Physics: UIUC vs UCLA All kinds of Help Appreciated

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Please take a vote, really really appreciate

UIUC
5
45%
UCLA
6
55%
 
Total votes: 11

ZEROLAN
Posts: 1
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Physics: UIUC vs UCLA All kinds of Help Appreciated

Post by ZEROLAN » Sat Apr 09, 2011 12:21 am

UIUC CPLC fellowship 30000/y
UCLA Fellows+TA 42000/y

International Student, Potential Area: Biophysics
UIUC has better physics (13 Nobel laureates) while UCLA has a better reputation and location.
And my potential advisor in UCLA is the inventer of coherent imaging technic.

For biophysics, UIUC has Center for Physics of Living Cells (CPLC) and UCLA has California Nanosystems Institute (CNSI).
But I am not sure whether CNSI can improve UCLA's biophysics? I also wish someone here can answer this question.

Any suggestions? I'll appreciate any kind of opinion.

I am so entangled in these two...

vesperlynd
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Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2009 9:28 am

Re: Physics: UIUC vs UCLA All kinds of Help Appreciated

Post by vesperlynd » Sat Apr 09, 2011 1:34 pm

A few things:
1) The offers are probably comparable when you consider cost of living.
2) If you don't like corn fields (there's not much to do in Urbana), then go to UCLA for sure.
3) I spent 3 months at UCLA during one summer, and was really impressed by the breadth of research in the department. If you are interested in anything related to medical purposes, go to UCLA. Their hospital/med school is one of the best in the country.
4) You are right in that UIUC has a slightly better physics department. How that will impact anything I don't know. I counted up the number of faculty coming from UIUC versus UCLA at the so-called top schools - the numbers did not turn out to be all that different. If you were going into condensed matter, this would be a different story.

pqortic
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Re: Physics: UIUC vs UCLA All kinds of Help Appreciated

Post by pqortic » Sat Apr 09, 2011 1:57 pm

Did you check other group members, post docs, and the recent publications of either programs? to me, it seems UIUC has better records. but if you are kind of person who cares much about having fun during your PhD, these two are not comparable. UCLA is by far much better plus that they are offering pretty good funding.

and post your profile too.

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HappyQuark
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Re: Physics: UIUC vs UCLA All kinds of Help Appreciated

Post by HappyQuark » Sat Apr 09, 2011 2:00 pm

ZEROLAN wrote:UIUC CPLC fellowship 30000/y
UCLA Fellows+TA 42000/y

International Student, Potential Area: Biophysics
UIUC has better physics (13 Nobel laureates) while UCLA has a better reputation and location.
And my potential advisor in UCLA is the inventer of coherent imaging technic.

For biophysics, UIUC has Center for Physics of Living Cells (CPLC) and UCLA has California Nanosystems Institute (CNSI).
But I am not sure whether CNSI can improve UCLA's biophysics? I also wish someone here can answer this question.

Any suggestions? I'll appreciate any kind of opinion.

I am so entangled in these two...
In terms of funding and living expenses it's probably going to be a wash. As far as research goes, the only piece of advice I have for you is that if you think there is a reasonably good chance you will approach biophysics from a condensed matter perspective (as it seems the majority of biophysics does) then go to UIUC.

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grae313
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Re: Physics: UIUC vs UCLA All kinds of Help Appreciated

Post by grae313 » Sat Apr 09, 2011 2:24 pm

I'd disagree -- I think $30,000 at UIUC is *way* more than $42,000 at UCLA. Plus, once the fellowship runs out you have to compare UIUC's standard stipend to UCLAs standard stipend and I bet it still goes a lot farther at Illinois.

That's just money though, other things are more important.

I don't know why the OP says UCLA has a better reputation... UIUC is like top 3 in the world in CM.

vesperlynd
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Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2009 9:28 am

Re: Physics: UIUC vs UCLA All kinds of Help Appreciated

Post by vesperlynd » Sat Apr 09, 2011 3:11 pm

grae313 wrote:I don't know why the OP says UCLA has a better reputation... UIUC is like top 3 in the world in CM.
I'd disagree -- I think $30,000 at UIUC is *way* more than $42,000 at UCLA. Plus, once the fellowship runs out you have to compare UIUC's standard stipend to UCLAs standard stipend and I bet it still goes a lot farther at Illinois.

That's just money though, other things are more important.

I don't know why the OP says UCLA has a better reputation... UIUC is like top 3 in the world in CM.
As far as cost of living, I stand corrected: according to this, $30K in Urbana is like $49K is LA. http://www.bestplaces.net/col/?salary=3 ... 2=50644000

However, from what I know about UCLA's offer, the OP gets two years of guarenteed on-campus housing, which is cheaper than living in Westwood unless you have roommates in the same bedroom. Also, the OP continues to get $5K in fellowships after the first year. It might be more.

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grae313
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Re: Physics: UIUC vs UCLA All kinds of Help Appreciated

Post by grae313 » Sat Apr 09, 2011 3:59 pm

vesperlynd wrote:
grae313 wrote:I don't know why the OP says UCLA has a better reputation... UIUC is like top 3 in the world in CM.
I'd disagree -- I think $30,000 at UIUC is *way* more than $42,000 at UCLA. Plus, once the fellowship runs out you have to compare UIUC's standard stipend to UCLAs standard stipend and I bet it still goes a lot farther at Illinois.

That's just money though, other things are more important.

I don't know why the OP says UCLA has a better reputation... UIUC is like top 3 in the world in CM.
As far as cost of living, I stand corrected: according to this, $30K in Urbana is like $49K is LA. http://www.bestplaces.net/col/?salary=3 ... 2=50644000

However, from what I know about UCLA's offer, the OP gets two years of guarenteed on-campus housing, which is cheaper than living in Westwood unless you have roommates in the same bedroom. Also, the OP continues to get $5K in fellowships after the first year. It might be more.
Cool, thanks for looking this up.

I'd imagine we agree that, either way, it's plenty to live off of and as such should be an ancillary concern.

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WhoaNonstop
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Re: Physics: UIUC vs UCLA All kinds of Help Appreciated

Post by WhoaNonstop » Sat Apr 09, 2011 6:18 pm

grae313 wrote:I'd disagree -- I think $30,000 at UIUC is *way* more than $42,000 at UCLA. Plus, once the fellowship runs out you have to compare UIUC's standard stipend to UCLAs standard stipend and I bet it still goes a lot farther at Illinois.
Of course it's already been said, but to clarify $30,000 is a lot of money for the midwest. Living expenses in "rural" Illinois are quite a bit cheaper than anywhere in California.

-Riley

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sphy
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Re: Physics: UIUC vs UCLA All kinds of Help Appreciated

Post by sphy » Mon Apr 11, 2011 2:43 pm

WhoaNonstop wrote:
grae313 wrote:I'd disagree -- I think $30,000 at UIUC is *way* more than $42,000 at UCLA. Plus, once the fellowship runs out you have to compare UIUC's standard stipend to UCLAs standard stipend and I bet it still goes a lot farther at Illinois.
Of course it's already been said, but to clarify $30,000 is a lot of money for the midwest. Living expenses in "rural" Illinois are quite a bit cheaper than anywhere in California.

-Riley
I agree.



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