UC Irvine v/s UMinnesota Twin Cities - confused!

[bhilaianupam]

Hello fellow applicants!

 

I am an international student (from India) and have got admits in UCI and UMinn (among others) in theoretical chemistry, and it looks like I have to decide between the two. I am very, very confused and any help will be highly appreciated. To make it simple, I will list a few salient points of comparison for the two univs, here:

 

1. Ranking: Doesn't look like there is much to differentiate between the two in chemistry.

2. Reputation: UMinn probably steals it here, albeit slightly. (or does it?)

3. Advisor: Three potential advisors in UCI. The one I prefer does work very related to what I have been doing in my undergrad, so that is a positive. But the one potential advisor in UMinn has a greater reputationa (H index of 44 v/s 20 for the guy in UCI), but his work is slightly different from what I have been doing till now. I know it ultimately boils down to my personal preference, but any comment on this aspect will be highly appreciated.

4. Stipend: 27.5k/year at UCI, 24.8k at UMinn. I will not want to have this as a huge factor in my decision, but considering that I have to live off my stipend, should I worry about this? (One of my seniors has commented that you have 'peanuts' left at UMinn after paying for your room and board. How far is that true? I don't know, but any help will be good).

 

Overall, I am looking for people who have been/are in a similar situation to comment on this and also raise any other factor which I might have missed. What do you think? Help a confused soul!

 

Thanks!

[synorg]

all about options. sounds like 3 vs 1. if you went to minn twin cities and it didn't work out with that one prof then you might be miserable for 5-6 years. your perspective might change by the time you arrive on campus so it's best to be able to make adjustments if necessary

[Faraday]

Do you really want to spend the next ~5 years working on the same stuff you have been working on in your ungergraduate training? This is a serious question to consider, as a lot of people like to try something at least a little different, or at least have plenty of room to chose. You ultimately need to ask yourself if the reputation of the professor you work with is your main motivating factor, or if a broad potential research fit (three professors you would like to work with) is more important.

 

As for the stipend I imagine they will be relatively equivalent when cost of living is factored in and you'll be able to live reasonably comfortably at both schools so you shouldn't consider that a huge factor.

[bhilaianupam]

Thank you! I suppose for work and advisor related queries it ultimately has to be my call. But what about department and institute reputation overall? Would that be a factor to consider among the two schools, if it comes to that?

[Jigsaw123]

Do you really want to spend the next ~5 years working on the same stuff you have been working on in your ungergraduate training? This is a serious question to consider, as a lot of people like to try something at least a little different, or at least have plenty of room to chose. You ultimately need to ask yourself if the reputation of the professor you work with is your main motivating factor, or if a broad potential research fit (three professors you would like to work with) is more important.

 

As for the stipend I imagine they will be relatively equivalent when cost of living is factored in and you'll be able to live reasonably comfortably at both schools so you shouldn't consider that a huge factor.

 

You have raised a very good point which I think most of the students face while making their decision i.e. THE BRAND NAME! Wanted to ask whether ranking of a University is the most important feature of choosing a University? Also how do u compare ranking of Universities while making such a decision?

[H Bond]

Really, I think it depends on the student, although I should hope it is never based solely on prestige. Ranking is difficult to determine. Do you use school, program, or professorial ranking? Even the rankings published by the NRC are rather fluid and based mainly on the opinions of professors at other universities.

In any case, if you give up a school you like better for the sake of another's reputation, you're going to have to live with that decision for the next 3-8 years, depending. However, if you can do that, the prestigious school was probably a pretty good fit, anyway. For most, I think the the decision is a mixture of fit and prestige (which is why the decision is often difficult).

[prolixity]

Hello fellow applicants!

 

I am an international student (from India) and have got admits in UCI and UMinn (among others) in theoretical chemistry, and it looks like I have to decide between the two. I am very, very confused and any help will be highly appreciated. To make it simple, I will list a few salient points of comparison for the two univs, here:

 

1. Ranking: Doesn't look like there is much to differentiate between the two in chemistry.

2. Reputation: UMinn probably steals it here, albeit slightly. (or does it?)

3. Advisor: Three potential advisors in UCI. The one I prefer does work very related to what I have been doing in my undergrad, so that is a positive. But the one potential advisor in UMinn has a greater reputationa (H index of 44 v/s 20 for the guy in UCI), but his work is slightly different from what I have been doing till now. I know it ultimately boils down to my personal preference, but any comment on this aspect will be highly appreciated.

