<p>I have two offers from which I'm trying to select - University of Maryland, College Park and Monash University in Australia (I'm an international student with respect to both universities). I listed some of the pros and cons that came to mind:</p>
<p>Maryland</p>
<ul>
<li>Institution: Better than Monash - better research quality, better reputation</li>
<li>Finances: Assistantship; need to work for about 20 hours a week. Cannot focus full-time on research.</li>
<li>Duration: Takes about 6-7 years in total</li>
<li>Location: Place and local cutlure might not be a friendly place for a foreign student.</li>
</ul>
<p>Monash</p>
<ul>
<li>Institution: Not bad, but still not as good as Maryland</li>
<li>Finances: Full tution + allowance scholarship; can focus full-time on research.</li>
<li>Duration: Takes about 3-4 years</li>
<li>Location: Good. Melbourne is said to be a vibrant place with a friendly culture.</li>
</ul>
<p>But I'm still unsure which choice would be best. So if anyone could add any advice, helpful info about the two universities, etc?</p>
<p>My research area is in Cognitive Science and AI.</p>
<p>I think Maryland is strong in your interest areas (not an expert so don't quote me.) Why does it take twice as long as Monash? Not familiar with Monash at all so can't comment. Have not been to Melbourne, but I'd figure it is pretty staid. Australia is quite nice and friendly yes, but people tend to socialize in single sexes, so think twice if you are female. I see no reason for your thinking that the Maryland area will not be friendly to foreign students. I haven't been there either, but New England is quite nice and livable, and you can get around to many areas easily.</p>
<p>Anyway, it sounds like you have two wonderful choices. What country are you from?</p>
<p>Edit to say: okay I just read your posting history and what other's told you about a U.S. PhD. You will do Master's level work and coursework for 2 years, then do the PdD, to put it simplistically. Your offer sounds reasonable and typical, especially for an Internaional.</p>
<p>I see you have CS undergrad. My daughter is also CS and has applied to Maryland - CP but not heard back yet. she told me the Theory group is strong there.</p>
<p>Australia uses the British education system where you already have an honors degree? I don't think you are taking into account what a non British system might have to offer.<br>
1. Rotations so that you can be sure you get in with the right group.
2. Coursework, maybe even in an area that complements your skills
3. Multiple projects
4. Smooth entry into postdocs in the states
5. Certificate programs
6. Teaching experience (I don't know if British style phds have this)</p>
<p>I cannot speak to UMD College Park and their Cog program, but the UMD Baltimore City Neuro program has really jumped up in caliber over the last 5 years. Similarly, College Park is closer to DC than to Baltimore, so in terms of safety it's really not that bad. I've been living in Bmore for the last three years now, and while it can definitely be rough in some places, its generally pretty safe (and cheap, which is a huge plus). No great barrier reef though...</p>
<p>Keep in mind that contrary to a previous post that Maryland is not in New England. Maryland is considered the South. University of Maryland-College Park is a beautiful campus and College Park is a suburb of Washington, D.C. It appeared to be very diverse on my campus visit so I don't think it would be unfriendly to foreign students. Perhaps their international student office would be able to give you some frank feedback.</p>
<p>UMD leaves me a very good impression.
I am an international student too; in the phone interview, I noticed that I want to know sth from students' perspective, and the second day I receive 3 emails! and two of them are from my country! Students are very helpful, we had some nice chats on Skype.
The program coordinator is very nice too, she email me and tell me everything I concern. They make me feel warm...
Although I declined their offer, but I do think this university gives me a very good impression that its people are very kind, warm, informative, and supportive.</p>
<p>I am sorry for my geographic goof. I am in the West, so areas that close together seem same! duh. Anyway, many PhD's here are done in 4 to 5 years, not only 6 to 7, if you are just out of undergrad school. Think that you will have more time for mentored research.</p>
<p>I guess one thing I didn't count was the postdoc opportunities. How good would Maryland be, in general, with regard to postdoc possibilties? Does the 'prestige' of the university play a big role in getting postdoc positions or is it individual research/advisor that matters more?</p>
<p>Also, for those of you who are doing Assistantships during gradschool - does it stress you out a lot? i.e. Having to switch between research/studies and say, grading assignments? The biggest reason so far that I can think of for choosing Monash would be being able to focus full-time on my work.</p>
<p>
Anyway, many PhD's here are done in 4 to 5 years, not only 6 to 7, if you are just out of undergrad school.
How come? All the US universities I checked during my applications period said it'd take 6-7 years (unless you've already done a Master's).</p>
<p>It is possible to do a PhD in less than 5 years, it just is not easy. My boss went from undergrad to PhD in 3 years (about 15 years ago) and I know several who did it in 4 years. To pull it off you need to (a) bust your ass, (b) avoid any real mistakes that might derail or misdirect your thesis, and (c) find a professor who is willing to help you get done quick. My boss said that he picked his advisor in part because he was a brand-new, untenured prof - he was expected to graduate a few grad students to get tenure, and agreed to help him turn around his degree quickly.</p>
<p>I do also know several people who have taken 7-8 year to do the same, for a wide variety of reasons. My point is just that if you want to finish quick, it is possible.</p>
<p>a friend of mine is doing his PhD in psychology right now and he told me that having non-teaching years is as good as everyone says it is. it's really nice to be able to devote entire semesters, or years, to your own studies and research. he's had to teach every year of his program and it has distracted him from his own work and will add at least one year to the time it takes him to complete his degree.</p>
<p>another student i know in a history MA/PhD program told me that having no teaching responsibilities in her first year has been a huge help because she was able to take a full courseload, complete her MA in one year rather than two, and get two separate research papers published in well-respected journals.</p>
<p>that said, if you want a job as a professor after you graduate, it is extremely important to have some teaching experience as a grad student on your cv. if you were able to design your own course/lab, that goes a long way too.</p>
<p>if maryland is requiring you to do some TA work for every year of your program, that's a tall order. it will inevitably prolong the time it takes you to complete your degree. if you're not required to teach every single semester, then you can probably still juggle a full (or near full) courseload with teaching responsibilities, especially if you're just grading papers and not running labs or tutorials.</p>
<p>and another thing to consider... a teaching assistantship position is not the same as a fellowship or scholarship. when you come to apply for research grants and fellowships later in your career, having a fellowship on your cv helps tremendously. i don't know how it works for most disciplines, but in the social sciences, things are fairly hierarchical. if you weren't awarded a fellowship as a graduate student, it diminishes your chances of being awarded fellowships and grants further down the line.</p>
<p>i guess it depends on what you want out of your career. if you want to finish (relatively) quickly and don't need to be working or doing a postdoc in the states, monash would be a great choice. but if you don't mind a few extra years added onto your degree and really want a postdoc or teaching job in the states, maryland's the better choice.</p>