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As I'm thinking about where to apply to grad school for a PhD (probably in econ), I'm curious to know what distinguishes programs that give good experiences from those that don't. I'm going to start by listing some of the things that come to mind and I'm hoping to get additional comments from those who have gone through such a program. 1) Funding. Those programs that offer $25K or less of funding in an expensive area to live seem to compile the stress of studying and research. Those programs that offer more might be much more pleasant to be at. 2) TA/RA Work. Those programs that give pure fellowships (at least for some years) rather than requiring you to be a TA or RA seem to have less stress and be more enjoyable. You can focus on studying and research. 3) Location. It is great to be in a location that you enjoy. 4) Support. If you have to struggle to find faculty who will take the time to talk with you, that seems like it will be a bad experience. 5) Attrition. Along the lines of (4), if you are in a large program where they expect a large fraction of incoming students to be weeded out, that will likely make for a less enjoyable experience. It seems better to be part of a program where they do all they can to help you succeed. I suppose this would show up in their completion numbers. 6) Physical environment. It is better to be at nice facilities than dilapidated buildings. 7) Placement. It is hard to be at a university where you know that you will have a hard time finding a good job at the end. I suppose you'll find your motivation drained from you when you see people getting their PhDs in your program and then struggling with employment. How would you rank the relative importance of these factors? Are there others I am missing.

For everyone who is in a highly ranked business school pursuing a PhD, could you share your experiences about your quality of life? I'm interested in a few questions such as: How do you manage your personal finances? Tell me about your quality of life from a financial perspective. For those in their first two years: how do you manage your coursework alongside your TA/RA duties? For those in their last two to three years: how you manage your disertation work alongside your TA/RA duties? What does your day-to-day workday look like? How do you manage your time? Describe some of the stresses and anxieties you encounter. What is most frustrating about your experience as a graduate student? Thank you for your guidance! I'm currently considering applying to business PhD program in strategy and management, and I am trying to get a better idea of what the day-to-day existence of a graduate student is like. I'm currently a senior mathematics major at a top 10 liberal arts college who has been involved in research/teaching asssitant jobs during the academic year and two corporate internships in the energy and financial services industries. Any advice to help me better understand what life as a graduate student is like would be very much appreciated!