Cornell-Chemistry Graduate Program

[rockzz]

Hey guys! As far as I'm concerned, application season is over for me now (thankfully!), and at this point, I think its very likely that I will accept Cornell's offer, and I am curious if anyone else on this forum is seriously considering Cornell. So like the other program specific threads, I am curious about your thoughts/plans on any of the following questions:

1. Are you going to visit Cornell, and if so, which weekend?

2. Is Cornell one of your top choices?

3. What do you see as the pros and cons of the program and the surrounding Ithaca area?

4. Which PIs do you think are most famous/well-regarded OR which PIs would you be interested in working for?

Please feel free to share any additional thoughts !   

Edited February 2, 2015 by rockzz

[HAF9113]

Hi, I'm going to visit in march. I am interested in Prof. Chen's group and Prof. Park's group, they are doing great work on nanotechnologies.I want to work for Prof. Abruna too, but I don't think he is taking students this year. I don't know much about the program but I visited ithaca once. It's a great place if you are into healthy eating! They have a really good farmers' market and a wegmans. Most of their restaurants offer vegan/vegetarian dishes. But like most schools, it's in the middle of nowhere, and the housing is expensive ( prob b/c I don't want to have any roommates). It also has freezing cold long winter. 

 

My question is how many professors you are planing to talk to? What kind of questions are you going to ask? 

Edited February 2, 2015 by HAF9113

[rockzz]

Hey, I too am planning to visit in March weekend as mentioned in the offer letter. Actually I really want to work with Prof. Abruna. Also, Prof. Coates' work involving polymers is of great interest to me. From what I have come to know about the place, yes the winter there is too harsh and that is a bit cringing for me. I am not at all aware of what sort of accommodation I will be taking, though on-campus one would be my preference.

 

I am planning to talk to a minimum of 5 professors whose work I can relate to my interests though till now I haven't gone through the publications of most of them.

Questions, I haven't really thought of much yet but most probably they would be kind of general and interaction with their graduate students can also help in this regard. 

 

Okay, I was wondering what if we do not get the advisor of our choice ? Also, have you made up your mind to go to Cornell or, yet waiting for admits from other universities?

Edited February 2, 2015 by rockzz

[Kinetic Isotope Defect]

I'm visiting Cornell! I'm going to the February weekend actually, as it allowed me to schedule more visits to other schools in. Right now, I'm seriously considering Cornell's offer and will likely attend if I'm not accepted to UMichigan after my interview (which is this weekend, holy crap!). I'm Minnesotan, so the cold and snow doesn't bother me too much, and there aren't many other cons that I can think of at the moment. That may change after I visit though.

 

I'm especially interested in the research of Professors Aye, Lin and Crane. I mainly plan on asking about their current research and where they see themselves headed over the next decade in terms of focus. I'll probably talk to grad students about stuff like cost of living, what living in Ithaca is like, which PI's to avoid, and other stuff that of that nature.

Edited February 2, 2015 by KineticIsotopeDefect

[HAF9113]

I am also considering UMich. They have a better analytical program and I got multiple personal emails from their professors after being admitted. But right now I am leaning more toward Cornell, because they have excellent nanotech research facilities and I have some friends there already. They also pay me better.

 

I have been in contact with Prof. Chen since last summer, so I am 90% sure I can get in his group if I fit well in his group and I am okay with his advising style. I am not sure what we can do if we can't get profs of our choice; however, from their website, profs who are taking students this year will give lectures at the beginning of fall semester, I guess it won't be hard to find other profs we want to work for.( They have 30-40 new grad students each year) Prof Coates is a really famous prof in his field and Prof Aye is a rising star based on all the awards she got recently. I think they are both great professors to work for. I also heard from last year's students that they do some sort of rotations before choosing an advisor, but it's not stated on the website so I am not sure about it. 

 

In addition to general questions, I also want to ask about their research collaborations and other funding possibilities.

 

I was wondering is it really bad that I end up not choosing my POI as my advisor because I don't like his advising style or his group? (just saying) 

Edited February 3, 2015 by HAF9113

[HAF9113]

just found this video