Cheap cost of living, politics and structure of a large institution, Graduate Student
Pros
-West Lafayette area is very cheap to live so the salary goes a long way - There are some inspirational faculty that can serve as mentors and help navigate the bureaucracy of universities - The starting time off (22 days/year + holidays) is great and higher than other places starting out
Cons
- As a graduate student (whether RA, GA, TA, or Fellow) you are often given the "short end of the stick" when it comes to benefits. The health insurance is good for basic needs but if you need to see any specialty doctors, good luck finding someone in-network. We get treated as "staff" when it is convenient for the university but then treated as "students" when it is convenient for them which is quite difficult - You have to be self motivated to seek mentors and funding, although this is common of any graduate experience at a large institution
