How competitive MD Anderson is?

[AjjA]

Receiving a rejection letter from Sloan Kettering made me wondering if it's still a good idea to apply to MD Anderson. How competitive Immunology at MD anderson is? I see the US ranking for University of Texas at Houston falls in the 50s. Yet MD anderson could be one of the top ten at cancer research. 

Edited December 20, 2015 by AjjA

[SushantPuri]

Hi, I also received a rejection from Memorial Sloan Kettering but because one of my referees was a lazy ass and I do not believe he would have uploaded the letter.

To be honest, MSKCC Immunology faculty, although limited in size is top notch. In contrast, MD Anderson lags behind by a huge margin.  Some of their stars have left and the whole department is crumbling. I did research at MD Anderson Immunology and can vouch for the comparatively poor program.  An unheard of place like Rochester trumps MDACC in immunology.

 

But if you do not have any other options, it is worth giving a shot.

[biotechie]

On December 20, 2015 at 8:52 AM, AjjA said:

Receiving a rejection letter from Sloan Kettering made me wondering if it's still a good idea to apply to MD Anderson. How competitive Immunology at MD anderson is? I see the US ranking for University of Texas at Houston falls in the 50s. Yet MD anderson could be one of the top ten at cancer research. 

If you're interested in the program, apply there and make sure all of the positive attributes of your application really shine. Make sure it is somewhere you think you could be happy. I will say that no matter what program you're in or what institution, if it is in the Texas Medical Center, the research environment is amazing. With so many institutions in such a small area, the possibility for collaboration and discussion is nearly endless.

And, I'll say this once again: You should be choosing programs based on how you think you'll fit and how happy you think you'll be. Those are essential for your success. Don't choose based on rank. It's okay to look, but don't let that determine your choices.