local angle wrote:
ATL has some great restaurants - classy and hole in wall (google Buford Hwy for our main drag with every ethnic cusine you could want)
I just want to emphasize how much I love Buford Highway. Nam Phuong is probably one of my favorite restaurants in the entire world. Get their Pho Dac Biet and a salty lemonade. After that, go to Lee's Bakery and grab some tofu bahn mi for later. Finish up with an egg custard and a taro at SweetHut.
I haven't spent any time in Columbus so I can't say. I've been to NYC a lot of work and a couple races and would not chose NYC. Sure, it has good places to eat and night life, but as grad student are you really going to be able to afford any of that, let alone afford to live some place decent? NYC is also way overcrowded and dirty and would not appealing to me at all to have to run in NYC every day.
I lived in Atlanta for over 20 years and it really has a lot of positives.. Atlanta has some great places to eat, the cost of living in very affordable, and it has nightlife if that is something important to you. Also, a lot of college age and young adults there, especially with so many colleges right in Atlanta (GA Tech, Emory, GSU, Oglethorpe, Agnes Scott, etc.). As someone else also pointed out, you can quickly get out of the city to get to trails, north GA mountains, lakes, etc. Atlanta also has a great running scene. The Atlanta Track club has tons of races and a fun all-comers track series. There are tons of great places to run - both urban and trails. If you do like trails there are some good trail races through GUTS and Dirty Spokes. In town you have places like the new Beltline and Piedmont Park, just outside the city you have places like the Chattahoochee River trails, Kennesaw Mt, Stone Mt Park, Sweetwater, and the Silver Comet trail (just to name a few). Yes, it's hot and humid in the summer - but so is NYC and Ohio.
I went to school in NYC because I wanted to take advantage of all it had to offer. The best time to do this is when you are young even if you don't have lots of money. When you're older and raising a family you won't have the time to go to restaurants, clubs, theatre, museums, in all the different areas of this diverse city.
Enjoy NYC when you're young and raise a family in a smaller, quieter, and cheaper area.
lrc for life decisions wrote:
local angle wrote:
I live in ATL and work at a well regarded university there... came 13 years from the midwest never expecting it to turn into home and I love it here.
I would certainly encourage you to think about the program as well as the location. That said, depending on what program you are joining, often recruiters and the alumni base does have a larger presence near the university, so it's worth also thinking about it in terms of where you want to have your first job. Networking, etc, is always cheaper and easier closer to the university you're at.
In all 3 cost of living will vary significantly. I have never lived in Ohio, but between ATL and NY, I consider ATL "smaller, less of everything than NY, but there's still a lot and you can afford to do it!" NY of course has everything- but cost of living can preclude you enjoying it.
ATL has some great restaurants - classy and hole in wall (google Buford Hwy for our main drag with every ethnic cusine you could want) ATL UTD is a great addition to the city sports scene, tons of local venues for music if you want smaller concerts vs the huge pricey things, same for the theater scene... you'll have to drive/uber more than you would in NYC...
Good luck with your decision!
Yeah, I certainly am taking the programs into heavy account, I just wanted some perspective on what it would be like to actually live in any of these cities. Thanks for the info everyone who has answered so far!
Grew up in CMH (1968-1982), have lived in NYC pretty much my whole adult life (1982-1986 + 1988-present), have limited knowledge of ATL. NYC is great but crazy expensive (and only getting more so). CMH was dead when I was growing up, but keeps getting steadily more interesting in its own bland Columbus way and has a very reasonable cost of living. Atlanta in my (very limited) experience is the worst of both worlds - not that cheap and not that interesting. Programs being equal, I'd vote Columbus.
(btw, I think it's great that the poster quoted above knows and likes Atlanta - awesome imho that this screwy message board can be an effective way to get a range of opinions)
Idle curiosity - what will you be studying?
dkny64 wrote:
lrc for life decisions wrote:
Yeah, I certainly am taking the programs into heavy account, I just wanted some perspective on what it would be like to actually live in any of these cities. Thanks for the info everyone who has answered so far!
Grew up in CMH (1968-1982), have lived in NYC pretty much my whole adult life (1982-1986 + 1988-present), have limited knowledge of ATL. NYC is great but crazy expensive (and only getting more so). CMH was dead when I was growing up, but keeps getting steadily more interesting in its own bland Columbus way and has a very reasonable cost of living. Atlanta in my (very limited) experience is the worst of both worlds - not that cheap and not that interesting. Programs being equal, I'd vote Columbus.
(btw, I think it's great that the poster quoted above knows and likes Atlanta - awesome imho that this screwy message board can be an effective way to get a range of opinions)
Idle curiosity - what will you be studying?
Computational chemistry. Pros and cons for the different programs, but I’d say the school in Atlanta (Georgia Tech) has the most interesting faculty advisor options out of the 3, so I’m leaning in that direction.
lrc for life advice wrote:
dkny64 wrote:
Grew up in CMH (1968-1982), have lived in NYC pretty much my whole adult life (1982-1986 + 1988-present), have limited knowledge of ATL. NYC is great but crazy expensive (and only getting more so). CMH was dead when I was growing up, but keeps getting steadily more interesting in its own bland Columbus way and has a very reasonable cost of living. Atlanta in my (very limited) experience is the worst of both worlds - not that cheap and not that interesting. Programs being equal, I'd vote Columbus.