4. Stipend: 27.5k/year at UCI, 24.8k at UMinn. I will not want to have this as a huge factor in my decision, but considering that I have to live off my stipend, should I worry about this? (One of my seniors has commented that you have 'peanuts' left at UMinn after paying for your room and board. How far is that true? I don't know, but any help will be good).

 

Overall, I am looking for people who have been/are in a similar situation to comment on this and also raise any other factor which I might have missed. What do you think? Help a confused soul!

 

Thanks!

UC Irvine was my alma mater.  It has a great reputation in chemistry.. in fact, Minnesota and Irvine are virtually tied (Irvine leads by 0.2 points) according to the ARWU ranking system. 

 

Irvine is quite expensive and you'll need a car to get around - grad student housing will run you more than $1000/month - and off-campus housing will be somewhere around $1600 - 1800 for a one bedroom apartment.

[Vene]

UC Irvine was my alma mater.  It has a great reputation in chemistry.. in fact, Minnesota and Irvine are virtually tied (Irvine leads by 0.2 points) according to the ARWU ranking system. 

 

Irvine is quite expensive and you'll need a car to get around - grad student housing will run you more than $1000/month - and off-campus housing will be somewhere around $1600 - 1800 for a one bedroom apartment.

I live in the Twin Cities, you can get a very nice 3 bedroom for $1600. The money Minnesota gives will go a lot further in the midwest than what Irvine gives will go in California.

[Jigsaw123]

Really, I think it depends on the student, although I should hope it is never based solely on prestige. Ranking is difficult to determine. Do you use school, program, or professorial ranking? Even the rankings published by the NRC are rather fluid and based mainly on the opinions of professors at other universities.

In any case, if you give up a school you like better for the sake of another's reputation, you're going to have to live with that decision for the next 3-8 years, depending. However, if you can do that, the prestigious school was probably a pretty good fit, anyway. For most, I think the the decision is a mixture of fit and prestige (which is why the decision is often difficult).

 

What you have said is quite understandable. Prestige and ranking might not be everything out there. Being an international student I can not afford to visit the University during its visitation weeks. How should I choose a University in such situation? What if I target a group but after joining the University I am told that my specific professor wont be accepting any new students. I have received acceptance emails from department rather then from the professors I targeted. My question might sound weird but I am confused in making a decision because it is a matter of NEXT 5-7 YEARS!

[Vene]

What you have said is quite understandable. Prestige and ranking might not be everything out there. Being an international student I can not afford to visit the University during its visitation weeks. How should I choose a University in such situation? What if I target a group but after joining the University I am told that my specific professor wont be accepting any new students. I have received acceptance emails from department rather then from the professors I targeted. My question might sound weird but I am confused in making a decision because it is a matter of NEXT 5-7 YEARS!

Maybe instead of looking at a sole professor, look for 3 or 4 professors who do research that interests you. You can also send out emails saying you are trying to decide where to go, that their research looks interesting, and ask if they have any interest in taking on a new student next fall. If there are a few professors at one university who do interesting research and and want to take on a new student whereas the other university doesn't the decision becomes a lot easier.

[bhilaianupam]

Thank you everyone! At this point of time, I am slanting slightly towards UC-Irvine. Better advisor options and an Orange County location are sort of tempting compared to UMinn, specially when rankings and reputation do not look like making much of a difference between the two.

 

 

UC Irvine was my alma mater.  It has a great reputation in chemistry.. in fact, Minnesota and Irvine are virtually tied (Irvine leads by 0.2 points) according to the ARWU ranking system. 

 

Irvine is quite expensive and you'll need a car to get around - grad student housing will run you more than $1000/month - and off-campus housing will be somewhere around $1600 - 1800 for a one bedroom apartment.

 

That is an important point related to finances. I will probably select graduate housing, at least for the first year of grad school, for obvious reasons. I just hope the stipend is enough to live off. :\

[longchenkun]

I think UC Irvine is famous for organic chemistry，while in UMN，ChemE and theory Chemistry are its advantages. So I would choose UMN.

[prolixity]

I think UC Irvine is famous for organic chemistry，while in UMN，ChemE and theory Chemistry are its advantages. So I would choose UMN.

UC Irvine is more than just Larry Overman.

[wishfulthinking2]

Climate!!! There's a reason why living in California is so much more expensive than in Minnesota.