Virginia Tech reviews

Cons: - Excessive fees (>$2k per year) that cannot be covered by research stipends - Many professors are narcissists and not good mentors (Likely true at most research universities) - As a PhD student, you will be completely at the mercy of your PhD advisor and committee, so choose wisely (true as most research universities). - Minimal work options for spouses/partners in Blacksburg. - Funding can be stressful depending on your sources of funding - Difficult to leave Blacksburg since there is not a major airport nearby - Blacksburg will feel very small by the end of your PhD. There are limited things to do or places to explore. You may end up feeling very stuck. Cons unique to my experience: - PhD advisor largely uninvested in my research and did not provide much mentorship or guidance with research. - Collaborations with additional groups caused tension around authorship and manuscript readiness for submission. Collaborating professors dragged their feet on manuscript submission and caused some manuscripts to take years to complete (delaying my timeline for graduating). - PhD qualifying exam (Mechanical Engineering) was extremely stressful.

-Coworkers can have severely unethical morals -Few opportunities for upward movement -Pay stagnates eventually regardless of experience in position