PhD Decisions to make; help please :(

[Johnny_Boy]

Hi everyone,

 

I have been admitted to Yale, Northwestern (Mechanical) and U Minnesota Twin Cities (Aerospace) with full 5 year funding (though, I will try to finish within 3-4 years) in all.

 

Ranking wise:

 

Yale = Northwestern > U Minnesota-Twin Cities

 

Professor wise:

 

U Minnesota-Twin Cities > Northwestern = Yale, though, all are still great.

 

Weather wise:

 

Northwestern > Yale > U Minnesota-Twin Cities

 

Research wise:

 

U Minnesota-Twin Cities slightly edges Northwestern and Yale both

 

My dream is to work in a National Laboratory in Computational Fluid Dynamics in future as a research scientist. So if you were me, how would you choose the best school among these schools?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Vene]

As a current resident of Minnesota I think the severity of our weather is exaggerated. And Chicago definitely gets hammered by the same storm systems that hit us, but we're not influenced by Lake Michigan in the way they are. I just don't think that weather should be a major factor in making a decision, especially when you're alreay committed to living in a northern city.

[x13LadeZx]

Since you wanna do cfd, I imagine you wanna work in Patankar's group? I actually work in that lab right now as an undergrad. I don't really know how good cfd programs are at Yale and u Minnesota but Patankar is a great advisor and he has a powerful network to help you get to where you wanna go.

As for weather, northwestern weather can get really bad since we're close to the lake so I think your ranking is a little off...

[Sleepy_Jackiii]

Hi everyone,

 

I have been admitted to Yale, Northwestern (Mechanical) and U Minnesota Twin Cities (Aerospace) with full 5 year funding (though, I will try to finish within 3-4 years) in all.

 

Ranking wise:

 

Yale = Northwestern > U Minnesota-Twin Cities

 

Professor wise:

 

U Minnesota-Twin Cities > Northwestern = Yale, though, all are still great.

 

Weather wise:

 

Northwestern > Yale > U Minnesota-Twin Cities

 

Research wise:

 

U Minnesota-Twin Cities slightly edges Northwestern and Yale both

 

My dream is to work in a National Laboratory in Computational Fluid Dynamics in future as a research scientist. So if you were me, how would you choose the best school among these schools?

 

 

Well, as a matter of fact, after scanning the rankings you've given in your poster, it is obviously that you prefer  U Minnesota-Twin Cities and Yale, rather than Northwestern. The weather is the last thing should be considered, and I also accepted offer from UMTC as well as NWU, but I decide to choose UMTC. UMTC is more suitable for an individual who would like to be a research scientist in future. NWU is prestigous for its Mechanics. And if your interest is in Mechanics, OK,please go ahead. I know little about Yale in ME area. That is my view on these universities. Btw, I have ever been to these universities more than once and the weather in UMTC is not so bad as you imagined. 

Edited April 3, 2014 by Sleepy_Jackiii

[Johnny_Boy]

Thank you all but is there some other people who can put more lights on this issue? Deadline to accept the offers is nearing and I am getting nervous.

[goku_supersayan]

Go to Yale, its most prestigious, it has best ranking among the one mentioned. Moreover, you get to carry the name tag of Yale throughout your life.