because of that I can't work here and I don't have any support to pay for may studying.

Please any one has more details about the eligibility or the requirements to join the program and the financing information please share it with me.

Thank you.

[Science_Nerd]

Hello there,

To whom follow this forum respond to my inquiries please.

I am interested to join bio-medical science graduate program at Penn state university/Hershey campus. I went through the Penn state university/ medicine college website but I couldn't find any information regarding eligibility and financing.

I am not a citizen but I reside at Harrisburg, PA. I hold a bachelor degree in bio-medical science, GPA 3.57. Regarding the financing does it matter if I am a citizen or not? I really need my graduate study to be financed because as I mentioned I am not a citizen and because of that I can't work here and I don't have any support to pay for may studying.

Please any one has more details about the eligibility or the requirements to join the program and the financing information please share it with me.

Thank you.

Hi,

I am an international student with F-1 visa, so I'm going to answer your question based on my experience.

Although I did not choose to attend PennState Hershey's biomedical science program, I have applied and got accepted.

From the introductory presentation I was given during the interview session and the conversation with directors and other faculty, the non-citizen students (including permanent residents and international students) are also financially supported equally.

I don't know if you are a permanent resident, but if you are not, then the only thing you have to be concerned about is that once you join a particular lab after completing laboratory rotations, the PI cannot use T-32 Training Grant to support your tuition and other costs.

I don't think you have to worry about it too much tho, because when I interviewed there, I saw few other international students in the same group as well, and we wouldn't be invited for the interview if they don't have a way to support us.