(btw, I think it's great that the poster quoted above knows and likes Atlanta - awesome imho that this screwy message board can be an effective way to get a range of opinions)
Idle curiosity - what will you be studying?
Computational chemistry. Pros and cons for the different programs, but I’d say the school in Atlanta (Georgia Tech) has the most interesting faculty advisor options out of the 3, so I’m leaning in that direction.
It's hard to compare these 3 places. They simply don't compare.
Columbus is probably some quiet Midwestern town that gets cold and boring most of the time. You'll have a campus I'm guessing, and lots of room. You'll get to know the entire area fairly quickly and you'll probably drive around that part of the country. You'll be able to go for relaxing walks every day if that's your thing.
Atlanta can be pretty interesting. Really hot though, I'm not sure if running is any good there infrastructure-wise either. You'll be in the South so that may take some getting used to but can also be novel. Even if you have a car, I'm not sure there's anywhere to drive to within a reasonable time, but it's a real city so there's a good deal to do.
NYC is extreme. It's definitely a great place to run with a few big parks and the river trails. I'm not sure what people mean when they say you won't be able to take advantage of what the city has to offer on a budget - do you guys regularly eat $200 meals or go to $500 Broadway shows? Obviously you will be living in a small apartment
lrc for life decisions wrote:
I may be moving to one of these three places for grad school this fall. Anyone have any knowledge or opinions about living in any of these cities?
Dude, Columbus sucks.
lrc for life advice wrote:
dkny64 wrote:
Grew up in CMH (1968-1982), have lived in NYC pretty much my whole adult life (1982-1986 + 1988-present), have limited knowledge of ATL. NYC is great but crazy expensive (and only getting more so). CMH was dead when I was growing up, but keeps getting steadily more interesting in its own bland Columbus way and has a very reasonable cost of living. Atlanta in my (very limited) experience is the worst of both worlds - not that cheap and not that interesting. Programs being equal, I'd vote Columbus.
(btw, I think it's great that the poster quoted above knows and likes Atlanta - awesome imho that this screwy message board can be an effective way to get a range of opinions)
Idle curiosity - what will you be studying?
Computational chemistry. Pros and cons for the different programs, but I’d say the school in Atlanta (Georgia Tech) has the most interesting faculty advisor options out of the 3, so I’m leaning in that direction.
If your goal is an academic career, then having a good advisor is super important, and if you think Georgia Tech is your best choice from that point of view, then go there 'cause you can probably make an ok life for yourself in any of those cities. I presume the Columbus school is OSU, but which NYC school are you considering?
dkny64 wrote:
If your goal is an academic career, then having a good advisor is super important, and if you think Georgia Tech is your best choice from that point of view, then go there 'cause you can probably make an ok life for yourself in any of those cities. I presume the Columbus school is OSU, but which NYC school are you considering?
NYU, and yes the Columbus school is OSU. Yeah, you're right in that having a range of advisors that I am interested in working with is the number one priority.
NYU is incredible. Go there. The best of academia and industry are involved, every level of interesting person is fully engaged there, and every opportunity on earth is commonly developed from there.
I'm honestly shocked that anyone chose Columbus.
It is easily one of the least interesting cities in the US. I absolutely detested every single one of my visits to Columbus for a 3 year stretch for work. Unless you plan on only staying home, I would steer clear far from Columbus.
Atlanta: I love Atlanta, used to spend a lot of time there (tho I haven't been in 8 years.) It has some neighborhoods that have a lot of character and really good energy. It's big enough that it gets a nice mix of people rather than just Southerners. I wouldn't be mad about having to live in Atlanta.
NYC:New York is expensive, blah blah blah... yeah we get it, it's pricy. But it's doable (there's a reason a large number of people move here year after year.) I've lived here for 12 years, it's the greatest city in the US but it is NOT for everyone. Depending on where your school is, I'd recommend living in Inwood Heights or Bushwick, Brooklyn or Astoria, Queens. Don't be afraid of a commute when you are 21; an experience in NY at that age goes a long way. It's invigorating and introduces you to so much.
NYU is an interesting institution, but my sense is that it's going through a lot of change right now. Didn't actually know what computational chemistry was prior to googling it just now. Seems like a very interesting field. Do you have a specific research interest?
dkny64 wrote:
NYU is an interesting institution, but my sense is that it's going through a lot of change right now. Didn't actually know what computational chemistry was prior to googling it just now. Seems like a very interesting field. Do you have a specific research interest?
My undergraduate research involves enhancing methods for the simulation of phosphorylated proteins, which (I'm not sure of your biology background) are used in regulating many of the processes our cells perform. I plan on further studying molecular simulation in grad school, but I'm not sure if I'll continue studying biological systems.
I live in Philadelphia and hate NYC but would choose to live there 10 times out of 10 over Atlanta or Columbus.
