Best locations for Grad school and Climbing

camhead> This is the first time that I've made fun of University of Phoenix on this site. However, I believe that there have been other threads in which I made fun of you, and other people made fun of UoPX, so I can see how you may have lumped us all together and gotten confused. Read this for more information, and click all of the links. Seriously. cracked.com/article_18660_w…

I have read countless websites such as that one. In some cases it is true, and in other cases it is not as true. I have taken a number of classes at my local UoPX ground campus. I have also taken classes at the best public school in the state - the University of Hawaii. In reality, the material is not that much different, at least not for the classes I took. What was different was the way in which the material was administered. So I cannot comment on for-profit schools as a whole, but the specific UoPX campus I attended was reasonable. I would say some of the professors graded a tad on the easy side and there seemed to be an abundance of lazy idiots in class, but aside from that, I don’t really have any complaints. I suppose UoPX's regional accreditation may stand for something as opposed to ITT Tech, Devry, and all the others' nation accreditation. However, one thing is certainly true, UoPX is not a good value, and you will pay out of the ass for something you could get at a community college for a lot less. Also, I would never recommend someone try to get a degree in something like engineering, RN, or the like from a school like UoPX because those types of degrees are too hands-on. UoPX is best suited for degree paths that can be learned largely via independent study.

Haven't read the rest of the thread, however, I just finished my Master's and got to live somewhere that I could go climbing when the demands of the program weren't overbearing.

I'm not here to tell you where I live is better than Boulder or whatever will rile up the 'Rado-centric folks, but if the University of Nevada, Reno has a good program in the field of study that you are interested in pursuing, it is worth considering. Low cost of living, low cost of education (all things being relative, as it is higher ed - but you knew that already), and plenty of opportunities to get outside and get after it. Tahoe, Yosemite, Eastside, blah blah blah - we are spoiled here.

I'll put in my vote for University of Arizona in Tucson. Year round climbing at comfortable temps due to huge variation in crag elevation. Plus it's close enough to many phenomenal bouldering, sport, and trad spots in AZ. Joshua tree, Hueco, and Red rocks are doable road trips too. Mt Lemmon has thousands of sport and trad routes on pretty solid granite and Cochise stronghold is nearby to get you multi-pitch fix.

I miss having so much climbing within an hours drive...

camhead wrote: If your only criteria is "decent program," and "close to climbing," you may as well just enroll in some online University of Phoenix program and live in Bishop.

Disagree completely. I have a PhD from a top ten in my field but I sure as hell wouldn't have gone to a grad school I couldn't enjoy my life at and I don't mean occasionally. You need to be happy and enjoy life and not view that as a passing phenomenon.

Go to the best school that also allows you to live and enjoy life, not the best school. You live once.

No votes for UNLV?

WOW. Thanks for all the info, people; I really did not expect this kind of troll. (I suppose that is why I made it pretty general...)

Maybe this helps: I studied English and Philosophy at CU Boulder for undergrad. Then I went to Africa for 3 years as an agroforestry extension agent with the US peace corps, and when I came home I moved to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, (to make up for some serious snow separation).

So my goals for a grad program are basically these:
1) International Sustainable Development Practices, International Economics, etc.-- which would ultimately lead me abroad again...
2) Education--i.e., become a high school english teacher and be happy with weekends and summers becoming the best climber i can...

so i like the idea of going back to colorado or utah. these are my favorites so far.

Michael Holland wrote:WOW. Thanks for all the info, people; I really did not expect this kind of troll. (I suppose that is why I made it pretty general...) Maybe this helps: I studied English and Philosophy at CU Boulder for undergrad. Then I went to Africa for 3 years as an agroforestry extension agent with the US peace corps, and when I came home I moved to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, (to make up for some serious snow separation). So my goals for a grad program are basically these: 1) International Sustainable Development Practices, International Economics, etc.-- which would ultimately lead me abroad again... 2) Education--i.e., become a high school english teacher and be happy with weekends and summers becoming the best climber i can... so i like the idea of going back to colorado or utah. these are my favorites so far.

You need to balance success and happiness. At the end of your time, all you have are your memories. I've got friends making 5 times what I do, one in particular has offered me a job at 3 times what I make now. I turn it down because I'm ok and happy.

Find the best balance between pure success and pure happiness. My buddies making 250k+ a year hate the pictures I send them from my vacations and say they wish they'd chosen a bit more life over money.

I'm not suggesting you dirt bag it but weigh the optimal career choice with the optimal life choice and find somewhere in between.

Having said that Utah or Colorado are good places to look.

Michael Holland wrote:WOW. Thanks for all the info, people; I really did not expect this kind of troll. (I suppose that is why I made it pretty general...) Maybe this helps: I studied English and Philosophy at CU Boulder for undergrad. Then I went to Africa for 3 years as an agroforestry extension agent with the US peace corps, and when I came home I moved to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, (to make up for some serious snow separation). So my goals for a grad program are basically these: 1) International Sustainable Development Practices, International Economics, etc.-- which would ultimately lead me abroad again... 2) Education--i.e., become a high school english teacher and be happy with weekends and summers becoming the best climber i can... so i like the idea of going back to colorado or utah. these are my favorites so far.

Michael,
I've got nothing to offer on English, but for the International Sustainable Devt/Intl Econ, check out the Ag Econ programs at CSU & Berkley. For historical reasons, lots of international economic development is actually housed in agricultural economics departments. Berkley is a top-notch department, CSU is solid. Depending on your exact area of interest, UKy is solid and about 45m from the RRG. If you are interested, PM me.

