Bio phd's continued

[pyle112]

So my final list for Biological Sciences PHD:

 

Cornell-Ithaca

NYU Med-Sackler

 

still waiting on my rejections from Columbia Morningside campus and Cornell Weill.

 

Anyone have any advice on which program is better. I think they are both equal in faculty and research, from my perspective. Cornell seems to have more of the prestige factor. Tough choice.

[housecleaning]

Congrats, pyle! Those are great schools. I would probably choose Cornell, but for no particular reason.

[crackerj]

Cornell is good but Sackler is also reputable for medical research... It really depends on what you really want to do during PhD.

[hyped_applicant]

Congrats!

 

If I'm not mistaken, NYU ranks higher than Cornell. But more important is looking at the faculty which you're interested in working with. Also, consider which place would you enjoy living the most (after all, NYC and Ithaca are VERY different - you'll probably love one and hate the other, depending on your personality).

 

However, I do understand it's hard to turn down an Ivy offer. Believe me, I've been there! Still, after a lot of thinking, I was able to do it (in my case, decline Columbia).

 

Good luck!

[pyle112]

Congrats!

 

If I'm not mistaken, NYU ranks higher than Cornell. But more important is looking at the faculty which you're interested in working with. Also, consider which place would you enjoy living the most (after all, NYC and Ithaca are VERY different - you'll probably love one and hate the other, depending on your personality).

 

However, I do understand it's hard to turn down an Ivy offer. Believe me, I've been there! Still, after a lot of thinking, I was able to do it (in my case, decline Columbia).

 

Good luck!

 

Hey thanks for the advice. I do admit this is a tough decision for me. Where did you read that NYU ranks higher? Also, for what non-ivy school did you turn Columbia down for and what factors influenced your decision?

 

edit:

Hey hyped, I just read your ordeal written in your thread about deciding between northwestern and columbia. very enlightening. its still a hard choice for me. although you mentioned that the prestige of a graduate school isnt the same as that of an undergraduate it still opens doors for you outside of science. i do have to admit that NYU sackler has been quite accomodating and have even allowed me admission into the NIH structural biology program even though I had submitted no application. personal issues actually are what are keeping me in NYC, but I still don't know...

[hyped_applicant]

although you mentioned that the prestige of a graduate school isnt the same as that of an undergraduate it still opens doors for you outside of science.

 

I didn't say prestige is unimportant for grad schools. What I did say was that the ivy league tag doesn't have the same weight as it does in undergrad school. Take, for instance, Brown. It's ivy, still it ranks quite low in Biology grad programs. In the other hand, you have schools like Caltech, MIT, John Hopkins and UCSF. Not ivy, but still la crème de la crème in biological research. In other words: prestige is important - but ivy league doesn't necessarily equal presigious in grad school. Columbia, contrary to Brown however, is ivy and ranks high in Biology. Still I had plenty of reasons to choose Northwestern. As for the Cornell X NYU rankings, I saw it in a study conducted by the National Academy of Science. It's not as recent as the USNews rankings, but it was free. I'm trying to find the link again so I can post it here (one day I'll start bookmarking pages and that won't happen anymore :whistle: ).

[pyle112]

hey hyped, I found this exceptional resource for research institution rankings and its pretty up to date: http://thecenter.ufl.edu/research2004.html

 

edit:

 

and heres the National Academy of Sciences rankings from 1993 that you mentioned

 

http://books.nap.edu/html/researchdoc/researchdoc_intexp.html

[hyped_applicant]

Great site! Too bad they don't break down the rankings in different areas. It's just research. Still it's very valuable information... and free of charge! Thanks!

[monday_tree]

well hello

 

sorry about crashing the thread but I am getting a little desperate!!

 

Hyped-congratulations of Northwestern...they did finally ding me...none of usual platitudes either...if your going to ruin someone's day at least do it gently Northwestern!!

Here is my problem- and i would really really appreciate any help or words of wisdom

 

I have been admitted to the Microbiology department at the University of Texas at Austin and also the CBMG program at the University of Maryland at college park. The Money at Austin is better than that at Maryland and I wouldn't have to teach for the first year, which i would at Maryland. Besides that, my interests lie in Virology and Microbial pathogenesis.

 

As you know, decisions need to be made by the 15th and the clock is a-ticking!

 

what are your reactions to these two schools? do you know anything about them or about the programs?

 

also, how late can i inform them of my decision? ( late 15th...early 14th...?)

 

 

And my two bits to the original post, Congratulations man!! I honestly don't think you can go very wrong with either school. If you are already in NY and want to stay, ( and i can't say i blame you...) then hurray sackler!! Cornell is superb too though.

 

the thing about rankings when you get to schools of such high calibre is that its just splitting hairs. they are both superb and you need to consider other factors into your decison.