Questions Often Asked by Prospective Students
The following is a list of frequently asked questions about life at the University, and life in the city of Rochester. The answers (edited only for clarity) were provided by current graduate students.
Life in the Department
- Are you happy with the types of interactions with faculty and other graduate students that you have concerning issues in the fields of BCS?
- Do you feel well supported by the faculty in your current research and program of study?
- What kinds of laboratory equipment do you have access to for your research? What kinds of computers do you have access to, both in your lab and in your office?
- Do you feel well prepared for the job market?
- What are your teaching duties and how time-consuming are they? How beneficial are these teaching experiences and are you provided with appropriate supervision/mentoring?
- What are the prospects for funding after the 4 year guaranteed stipend?
- Do you interact much with undergraduates? What is your opinion about the quality of the undergraduates?
- Do you have much intellectual interaction with graduate students in related departments?
- Overall, are you happy with your decision to come into the BCS program?
Life at the University
- Is life as a graduate student in BCS what you expected?
- Is there much interaction with graduate students in other departments and programs?
- What is the political climate like on campus?
Life in Rochester
- What is Rochester like? Is it a good place to live?
- Is there much crime?
- What is the cost of living?
- I hope to find a 2-bedroom apartment to share with someone. What do you think the rent would be?
- What kinds of cultural activities (theater, music, museums, etc.) are available in Rochester?
- What's the local music scene like?
- Do you take advantage of proximity to nearby cities (e.g, Toronto which is a 3-hour drive)?
- What are the recreational facilities like? Are there good bike paths, parks, etc.?
- Are there opportunities close by for getting away from the city, e.g., state parks, etc., for camping and other activities?
Q: Are you happy with the types of interactions with faculty and other graduate students that you have concerning issues in the fields of BCS?
- A: Yes, things like the BCS lunch talks are a great opportunity to get feedback from people who aren't in your lab, and who otherwise would never get to comment on your work. For the most part, the input you get there is very positive and often helpful. You also get to hear about their work, which can be very interesting.
- A: Yes, people here seem genuinely motivated to understand cognition and the brain; everyone loves a good argument.
Q: Do you feel well supported by the faculty in your current research and program of study?
- A: Yes, my advisor and other faculty make sure that I have all the resources I need for my projects.
- A: The faculty have been surprisingly enthusiastic and supportive about projects I originate.
Q: What kinds of laboratory equipment do you have access to for your research? What kinds of computers do you have access to, both in your lab and in your office?
- A: We have access to the MRI machine in the medical center, including some display apparatus we built and more we are purchasing. We have eye-trackers and virtual reality set-ups for some of our psychophysical experiments (though I have not used either of these much). In our lab we have Sun workstation and a number of Linux machines. I have a Mac G3 in my office for my personal use as well as another power Macintosh I use primarily for psychophysical experiments.
- A: I am very impressed by the vast array of neurobio techniques that are available to me here. My advisors are willing and enthusiastic to trying various current techniques to help us to gain insight into how those techniques work, and of course to add power to our research. There is also a great 'collaborative spirit' among the faculty thus a sharing of ideas and resources. I have access to an assortment of behavioral, molecular biological, histological, anatomical, and electrophysiological equipment and supplies. The accessibility of computers is more than adequate, however it was a slight adjustment getting use to Macs.
Q: Do you feel well prepared for the job market?
- A: Hard to say, I'm not really there yet.
- A: Yes, but it's too early to tell for sure.
Q: What are your teaching duties and how time-consuming are they? How beneficial are these teaching experiences and are you provided with appropriate supervision/mentoring?
- A: The amount of teaching required of us seems very reasonable. The lab I taught this year was somewhat time consuming, but I learned an incredible amount (probably more than the students!) and was provided with incredible supervision and mentoring. It was a very worthwhile experience.
- A: I will have TAed three times at the end of year, making that 3 out of four years. It's not really time consuming, although I don't really think it helps us learn to teach, since mostly you grade. Sometimes you get invited to give guest lectures in other classes, and I think that is very helpful.
Q: What are the prospects for funding after the 4-year guaranteed stipend?
- A: Everyone seems to get funded for the fifth year and beyond--at least I've not heard about anyone who has not.
- A: Excellent, if you're on track.
Q: Do you interact much with undergraduates? What is your opinion about the quality of the undergraduates?
