Final PhD Decision Help Needed

[Johnny_Boy]

I have been admitted to UIUC, Yale, U Minnesota-Twin Cities and Northwestern with prestigious fellowships and full PhD funding. However, based on visits and discussion here on Forum, I have narrowed down my list to U Minnesota-Twin Cities and Northwestern.

 

U Minnesota-Twin Cities Aerospace Engineering: has the best professor in my field in US if not in the world; more specifically in reacting and hyper-sonic flows (I am an international student, though :/) that are my strong research interests. I will also have opportunities to go to NASA Ames Research Center at California to work in a non-ITAR project that uses his code. So it should be great fun. Strong ties to NASA.

 

Northwestern: It has one of the best professors in C.F.D. (Biological Propulsion) who publishes papers in Nature, Science and other high impact factor journals. I like his research works but never done in that area specifically as I worked more in reacting and hyper-sonic flows. Furthermore, Northwestern is more prestigious in over all university ranking and flexible. I am guaranteed to get summer internships at Ford/ other great companies. Strong ties to Argonne National lab (great for CFD).

 

I want to be a research scientist in a National Lab. Both professors are very powerful who can land me anywhere I want. 

 

Only 4 days are left :/

 

So can anyone help me to solve the problem in the simpliest and easiest way?

 

Thank you in advance 

[thegirldetective]

Here is how I would think about it:

 

Consider it a wash between the two professors. Both are fantastic and will open a lot of doors for you.

 

Which place would you rather live? Did you get to talk to the students in either program? Which group seemed happier, which group did you like better?

 

What about the mentoring styles of the professors? Is one more hands off, the other more hands on? How often do they meet with trainees? Will you have a lot of flexibility in what projects you work on, or will they tell you exactly what to do? Which style to your prefer?

[NoSleepTilBreuckelen]

I second the above post! I am in a similar situation where I have my list narrowed to two, but I'm so excited about both programs and I don't really know what to do. I know I'll be happy at each and doing good work toward my future career goals, so I think it's really do to city/quality of life at this point… Keep us posted!

Edited April 12, 2014 by NoSleepTilBreuckelen

[x13LadeZx]

What school did you decide on?

[Johnny_Boy]

Hey guys, I have decided to go to U Minnesota-Twin Cities as I felt I was more interested to work with a professor there. I am really glad with my decision. Best wishes to everyone up there.