US Universities with excellent Biology programs?

[Monique]

I'm crazy. I moved from the US back to the Netherlands to start a research career here, but I am not satisfied and want to move back to the US..

I want to know which Universities are known for their Biology programs and if those are nice cities to live in. I could just stop working on whatever I am working on right now and study hard to enter a PhD program. When are the usual application deadlines anyway? Lol, this is really inpulsive thinking..

 

[Monique]

How about princeton.. I've been told they are good :)

 

[Monique]

I've made up my mind, I'm going to Princeton.. who cares that only 1 in 7 get admission, my background is strong enough that they can't refuse me :) Greg, you'll write me a recommendation letter right?

I'll regret this though when homesickness starts to kick in again.. I'll just convince my parents to emmigrate or something :)

 

[hypnagogue]

You might also want to check out UCSF, Monique. They have an extremely highly regarded grad program that focuses entirely on biology and the like. Anything biology field you're interested in, you could probably study there, along with lots of opportunities (I imagine) for lots of interdisciplinary biology studies.

http://www.ucsf.edu/academics/schools.html

Princeton is a good school, but you mentioned a nice place to live too. Which would you pick, San Francisco or JERSEY?

 

[brum]

so you want somewhere relatively warm?


in other words, how far north would you be willing to go?

 

[Tsu]

Originally posted by hypnagogue
You might also want to check out UCSF, Monique. They have an extremely highly regarded grad program that focuses entirely on biology and the like. Anything biology field you're interested in, you could probably study there, along with lots of opportunities (I imagine) for lots of interdisciplinary biology studies.

http://www.ucsf.edu/academics/schools.html

Princeton is a good school, but you mentioned a nice place to live too. Which would you pick, San Francisco or JERSEY?

YES! MONIQUE! SAN FRANCISCO! If you love Amsterdam, you'll LOVE San Francisco. I lived there for several years and just LOVED it! It is a wonderful city with excellent restaurants and SO many things to do. I learned to fly stunt-kites while living there - one of the more really FUN things I like to do. I actually flew a chain of 25 kites at the SF Marina Green - dang near got lifed off my feet and dumped into the bay by those kites! Good thing my kite buddies had a hold of the belt-loops on my jeans or I'd have been a floater!
YEAH! SF! Ivan and I will come visit! (But don't let THAT scare you off )
If you like to camp, one of the most beautiful campgrounds I've ever seen in my life is a few hours north of SF (just south of Eureka). Yeah! Let's go camping! EVO! Wanna go camping with us?

 

[Evo]

I LOVE CAMPING! Just tell me when and where!

 

[dduardo]

What about coming to Miami. You get nice weather, beaches, and lots of parties.

Here are some links about south florida:

Key Biscayne:
http://www.key-biscayne.com/

South Beach:
http://www.sobenightsonline.com/

Everglades National Park:
http://www.florida-everglades.com/

And if you interested in actually studying, here are some peoples' webpages you can look through. Most of the biological research done at the University of Miami is focused on animal and plant ecology, mostly because of the everglades, but they also do some cellular and DNA stuff.

http://www.bio.miami.edu/people.html

 

[chroot]

May I put in my $0.02? Not only is SF one of the best cities in the world, we have a number of world-class universities within a short drive here: UCSF, UC Berkeley (also known as simply "Cal") and Stanford.

I live about a mile from Stanford, or about 15 minutes south of SF, and I can attest to the academic prowess AND the great quality of life here.

- Warren

 

[Evo]

Monique, here is a ranking of the top graduate schools in the US in biology. Stanford is #1. My best friend's husband chose Stanford University Hospital for his residency in neurology. The problem there is the cost of living, but it is a very good school.

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/grad/rankings/phdsci/brief/bio_brief.php

http://www.stanford.edu/dept/biology/

 

[Evo]

heheh, I just saw chroot's post. You can move in with him!

 

[chroot]

Yeah, there's no doubt Stanford is an incredible school. I know a lot of graduate students there, as you can imagine. I live with a chemistry postdoc and a guy who got his MD there.

- Warren

 

[Monique]

now Chroot has talked me into staying in Europe Germany germany.. hm, now I really don't know it anymore :(

 

[chroot]

Hey I thought I was trying to get you to come pick lychees with me on the central California coast!

- Warren

 

[Tsu]

Originally posted by Monique
now Chroot has talked me into staying in Europe Germany germany.. hm, now I really don't know it anymore :(

Well, WAY TO GO, chroot! Ya dumb f***! (JUS' KIDDING! Actually, I take it back. Unless you've been PMing, I don't see where you talked her into staying...)

*lightbult goes on over head*

Come ON, Monique! I've got a plan! Since cost of living IS a bit high in the Bay Area - we'll ALL move in with chroot and his buddies! We'll be 'house mice'! You can do the cooking (you sound like a GOOD one in other threads, but no weird or gross stuff like chicken feet, OK?). Evo can bring her French Maid outfit and do what SHE does, and I'll...uh...waterski the bay? NO! I'll be the gardener and I'll keep Evo's dog from eating the house! YEAH! That'll be my job!

What do you think?

 

[Tsu]

Originally posted by chroot
Hey I thought I was trying to get you to come pick lychees with me on the central California coast!

- Warren

And ARTICHOKES! YUM! The grow like weeds there! And then there's that GIANT one in...is it Castroville?

 

[Evo]

Wait, "I" garden! It's one of the loves of my life. Ok, Tsunami, we can co-garden and you can try to prevent the DOG OF EVIL from destroying everything!

 

[chroot]

I'll have to buy a few extra pillows!

But seriously, it really would be so much fun to have all you awesome people over.

- Warren

 

[Evo]

Originally posted by chroot
I'll have to buy a few extra pillows!

But seriously, it really would be so much fun to have all you awesome people over.

- Warren

Hey, a sleepover would be fun! But seriously, Tsunami and I together might tear a hole in the fabric of the universe.

 

[chroot]

I think we might be hijacking Monique's thread a little bit!

- Warren

 

[Evo]

Sorry Monique, seriously...consider Stanford. You seem to be bright enough to get accepted.

 

[chroot]

And don't forget, I know people at Stanford.

- Warren

 

[Monique]

So what is the type of student that enters such universities? Did they just finish their MSc without any practical experience, did they attend any conferences, what makes an excellent student? What would be the GRE score to obtain, also?

 

[Monique]

Also, do your parents have to be multi-millionairs? Tuition must be crazy, in order to apply to UofM I had to show I had $27.000 (something like that) on my hands.. crazy.

 

[chroot]

You probably need to be in the top 20% of students to have a real shot at being accepted to Stanford. Other good school in bay area are not so difficult.

Financial aid is not nearly as big an issue for graduate students. Normally, you work a teaching assistanceship, or you get paid for lab work, and that pays for your tuition. It does vary for each student though, so money *might* be an issue if you're unlucky.

The best advice I can give you is to call the graduate studies offices at the schools you're considering, and ask them.

- Warren

 

[Monique]

So what does it mean to be in the top 20% of students? does Bush sign a letter saying: you are in the top 20%, congratulations? and you show that to the graduate office?

 

[chroot]

Unfortunately, not that easy Niekee... besides, do you really want BUSH to decide who's smart?

I think your qualifications -- lots of research experience and excellent grades -- are all you'll need.

Good luck either way, whatever you decide to pursue. Let me know if I can be of help in the "contacts" department.

- Warren