All I can say is good luck. I totally applaud your choice to spend 3 years in Africa (any good climbing stories?) and then make the choice for grad school. If I'd gone straight in, I would've never finished. I needed to be out and then go back.

Matt.

UC Davis is the place for sustainabklity studies. Check it out. If you do, send me an email, we'll try to set some stuff up for you.

Tucson. UofA is a great school. I'm currently a postdoc in physiology/biomedical. In my field it's not so much as where you went to school, but how many pubs you have on pubmed and your CV. My opinion; pick the best major prof. Somebody with consistent funding, high quality pubs, and that is not a d'bag. Having quick access to good climbing is awesome so Tucson fits the bill. Within 30 min I can be at the crag. Trad, sport, multi pitch of both, it's all there (Mt. Lemmon, Cochise Stronghold, Baboquivari, Mendoza Canyon, Homestead, etc, etc.)

Mark E Dixon wrote: You've obviously never been to North Table Mountain!

dude...i almost pooped myself. hilarious.

Here is a less-obvious one: San Diego, California. You have Mission Gorge which has a couple hundred trad and sport climbs with a 10 min approach. El Cajon Mt which is a multipitch backcountry spot that is about 20 min from the city. Bouldering nearby also. You also will be less than 3 hours from J-Tree, Tahquitz ad Suicide Rock - all world class.

As for grad schools, SD has top tier universities. I went to law school there and got plenty of climbing in. I'm happy to give more beta, if desired.

I have a friend that is in the Grad program for English at UNLV, and I know a professor at the school, both say that Vegas is not vegas when you live there, not sure about the degree programs in the area you are looking at but the climbing in the area is some of the best in the country, especially if you can get over drilled pockets.

Did you get to climb while in Africa? When I was in the Peace Corps, in Belize, we climbed a bit on some amazing looking Limestone the few months it wasn't raining or too damn hot.

It would be pretty rad if we could have a college here, if we could also get enough land for student housing, houses are already overpriced at least compared to all the other places I've lived.

I'd stay away from grad school and focus on getting skills you can monetize...

On this thread, people have said that graduate school is a lot of work, and thus access to good climbing should be irrelevant. However, it is precisely because graduate school is so difficult that students should make sure they are highly satisfied in their outside pursuits during the small amount of free time available to them. For this reason (which has been reaffirmed by my personal experience), I highly encourage prospective students to pick a school at which they get the best of both worlds regarding their hobbies and careers (in whatever proportion will keep them motivated and happy).

My own experience with this has been as follows: after graduating from an excellent science/engineering school, I got a pretty lucrative engineering job in DC for two years. It was really valuable for me and I wouldn't change a thing about my decision to take that job, but I was completely miserable in DC (even with plenty of climbing gyms around). While I was there, I decided to go back to graduate school (something I had always intended on doing), and I promised myself that I wasn't going to sacrifice my wellbeing for my career anymore. I was accepted at two top-ten schools for my field and a closely related field, but I decided, after visiting the schools and talking with the researchers there, that CSU was the best fit for me. This was particularly the case because in my program, the amount of research dollars the school brings in is greater even than for some of the other more prestigious (and ostensibly "better") programs I was considering joining. Having readily available funding in a reasonably good electrical engineering program in an awesome town just a mere hour or so away from the mountains was something the top-tier programs I was looking at just could outweigh. I knew from being in DC that I am less productive when I am unhappy or I feel like something important is missing in my life (in that case, being outdoors and climbing). Even though I have only found a little bit of time during the semesters to get out and climb, those experiences really help with getting me feeling refreshed and motivated, which makes all the difference when it comes time to throw myself into work again.

Bottom line: find someplace you can be happy in, both with regard to the program and the small amount of time you'll have for other pursuits. Having a good place to climb will help prevent you from becoming burnt out in your program.

Kirk Hutchinson wrote:...My opinion; pick the best major prof. Somebody with consistent funding, high quality pubs, and that is not a d'bag....

+1, though less of a concern if you go the education route

Your major prof will have a huge influence on your career options post graduation. For success in academia, sadly it's often about who you know, not the quality of your research, that gets you jobs and funding. This I know from experience.

Adding:
Talk to current and former students that worked with the major advisor(s) of interest. Ask if anyone left and if so, why?

Depending on the field of interest Univ of Nevada, Reno may be worth considering (not sure if it was mentioned). Good outside access, town not bad. Really though as a climber/grad student you should pick several different schools based on their reputation and more importantly a good advisor...Contact the advisors before applying of course. After figuring out a few good schools that meet your research/career goals, then apply to two or three and make your decision after you get accepted. You may not get accepted everywhere through no fault of your own, funding is an issue.

Mark E Dixon wrote: You've obviously never been to North Table Mountain!

Or Eldo....

NC Rock Climber wrote:I started to answer this with an in-depth response, but then decided that this has got to be troll. If you are serious, then you really need to reconsider going to grad school in the first place.

Totally agree...grad school isn't a contemplation, its something you should be serious about well before you get into your major courses in undergrad. If you have to contemplate it, then you're not cut out for it...especially if your biggest concern is climbing. Best of luck in whatever you choose though!

Wyoming has a pretty good education program, a surprisingly strong international program (funded in part by Dick Cheney), and Vedauwoo is 20 minutes away. The winters are rough, but if you have the opportunities to bitch about lousy climbing weather during the winter, you'll not succeed in your program anyway.

As was already said, as long as you're not in a climber's hell, just about any location is good, provided you plan your trips for the summers and academic breaks.

I just finished up a physics masters in Laramie, and moved to Eugene, OR which is also great when the season is right (its awful when school is in session, though).