Which of the unis would provide the best location?

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Here is my worry about Austin. I don't know much about it, but Texas doesn't appeal to me. I don't want to live in an area like Big Steve describes where being Gay is seen like some kind of disease and you are persecuted because of it. Being around religious people is fine but I don't want to be around Bible Bashers.

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Austin is the most open minded city in Texas, so there shouldn't be any problem with the bible thumpers. However, the weather in the summer is hotter than hell and the cost of living isn't cheap.

I voted for San Diego but I'm guessing the cost of living there is expensive too. I bet there's alot of hot, gay marine action though.

[jakethebake]

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Austin...the cost of living isn't cheap.

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Everything is relative.

[peterchi]

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UW
I grew up in Wisconsin and know several people who went to UW-Madison. It's a solid Big Ten school, strong in engineering and I'm sure other things. I don't know a whole lot more about the school itself, other than it's respectable in a wide range of studies. Madison is, like Ann Arbor, a typical college town with a good Big Ten feel. When you talk about great college towns, Ann Arbor, Madison, and Austin are the first three that come to mind (and you can probably put Boulder, CO in there, too). The area around Madison has a bit of a nicer feel to it than Detroit, but it's also not a hugely populated area. Milwaukee and Chicago are relatively nearby.


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Sorry for the partial hijack but I want to hear more things about Madison. I'm currently applying to PhD programs in Biostats/Stats, and Wisconsin has somehow landed itself near the top of my list, despite my loathing of the thought of going to a Big Ten school other than Michigan, and despite the fact that I know nothing about the area. All I know is that it's a strong program and they have a lot of people doing things that I am interested in.

[Patrick del Poker Grande]

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UW
I grew up in Wisconsin and know several people who went to UW-Madison. It's a solid Big Ten school, strong in engineering and I'm sure other things. I don't know a whole lot more about the school itself, other than it's respectable in a wide range of studies. Madison is, like Ann Arbor, a typical college town with a good Big Ten feel. When you talk about great college towns, Ann Arbor, Madison, and Austin are the first three that come to mind (and you can probably put Boulder, CO in there, too). The area around Madison has a bit of a nicer feel to it than Detroit, but it's also not a hugely populated area. Milwaukee and Chicago are relatively nearby.


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Sorry for the partial hijack but I want to hear more things about Madison. I'm currently applying to PhD programs in Biostats/Stats, and Wisconsin has somehow landed itself near the top of my list, despite my loathing of the thought of going to a Big Ten school other than Michigan, and despite the fact that I know nothing about the area. All I know is that it's a strong program and they have a lot of people doing things that I am interested in.

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I'd say just hop on I-94 and go visit (you're in Ann Arbor right now, right?).

[peterchi]

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I'd say just hop on I-94 and go visit (you're in Ann Arbor right now, right?).

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I wish. I'm actually in Baltimore now; I did my Masters at Hopkins and I stayed here to work full-time in my lab for this year.

[imported_anacardo]

This is pretty much between Texas, UCSD and Wisconsin in my mind.

I am not at all enamored with the East Coast. It's cold and rainy all the damn time, the people are rude, and the women are sub-par. You can do better.

Of those three, Wisconsin will be very cold in the winter, but otherwise rule. Texas will have blazing summers and be somewhat expensive. USCD will have by far the best weather but probably be the worst COLLEGE town of the three, despite otherwise ruling as a city.

[mmbt0ne]

You should come to Atlanta and go to Emory. We can hang out, plus you can fly straight home!

[partygirluk]

MIT/Harvard are amongst my first choices but their PhD programmes are VERY competitive (1~45 get in) so I am making contigencies.

[BoogerFace]

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I am not at all enamored with the UK. It's cold and rainy all the damn time, the people are bizarre, and the women are interesting. You can do better.


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FYP

[BoogerFace]

Good plan. I don't think you'd be happy in the smaller college towns. Their populations tend to be under 25 or over 40.