Choose a graduate degree program somewhere you can feed your inner food lover.
You’ve been known to preach about the health benefits of turmeric, umami is your flavor of choice, and your social media feeds are flooded with updates from your favorite food trucks. Forget meat and potatoes; you’re all about kimchi and craft brews. You’re a devout food lover, and you’re on your way to earning your graduate degree.
Graduate schools in gourmet cities
Pursing a graduate degree grants you the opportunity to spend the next two or more years of your life exploring an exciting new city with a vibrant restaurant scene (between all the research and writing, of course). Trust us, your foodie cravings aren’t going to be properly sated by faculty pizza lunches. What better way to unwind from those lengthy library sessions than with some adventurous dining? We’ve put together a tasting menu of top food lover cities and graduate degree programs in which to launch your future..
California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, CA
The graduate school: As a world-class research institution, Caltech can afford to be extremely selective. Only 20 first-year students are chosen from a pool of more than 500 applications each year. Faculty research runs the gamut of technical expertise, from circuits to information theory. There is also a great deal of opportunity to collaborate with other departments at Caltech, and many professors hold dual appointments. Earning a degree in electrical engineering, one of the more popular programs at the school, could put you on the fast track to a lucrative career.
For the food lover: Pasadena, the former home of Julia Child, is now said to be home to more restaurants per capita than New York City. Chefs from nearby Los Angeles and foodies from San Marino have attracted a booming eatery scene that encompasses everything from Southeast Asian street food and vegan food trucks to sophisticated tapas and haute cuisine.
George Washington University in Washington, D.C.
The graduate school: If you’re looking to advance your career in the health care field, GW’s Department of Physician Assistant Studies offers two exceptional graduate level programs: the traditional two-year degree program, leading to a Master of Science in Health Sciences (MSHS), and the three-year joint degree program, leading to both an MSHS and a Master of Public Health. Competitive candidates will have to battle 900 other applicants, possess a GPA close to 3.6, and earn a combined GRE score of 310, in addition to having a minimum of 1000 hours of direct patient care experience.
For the food lover: DC is an up-and-coming foodie town, and the scene can be enjoyed via walking tours that showcase the city’s thriving local food movement and a mouth-watering array of international cuisine. Reflecting the District’s internationalism, there is no lack of variety for the intrepid eater—and ample public transportation makes it easy to explore new restaurants.
University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, NC
The graduate school: For those pursuing advanced research in markets, labor, or capital, UNC’s Department of Economics offers such noteworthy concentrations as econometrics and labor economics. PhD students are expected to have above-average GRE scores with performances on the quantitative well above the 90th percentile. Many incoming economics PhD candidates also have backgrounds in advanced mathematics.
For the food lover: Help the local food economy by eating your way through Allen & Son BBQ’s entire menu—you won’t regret it. While North Carolina may be famous for its mouth-watering BBQ, the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill Triangle is also home to four winners of the James Beard Award for best chef and an emerging fine dining scene.
The University of Chicago in Chicago, IL
The graduate school: Out of nearly 600 applicants, only 90 were admitted to the terminal PhD program in physics at the University of Chicago. Applicants are required to take both the GRE and the Physics Subject Test to be considered competitive for this prestigious graduate program. Multiple prizes, fellowships, and scholarships are available to support graduate students in pursuing their academic goals. The storied history of the Department of Physics has included multiple Nobel laureates, from James W. Cronin to Yoichiro Nambu.
For the food lover: Eating your way through Chicagoland cuisine is simple. Start with a deep-dish pizza drowning in tomato sauce, grab a Chicago Dog, and don’t slow down. Chicago has an excellent food scene featuring such noteworthy restaurateurs as Rick Bayless, whose influential take on Mexican cuisine has garnered national recognition.
The University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, PA
The graduate school: Psychology grads looking to earn a graduate degree from an elite Ivy League research institution might consider UPenn’s highly selective psychology department, which admits roughly ten candidates per year as doctoral students. Successful matriculants into the PhD program have an average GRE score of 165 on the verbal section and 159 on the quantitative section, placing them above the 90th percentile. The Psychology Subject Test is not required for admission. Students can seek out a dissertation advisor from among the school’s eminent faculty, whose research expertise spans several areas, including behavioral and cognitive neuroscience, decision processes, and developmental psychology.
For the food lover: Apply your well-honed graduate research skills to Philly’s most enduring culinary quandary: Pat’s or Geno’s? Once you’ve made an informed decision on your favorite Philly cheesesteak, you can apply your methodology to the city’s more eclectic fare, representing some of the best BYOB, chef-owned restaurants in the country. With a still-underrated foodie scene, Philadelphia offers gourmet tastes with a friendliness and accessibility you won’t find in bigger cities.
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