- A: Very little after TAing -- just with the RAs in the various labs. In general, the undergrads don't seem very intellectual. However, the ones seeking out lab positions are extremely bright and intellectually curious.
- A: Hardly ever, except as a TA or as the preceptor for Independent Study students. The latter are great, and can renew your enthusiasm for being a mentor.
Q: Do you have much intellectual interaction with graduate students in related departments?
- A: I interact with some of the neuroscience and optics students who are in my classes, attend the same talks and seminars, or are working on similar things.
- A: I have a significant amount of interaction with the students in the Neuroscience program. Talks and discussion groups from other departments on various topics are advertised and accessible to BCS students.
Q: Overall, are you happy with your decision to come into the BCS program?
- A: Yes, completely.
- A: Yes, although I didn't know much about Rochester when I applied, I was lucky. At first I was not sure what I wanted to do, and I was given the opportunity to wander a bit. When I finally decided what I wanted to do, I was well supported.
- A: Yes, 100%.
Q: Is life as a graduate student in BCS what you expected?
- A: Pretty much. I knew a lot of graduate students (elsewhere) before I started, so I pretty much knew what to expect.
- A: No, but it's good anyhow.
Q: Is there much interaction with graduate students in other departments and programs?
- A: There a several people in the program with connections to other departments, so at parties you often get to meet a lot of other graduate students. As well, there are GOG funtions.
- A: Occasionally, on a somewhat formal level, at GOG events; otherwise, not so much except thru sports activities.
Q: What is the political climate like on campus?
- A: I was involved in a campus graduate student government. Some of the humanities departments complain about their lower stipends, but most students are too busy and/or apathetic to get involved much outside of their departments. We have campus-wide graduate student events a few times each year now.
- A: What political climate?
Q: What is Rochester like? Is it a good place to live?
- A: Rochester is a decent place to live. The climate takes some getting used to if you aren't from the northeast, but it's also fun to experience the beautiful seasons.
- A: For a city of this size in upstate NY, you can't beat it. Lot's to do...good music and sports, and festivals in the summer.
- A: Not that I am aware of...
- A: In a few neighborhoods, but it's the least dangerous US city I've lived in (compared to Minneapolis and Chicago). Most neighborhoods where students live are safe.
Q: What is the cost of living?
- A: It's doable on the stipend, just don't try to fly out of Rochester too often. I find electricity quite expensive, but food is reasonable.
- A: My rent and auto insurance are much lower than they were when I lived in Boston, but I haven't noticed any other differences.
Q: I hope to find a 2-bedroom apartment to share with someone. What do you think the rent would be?
- A: About $600-700.
- A: Between 325 and 400/month.
Q: What kinds of cultural activities (theater, music, museums, etc.) are available in Rochester?
- A: There are a lot of free (and good!) concerts at the Eastman School of Music. I haven't been to any museums. The George Eastman House shows classic movies about five nights per week.
- A: The Eastman school provides a lot of good classical music and some great jazz. I've never been to the museums, or seen live theater here. There are a few independent movie theaters, one of which always has a selection of indies and foreign films. And as students, we get discounts to most things.
Q: What's the local music scene like?
- A: There is a lot of live music at various clubs. I'm sure you'll find something you like.
- A: There always seem to be lots of concerts going on here with some pretty big names.
Q: Do you take advantage of proximity to nearby cities (e.g., Toronto which is a 3-hour drive)?
- A: I do. Rochester is in a great place for road trips... DC and NY are within 6 hours, Boston within 7. Lots of smaller cities close.
- A: Not as often as I would have imagined.
Q: What are the recreational facilities like? Are there good bike paths, parks, etc.?
- A: There is a bicycle path running along the Erie canal. You can ride as far as you want. Near the University is the Genesee Valley Park where we often play Ultimate Frisbee.
- A: Great bike paths. Some wonderful parks, both in the city, and a short drive from the University (up by the lake, a few in the burbs).
Q: Are there opportunities close by for getting away from the city, e.g., state parks, etc., for camping and other activities?
- A: Letchworth is gorgeous and only about an hour away. There are several great parks in Ithaca (about 2 hours away), and of course, the Adirondacks are within 5 hours.
- A: The Finger Lakes are about 1-2 hours away. Here there are many different recreational options, including a number of wineries. I go hiking in the mountains, 3-4 hours away, a couple of times per year.