Northwestern University

The stipend is relatively low considering the average expense in the Chicago area. Also, it's almost the lowest in comparison with the other programs at Northwestern University. Lots of the programs have much higher stipend with less TA requirement at Northwestern. This low stipend constrains your living quality and it's hard to afford the apartments close to campus, which means you have to spend much more time to commute. The faculty members are all brilliant here is one of the best points in the... Read More program. You can easily find different perspectives on the same topic from different faculty members to inspire your thoughts.

This program is generally very good. The primary emphasis is on research, with classes being almost complementary. So, if you are interested in doing research in cognitive science, cognitive neuroscience, clinical psychology, etc., this is a very high quality program. You will be in daily contact with your mentor/adviser, who will not only help with all of the stages of your research, but introduce you to various opportunities to advance your research career (e.g. conferences, scholarships, and eventually... Read More potential job opportunities). Further, all students accepted to the program receive a full scholarship and stipend. The only potential con might be the workload: I would only recommend becoming involved in this program if you are comfortable essentially devoting your life to this program. I would not enroll in this program if I had other substantial life responsibilities.