<p>I have been accepted to PhD programs at Princeton, Yale and Cornell. My decision has come down to these three. I have already visited Princeton and Yale. I am going to visit Cornell this week. However, I would still really appreciate your opinions on these schools if you are familiar with them, particularly on the general atmosphere and the social life at these schools. Basically, my question is what is it like to be a grad student at one of these schools?</p>
<p>Depends… what are you studying?</p>
<p>Well at all three schools, research-wise, I can pretty much work for any professor I want. I will be in EE at Princeton and applied physics at Yale and Cornell. So I will be doing research in physics, applied physics, electrical engineering, biophysics, or other closely related engineering fields.</p>
<p>Anyone, anyone at all?</p>
<p>It really depends on what you’re doing, more specifically. If your EE research is at all nanofab-related, I’d say Cornell hands down. In general, their program in EE is significantly stronger than either Princeton’s or Yale’s.</p>
<p>Applied physics at Cornell is really, really good.
I loved my time in Ithaca. it’s gorgeous there.
It’s a big school, overall, but it is far more intimate for grads students than for undergrads, and I imagine the AEP department is yet more intimate. </p>
<p>You have to evaluate what placement opportunities, etc, are like, I don’t know which is better for you . But it is wonderful that you have the opportunity at Cornell, I wish I could go.</p>