Your Top Choice?

[pietjekanarie]

My first choice is Columbia. The program and the opportunities NYC would give me are great.. I would love to spend some time in the States anyway. I'm applying for a Master's degree only, so the university won't give me funding. I applied for a total amount of 80,000 Euros of funding from my home country, so if I get accepted, I'm only going when the funding will be forthcoming. Living in NYC and tremendous tuition fees will result in huge debts otherwise. I had a really positive interview with Cambridge last weak and I think I make a pretty good chance there, so I'm happy to end up in the UK if I won't get the funding and pay just 3,250 Pounds tuition instead of 30,000 somewhat USD.

By the way, I'm not looking at the climate at all. I would love to live in California for that of course! I'm sure I can survive though, after having spent time in Canada.

Edited February 13, 2010 by pietjekanarie

[NachoConnoisseur]

Aww, thanks, that would be fantastic!

[waytooold]

Big Red. I spent 800 dollars to go and visit and meet and talk with people, fell in love.....now, I just wait....

[anxiousapplicant]

(I'm in political science.) I'm really crossing my fingers for WUSTL. I will be pretty devastated if I get rejected. I'd be happy with Brown, too. But WUSTL is my top choice.

[joro]

My top choice is Texas A&M's Visualization Science program. It's the program I've been dreaming about going to for a while now. They have all the classes I would love to take, research in areas I'm interested in, and the alumni work in incredibly awesome positions at companies I dream of working at. Waiting till mid-March for an answer is becoming tough. I'm starting to doubt that I'll get in.

[sapling]

MIT, Operations Research Center, is my NO. 0 dream school, because MIT is a fantastics place to march off into acadamic career. One of my recommenders graduated from there, and I hope I can be alluminus of his. But still no news about admission from MIT so far...waiting and blessing...

[♀HealthMatters]

I have applied to five schools for my MA in history (US, 1945-present, focusing on women and war, gender, and the effects of the Cold War/Vietnam war on American culture). I applied to Temple, GW, UMass Amherst, Tufts, and UF. If I got my pick *fingers crossed that I get in to one, never mind having a choice* I would most likely go to Temple. Philly is a great location for American history, and the department's strength's are my interest areas. I've spoken to the head of the department and he seemed to think I'd be a good fit, as well as a potential adviser who commented that my ug research was interesting and well in-line with the department. But, you know, I'm not picky. I just want my Masters then PhD!

[mppgal55]

I'm applying for my Masters in Public Policy. I'm scared to even think about my top choices because I don't want to get my hopes up and not get in...But, if I'm being honest, it is definitely Duke. After that, Carnegie Mellon and Michigan tie for 2nd. I really like Duke because they have daytime classes, are client-oriented, and don't limit post-grad location (can work anywhere, not just NYC or DC). Also, the program is small and personalized, and they have energy classes available, which is my focus area. Michigan and Carnegie Mellon are closer to my home, which is nice, and also don't really limit on location and have daytime classes. The prestige factor doesn't hurt, especially since I went to a lower-reputed state school for undergrad (loved it, but not helpful with the job search!).

I doubt I'll get in to any of those programs, especially because this year seems very competitive. So, I'm trying to convince myself of GW, as I've been accepted already. I HATE waiting, though! It is driving me crazy, so much so that I've started dreaming about it. How sad is that?

[bikefarm]

Harvard and/or Michigan.

[The Pseudo grad student]

University of Florida where the weather is warm all the time and the research is just as hot!

My second choice would be UIUC, I did a Summer REU there and loved it but sadly enough did not apply for the school this year as I know how competitive it is and I know that I'll be rejected

[afritz87]

I applied to 7 schools but really truly only want to go to University of Georgia, and specifically the Odum School of Ecology. Had an amazing recruitment weekend visit there, and loved the location. The program is ranked 7th, I think, for Ecology Ph.D programs, and is really the single best place for what I want to study, which is wildlife disease ecology.

Second choice might be Virginia Tech, but I haven't had an interview there so we'll see.

[Lousy Test taker]

My top choices are Northwestern,Einstein and UW Seattle. I heard back from Northwestern a couple of days ago and it was a tad disappointing to have a first reject. However, I still have my hopes up especially for Einstein as it has a very good drug design and discovery program. Seattle again has some very good research going in my field of interest, so NYC or Seattle I am gonna live it up

[VUbrat08]

I want to go to Columbia College Chicago so badly I can taste it.

[2010international]

I want them all to want me as badly as I want them. Too much to ask?

But I guess it would have to be between UPenn and Brown (if I get into the latter...)

[RNadine21]

I'm flip flopping between NC State and College of Charleston.

Charleston has a great reputation in marine biology, great location, ability to work with multiple organizations including NOAA, and I interned there this past summer so I got great connections which also helped me with other schools and I'm sure will help me in the future. But it's not too accessible an area for someone with no car (such as lil ol' me) so I'd either have to beg my family to help me get a car or get really creative.

NC State, has a good program, but in Biology, and the program is currently getting revamped (previously the zoology dept) so it's a little of a mess at the moment. But I liked the people I've talked to, it's in a decent-sized city that's more accessible without a car, and it's a new environment (which I'm craving at the moment). Plus it's a bigger school than where I currently am, so lots more new people to meet!

So we'll see....

[Jennifer]

Sigh, this thread is troubling to me because I hate to see so many of us admitting how badly we'd like to attend one specific school/program. For me, it's Georgetown because of lots of reasons (prestige, unranked program, wanting to live in D.C, libraries at my disposal). I even had to apply after the scholarship deadline and would do horrible things in order to finance going there (just kidding, for the most part)

I also applied to American which would mean D.C which is my goal and it could come with funding and a better option for teaching, which is what I want to do while I get my M.A, in order to decide if I'll go forward in getting a PHD.

I just want to know already! I only picked 5 schools thinking it was enough of a variety but I'm unemployed and living back at home while I wait to make my next move which makes all of this soooooooooooo much more painfully agonizing. UGH