<p>A bit more about Exeter: two of my very close friends decided to ultimately not attend Exeter because of the highly competitive atmosphere. This was their idea of “lack of nurturing”. They have a great advisee/support system, but it’s the atmosphere that can greatly discourage a student. For me, that’s not really a problem, but unless you’re absolutely sure that you want to go, I’d say you shouldn’t even apply. Just an opinion; I may be wrong, but Exeter seems pretty extreme in all respects.</p>