Indiana University - Bloomington Reviews

"This program is academically and intellectually bankrupt. Too much emphasis is placed on the bottom line, the physical degree, rather than the education."

"Pros: The program has gotten better over the years I have been here... Specific requirements have been better defined, students have better understanding of those requirements, and organization of and consistency in expectations during early years through quals (better, not great, but willingness to change is a good thing). More effort is being put in by program directors (faculty members), to make those changes instead of the traditional "yes, let's do this" but no action. Great medical insurance, including dental and vision coverage! Excellent student resources -all aspects of health care, gym/fitness/rec facilities, random experiences to try (pottery? scuba? nationally-renowned student opera/orchestra/band? great entertainment brought in like Mama Mia, the Dalai Lama). Plenty of university and community service opportunities. AMAZING cost of living, and a great Midwest town to live in if you grew up on the west coast. Cons: Regularly feel that there are greater expectations for me since I do not have a significant other or children. Hard to get help with any difficulties with advisor. Stigma attached to because specific experiences have led me to changing pursuit to something other than a PhD-related career, yet I want to finish my degree. I have legit reason to be concerned that the recommendation letters I will need will minimize more factual ability and contributions in favor of picking-and-choosing pieces of evidence that support uneducated and unwavering opinions. The sciences are supposed to be founded in making conclusions from the entire set of data, not picking and choosing the points that support your idea. Contradicting information: "have a life and take care of yourself," but in the same conversation, "do not have any extracurricular activities (sports, community service, and to some extent university service). Biased in favor of accepting anything "The Old Boys" want: if the PI wants his/her student to graduate and when, whether or not the PI thinks their students should pass qualifying exams, etc. Overall: Make sure you know what questions to ask that cover all your bases and all your life desires for the next five-seven years, because wanting to pursue something else means that you cannot handle difficult things, so whatever you want to pursue better not be considered difficult. Ask about the CURRENT state of department and faculty funding, RECENT student grant acceptance track record, availability and competition for college/university-wide funding, and the likelihood you will be able to be able to receive funding if your project does not work and you end up in school longer than you expect. IUB is a great community, the department needs to continue to move in a positive direction, which it does seem to be doing."

"The pros of my graduate program is that in my field of Library Science there are a huge amount of people who are able to get student jobs training us for our future careers. Since the program is small there is also the opportunity to receive one on one time with professors. We also have a great group for networking opportunities. The only con is that we do not have a huge amount of resources for financial aid but the cost of living in Bloomington is low so it is possible to enjoy your time here without feeling like you have to spend a huge amount of money for fun."

"The program has been wonderful so far and I have learnt a lot this semester. The curriculum is well thought out and tailored to the needs of the students. I wish there were more electives though, so that students could pick more courses of their choice."

"The Human-Computer Interaction/design course is well-structured and teaches us a lot of important things, not just in the academic sense but in life as well. It inculcates a sense of belonging and the professors are extremely inclusive. I feel there are not enough available positions for International students to working as a Graduate Assistant / Research Assistant. An increase in the number of these positions would definitely help international students to afford their education at the same time provide valuable contribution to the university."

"Strong graduate program with ample opportunity for professional development."

"IU is a high quality school with great faculty."

"Varied faculty with no central focus. Strong sister departments, but no other schools nearby."

"pros: personal advice, small classes cons: bloomington is a small town - a really small town"

"It is a very good graduate program. Academicians are very good and their interests are broad. Workload is appropriate."

"Pros: supportive faculty and ability to teach independent sections Cons: financial aid and support when no longer on campus"

"It is a great program especially for Data science specialization"

"Great faculty, lovely town to live, but can feel a bit isolated form the rest of the world."

"Our microbiology program is academically challenging, and at the same time a friendly and open environment. We receive a lot of support from faculty, in terms of designing the best classes, career support, and mentorship. I love living in Bloomington, I love my campus, and three years into it ... I still love my research and program."

"This graduate program is incredibly rigorous, with pressure to exceed expectations of both the incredible faculty and the diverse array of fellow students. The location limits the strength of the networking you can do but there are several trips and opportunities offered that help with this issue. Overall, a fantastic program."

"The best part of the graduate program is the dedication to helping you find a career after graduation. The staff is dedicated to helping you achieve success and truly cares about your individual successes."

"The professors are accessible and helpful. The content of the program is beneficial and comprehensive. The area is beautiful. The community is close-knit."

"Pros - many research opportunities, professors often applied what we learned to future job and real-world possibilities, individual attention even in large lectures Cons - some professors talked over the heads of students in classes, neuroscience aspects of the program could have been taught better for students not as well-versed in the hard science part"

"IU was very expensive, but I was able to find opportunities which I wouldn't have had at a cost-efficient school."

"Great Program taught by amazing doctors. Con would be the lack of technology."