<p>I applied those grad schools for PhD in applied physics.
I have not received all results yet, but got some very positive responses, and started to think where I should go.
All of these schools have the labs I would like to belong to, and they are nearly equally attractive to me...</p>
<p>In my opinion,
MIT: very good name, strong in engineering
Harvard: strong in pure science, not as good as top engineering schools in engineering, but Harvard is Harvard;)
Cambridge: very similar impression to that of Harvard (strong in pure science, prestigious reputation)
UC Berkeley: California! Competent in engineering (and of course science)
ETH Zurich: Strong in engineering, High salary for PhD (that is what I heard)</p>
<p>Some might say " ohh....you should consider AFTER you get accepted to all of them..."
That's indeed true.... but still I cannot help thinking... maybe it is the most enjoyable time now. Later I will see the reality:(</p>
<p>come to MIT, you will not regret it. this place just reeks of science and engineering. was somewhat hesitant at first, but now could not see myself anywhere else.</p>
<p>No Stanford? Engineering, however, consist dozens (hundreds?) of subfields, as all disciplines - its something one should take into consideration when making a decision.</p>
<p>Cambridge has a very strong engineering department, obviously, but in the end it all depends on your field. I know people who choose Cambridge over Stanford and MIT in engineering, because in their particular field its the strongest of all the mentioned institutions, and has the best connections with the industry. Needless to say, however, this doesn’t apply to all fields of engineering. You should know which is the best in your field (and, perhaps, which institution offers the most money )</p>
<p>You’ll be happiest in whichever school has multiple professors that can support and mentor you in your chosen subfield. Also, when you visit, check how droopy the bags are under the eyes of current grad students. That also helps. :)</p>
<p>If you wish to do things with your PhD afterwards, which is 70% of the PhD’s and 95% of what entering PhD’s will claim, then the Ph.D. is about our research and your advisor and depending on the field, your research lab.</p>
<p>If you want the PhD and brand name along with that, then think about which school can best launch you.</p>
<p>Five programs are all equally attractive to you?</p>
<p>I would not consider before I got accepted, because you may be wasting your time thinking about programs that you can’t attend. You may as well only consider the acceptances you have, and maybe just rank them - like think about which ones you’d rather go to. That way, if you’ve already gotten an acceptance to your second choice with a livable funding package, you can withdraw from your 3rd-5th choices and just hold out for your first choice.</p>
<p>You should also think about where you want to work. If you want to work in the US, a PhD from MIT, Harvard, or Berkeley will probably be more desirable than a PhD from Cambridge or Zurich. Cambridge will also look pretty good, honestly, but people will immediately recognize MIT or Harvard. Also, if you’re thinking about doing anything besides engineering research (like consulting or management, maybe switching to the non-academic track) a prestigious, recognizable name can aid in that.</p>
<p>My son, who is a Caltech graduate student, said just today that the mention of someone with a Phd from Zurich gets the full attention of his professors. So if academia or applied physics is your ultimate goal, and your choices include Zurich, ask the profs at your UG college where they recommend you go.</p>
Engineering, however, consist dozens (hundreds?) of subfields, as all disciplines - its something one should take into consideration when making a decision.</p>
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