danielsenhwong.com » graduate school http://blog.danielsenhwong.com Tue, 22 Feb 2011 01:54:46 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.1 Comparing Schools http://blog.danielsenhwong.com/2011/02/comparing-schools/ http://blog.danielsenhwong.com/2011/02/comparing-schools/#comments Fri, 11 Feb 2011 22:54:04 +0000 dan http://blog.danielsenhwong.com/?p=101 This is a work in progress.

If I attend , it might mean that I head down a basic science path. I’m not sure at what point I’d be able to mash tissue engineering into my career, if ever. Angiogenesis comes close, but isn’t really the same thing. Also, lots of friends here, but I’m worried that if I attend and become the ridiculous student I should have been as an undergrad, people will hold it against me. Social currency is money, of which I have and will have little.

If I attend , I can mash tissue engineering into my career immediately. There are at least three different laboratories I could rotate through that, at the very least, have collaborations which involve tissue engineering. I also have a few friends here, but they’re all in school and similarly busy. Social currency is intelligence, which is great.

If I attend , I’m not sure what I’d really be doing. Genetic Medicine research looks very interesting, but tissue engineering is not something that is done here. Few friends in the area. High cost of living without much justification. Social currency: connections.

Table below.

Research Basic Science: stem cell biology, developmental biology – angiogenesis Basic Science: cell, molecular, and developmental biology – tissue engineering applications Basic science
Stipend $32,890 $30,000 $27,000
Health Insurance Included, same coverage as faculty. Included, same coverage as faculty, $3,400 annually Included, $1,650 annually
Housing Costs $1000/mo. ($850 – $1600), very close to campus (< 1 mi.) $850/mo. ($600 – $1500), range of options. Most reasonably-priced will be ~2-5 mi. from campus, in vibrant neighborhoods, with easy transit connections. $850/mo. ($600 – $1500), range of options. Most reasonably-priced will be ~2-5 mi. from campus, in varying neighborhoods, most with annoying transit connections.
Size of Incoming Class ~50 ~16 (?) ~10
Rotations Four. In DB: rotate in labs with different model systems. Select lab after fourth rotation. Four. No restrictions. Select lab after fourth rotation. Three. Four possible, but not common.
Academic Atmosphere Collegial, friendly. Collaboration encouraged, but evidence not shown during interview. Collegial, friendly. Collaboration encouraged, and very evident from interdisciplinary work with engineering school at main campus. Collegial, friendly. Older lab format rather than newer open lab arrangement.
Student Happiness High? High Medium?
Professional Development Grant-writing course offered, required. If grant/fellowship is earned and awarded following second year, reward from institution is a trip to any int’l conference, or a computer < $2500. Grant-writing courses available, not required, not well-developed? Can take course at other local institutions. Grant-writing, scientific writing course required.
Campus Location Excellent. Downtown. Very walkable neighborhood, many transportation options. Walking is a viable option if transit is unavailable, though housing options make transit unnecessary. Biking is definitely possible, though, again, likely unnecessary. Excellent. Downtown. Very walkable neighborhood, many transportation options. Walking might be a viable option if transit is unavailable (~60 minutes). Biking is definitely possible; secure bike storage available with registration. Just outside downtown. Several transportation options. Walking might be a viable option if transit is unavailable (~60 minutes). Biking is definitely possible; bike storage unknown.
Public Transit Excellent, 24/7 Excellent, 6am-midnight. On one line, but within six blocks of several others. Depends. 5:30am-11:30pm. Frequent delays. Accessible only by two lines which share the same track.
Safety unknown unknown unknown
Airport Accessibility Mediocre, depends on airport. Allow 60-90 minutes for travel. Excellent. Allow 45 minutes for travel. Depends on airport. One is excellent, the other two are mediocre at best. Allow 45 minutes travel for the first, 90+minutes for the other two.
Student Life Student council appears to be very active; weekly happy hours. Student very involved, at least with respect to interviews and admissions. Not certain about weekly happy hours; outing seem to be coordinated by department. Graduate Student Association. Very little exposure to graduate students during interview and on tours.
Facilities Excellent facilities, more than ample resources. Primary building is new (< 20 y/o), oldest relevant building 20-40 y/o. Excellent facilities, sufficient resources. They even have an oligo synthesis core! Primary building is brand-new or renovated (< 10 y/o), oldest relevant building is 20-30 y/o. Older building in the process of being renovated. Core facilities not emphasized, and no one was particularly excited about talking to me about them.
Athletics Facilities Unknown quality; located at main campus (< 2 mi.) and shared with undergrads. Brand-new, on-campus. Reasonable size. Gym membership to school facilities shared with undergrads provided first two years. Facilities not shown.
Are Faculty Interested? Yes! One (JVT) actively sought me out during the time between interviews, and another (MT) has offered a rotation position. Positive encouragement from every interviewer for my research goals. Every interviewer sent congratulatory e-mails w/in one week of receiving acceptance. Yes? One (IH) thought my question about his work would make for a good project. Positive encouragement from every interviewer for my research goals. Depends on airport. One is excellent, the other two are mediocre at best. Allow 45 minutes travel for the first, 90+minutes for the other two.
New City? No, but different neighborhood. Yes. No.
Excited? Very! Low initial expectations, but thoroughly impressed. Very! High expectations to start, and were exceeded. Not very.
]]> http://blog.danielsenhwong.com/2011/02/comparing-schools/feed/ 1 Graduate Schools, Ph.D. Programs http://blog.danielsenhwong.com/2010/03/graduate-schools-ph-d-programs/ http://blog.danielsenhwong.com/2010/03/graduate-schools-ph-d-programs/#comments Sun, 14 Mar 2010 18:10:27 +0000 dan http://blog.danielsenhwong.com/?p=72 I just found my copy of the U.S. News & World Report Graduate School Rankings. Skimming through the admission statistics they have for each engineering school, I am only more sure that I should be doing this. I am qualified to gain admission; I just need to prove it to the admissions committees and the departments to which I am applying.

Two rejections have already been sent to me, and in better economic conditions, it would be pretty obvious what they meant. However, knowing that the applicant pool is much larger now, it’s not quite as clear.

The factors that could negatively impact my application are my undergraduate GPA, my lack of experience in biomedical engineering-specific research, the strength of my recommendation letters, and the strength of my own statement of purpose. The first and third items in that list are not things I can change, and the second would be difficult, though not impossible to improve.

This whole situation is frustrating, sure, but I’ve had a lot of support. Some people have been more helpful than others, however. Telling me that I’m definitely qualified and that I should apply again later is great; telling me that you don’t think I should go to graduate school now because it’ll be competitive, or that I won’t be as wealthy as quickly is not. At best, this line of thinking is a transparent cover and distraction for one’s own selfish interests.

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