I first got interested in research as a Biology major at the University of New Mexico. I started working in a lab as a workstudy at the end of my second year, and continued on to do a senior thesis in the same lab. After graduating in 2004, I decided to take a year off and continue working in my senior thesis lab full time before applying to grad school. The year turned into two years, but I finally got my act together and simultaneously moved to Boston and applied to schools in the area in November 2005. I found a tech job at Tufts School of Medicine in Chinatown…and then the interviews began!

I thought I’d be at a disadvantage when applying to the schools I chose, because I didn’t graduate from a big-name, ultra-elite school. I’ve since realized that I had all the opportunities available to me during undergrad that my classmates did, and I have ended up in the same place. And I love it here!

A big part of the reason I chose MIT is the broad range of research areas. I came to grad school not knowing exactly what I wanted to study, but there were so many faculty whose work I found interesting that I knew I’d find something I was excited about. Another thing that sold me on MIT was the interview weekend: everyone I met seemed really happy to be here, and the Pit (first-year lounge) looked like a lot of fun. The Pit gives you a chance to get to know your classmates better… and mine are a great bunch of people!

Everyone I’ve met so far at MIT has been very helpful and encouraging. Your professors want you to do well in your classes and in your career, and they provide you plenty of opportunities to do so. I love the atmosphere here because you don’t feel like you’re competing with your classmates, which means you can relax, concentrate on your classes, and have a good time!

On top of all that, Boston is a great place to live. The city itself is small enough to be walkable, there is so much history and culture here, and there are plenty of non-science things to do to keep you busy for years. There are many great institutions in the Boston area besides MIT, so there are lots of opportunities for science-related stuff to keep you busy too. As you go through the process of deciding where to pursue your graduate degree, just remember that the most important thing is finding the place that makes you the happiest!