Culture, culture, culture.
Precious Roy wrote:
Columbus is a great city to raise a family. Cost of living is zero. Public schools are excellent. If your kids are not Ivy types, in state tuition at OSU and UC is really cheap and a very good bang for the buck with some excellent programs at both schools. And there are plenty of other good state schools like Miami U and Bowling Green if the big campuses are not right for your kids.
If you are a single guy looking for a vibrant city with lots to do, Columbus is pretty dreadful. There is nothing worse that women with a Midwest accent. There is nothing worse than someone who says "My backpack is in my car" and it comes out as "My beckpeck is in my kair". Nightlife is dominated by college kids and recent grads. And there is just a general midwestern dumpiness about the city.
NYC is an amazing city. It is impossible to raise a family in NYC even if you are filthy rich. If you are going to make really good money and can afford a tiny little crap apartment in Brooklyn or are willing to pile in with roommates, NYC is about as exciting a place for a young guy as you will find in the world. This assumes that you like food from around the world, night life, live music, the arts and so on. If your idea of a good time is drinking MGD while watching the NFL at Shooters over by the mall, Columbus may be your thing.
I grew up in Atlanta. It was pretty redneck in the 70s, but is a totally different place today. The greater metro area is pushing 6 million people. Traffic is dismal, but there is commuter rail and you can greatly reduce the traffic problems if you live close in. Cost of living is higher close in, but pretty average in the burbs. There is a lot to do in Atlanta. Chattahoochee River, mountains to the north and beach to the south. Full slate of pro sports teams and respectable arts organizations. It is not NYC by any stretch, but it is a fun place to live.
How do you know if he wasn’t talking about another state? Plenty other cities named Columbus ?
I work in your field and if I had to choose without knowing anything about your advisor, position etc... I would choose NYC.
Granted, you will be (much) worse off money wise, but you are just starting a career and probably do not have a family right now, so the most important thing you can do at this stage is to build a network and expand you horizons. Money considerations will come later.
In NYC you will have a lot of opportunities to meet the best Comp Chem people from all over the world. There are seminars, workshops and conferences organized all the time between the various institutions in the city; also, you are right between Boston and Washington so it is no big deal to attend events at Harvard, MIT, Yale, Princeton, NIH or whatever... Pretty much everybody, sooner or later will come around this area. For jumpstarting a career, this is the bet place to be.
You should contact the mayors of each city and ask them to make the case for their respective cities.
Personally, I would make the decision based on school/program rather than location. Grad school is only going to be 2 years of your life, the outcome of the school decision is rest of your life.
That said, my impressions of each place are as follows: Atlanta climate is hot and traffic sucks. Not for me. NYC is a great town but expensive. If you're willing to live frugally, it is worth experiencing the city for 2 years. But it's also difficult to experience the city without funds. Did I mention it's expensive? Columbus is ... (no impression)
If the NYU program is only viable with a lot of TA duty, DO NOT DO IT. Teaching, while enjoyable sometimes, is a major time suck that directly takes time away from your research. For a PhD program you want to find the program that will give you the best research pipeline with a small amount of teaching (assuming you're trying to stay in academia post-PhD). If you're not trying to stay in academia, then you want to avoid teaching completely as it would be irrelevant.
If GT has the best advisor and lower teaching duty, it sounds like the best option.
1) I lived in NYC on a grad student stipend (~30K/year). It was and is amazing. There's no upper limit to what you can spend, but the base tier of experiences is pretty cheap -- go to the met a lot, run in Central Park, have any food you want at any time, etc.
2) Of Columbus, a friend once memorably said: "Columbus is the worst place on Earth." After a pause, he added "I think," which was his way of saying that he hasn't been everywhere on Earth yet.
I currently live in atl. Did grad school at Miami Ohio and spent some time in C-bus. have a brother that spent 3 years in NYC (harlem/west village).
I don't think that you will be disappointed with any of the cities. they differ in size and cost. obviously C-bus won't have the night life of NYC. However, don't forget it's a city of 1 million with a major university. There are things to do.
I would prioritize the decision press like this:
1. the program and the professor guidance for your research. It will shape your future whether you teach or work in a chemical field.
2. Assistantship options. I did not pay for any of my grad school focused on academia. you should get the best funding possible. student loans are real.
3. cost of living- since all of the cities are fun, student loans are real.
4. visit and feel whats right for you as the final piece of the puzzle.
as for info on ATL- it is quite hot and humid in the summer. think of a bad summer day in NYC or C-bus and thats what you get in atlatna for every summer day. however, its 70 and sunny here in the spring and the winters are between 35-45. so you're trading better winters for slightly worse summers. the food scene and nightlife are very solid in ATL. visit GA tech, run the beltline/freedom parkway trail. Check out the westside provisions neat GA tech and roam midtown to grant park.
That will give you an idea of what's immediately around GA Tech. there are lots of other neighborhoods and to-do's just like there are in any large city.
Enjoy your decision. Undergrad is the new high school diploma. Grad school will truly shape your life.