[MD2005]

Hi, I am a newly admitted students to the biology PhD program at UConn and I'd like to know more about the school and the area. Can you guys give me some advice?

Is it hard to graduate from UConn? Get a PhD? Are teachers nice there? How is the people there? friendly? About storrs, how is the life around? What can you do for fun? Is the life expensive there, I only get around $18,000/year as a TA.

Forgive me that I have so many questions, just really want to know more about the school and the area. My only knowledge about CT is from gilmore girls, my favourite show, kind of crazy, ha? And I also get an offer from University of Notre dame, so I have to choose one. ND has a better rank but a worse graduate program, and it's a catholic school, but I belong to no churches. If I don't want a too busy life and I'd like to have some fun, Which one should I go, some advice ?

I really appreciate your help.

[MD2005]

anyone there, I need your advice.

[Erin1264]

Hi there,

UConn has a great reputation academically. I don't think you'd be disappointed with your choice.

The area around the university is quite rural, but there is a mall close-by in Manchester and plenty of bars and things that the students go to.

I have several friends who have attended UConn and really loved it! Sorry I can't give you any first hand advice. The place is so big that I am sure you will get some alumns to weigh in.

[kd83]

I did my undergrad work at Uconn. Overall a great experience. You will get much more as a grad student in the science dept than I did as an undergrad in the science dept. They are very grad student focused there and the grad students and professors seem to build a very strong relationship and bond while the undergrad students seem to get shafted by that same relationship. I graduated with a degree and math and statistics but it wasnt easy. It required a lotttt of hardwork and bullsh*tting. The fact that is is set in a rural area is actually good b/c I found myself getting to know the university better instead of always going to shops and whatnot. When I was going to school in a city I found it much harder to buckle down and get to know my own campus and make the best use of what was offered (at the University of South Carolina in downtwon columbia). Some people make life expensive b/c they endulge in many expensive things, but I went in with 200 dollars in a savings account and graduated with only 12,500 in student loans, so its all how smart you are with money and what you waste (or dont waste) your money on. Enrollment at Uconn has become as stringent as some of the "top" schools in the nation, so you should be proud of yourself for getting in, and even moreso if you find yourself succeeding while there. Personally I would not go back as an undergraduate, but I do not feel the same way about grad school. In grad school you are there for a challenge and an education. Social life is not as much of a concern as it is for undergrads, so in the aspects of a challenging and rewarding education in grad school, Uconn is among the best. Good luck. If you have any questions feel free to pm me.


heres a link so you can see how it is for undergrads...(I know thats not exactly grad but it gives an idea of the level school it is) Notice only 3,142 out of almost 21,000 applicants were accepted. Granted the average student there is not as "smart" *cough cough* as students applying to the Ivy League schools, but thats actually a smaller accpetance rate than Brown and Dartmouth, and almost as low as Princeton and Harvard. Again tho I would not repeat undergrad there, only grad school.

[uconn99]

Great school, nightlife not too far away in Hartford. A couple smaller bars on campus that are usually packed, and always a keger. UConn is one of the larger on campus party schools in the nation since there really isn't anything around. But you probably don't want these things since you will be hard at studying!!!



Have fun, enjoy the campus which is among of the nicer ones in the country and go to some basketball games!