arefin

Hi, I'm an architect ( the houses kind ) and I've worked in a tech-startup where I did a bit of web-development and 3D graphics. We were building a collaborative CAD model sharing platform. I am interested in graphics, HCI and CAD based research. I've been accepted by SFU's School of Interactive Arts & Technology, MSc with full funding and Waterloo's MMath CS with conditional funding. I'm having a hard time to decide where to go. Either way I'll gravitate towards the same areas of research. At Waterloo, I'll be going by the CS route - they'll be grounding me in core CS before moving on to graduate courses. There will be a transitional phase where I'll be doing core CS courses without funding ( two terms ), and on successful completion I'll get funding and the normal graduate path. My adviser does research in graphics. Meanwhile, at SFU, I have funding from the beginning. My adviser is doing some great research in which I am quite interested. The environment there will be something I'd be more used to than "hardcore CS". Here I have a chance to convert to a PhD, and I'd like that. Although it's banal stuff - I know for a fact that job opportunities are good at Waterloo, but I don't have any such information about about SIAT. I've spoken to people there and since the environment is so diverse, people really can't say. Can anyone help me, specially if there are any SIAT graduates out there ? Thanks.

Newspapers, news shows, discussions, documentaries - like the BBC, CNN, Discovery etc. Radio. Movies and shows are good but too much colloquialism or slang could be a problem. I mean that's how some of us in India get it right, although some of us have studied English literature throughout school. I don't think grammar books or "How to speak" books ever help. You've got to read, read and read and then converse. And fear of public speaking - well that's a different matter I think you could help yourself by immersing yourself in such content. Just observe closely as to how they speak, enunciate, pay attention to the diction though "accent" per se, is not the issue. Your writing looks quite good, so I think it will not be difficult for you. Assuming you begin in September this year, you've got plenty of time. Good luck

+1 ! Sleeping and partying. Also - Clone Wars ! Fake philosopher quote : If you can do anything about it, do it and don't worry. If you can't do anything about it, don't worry.

Hey thanks ! I don't know about funding, haven't asked him yet. Will ask now. Meanwhile, what's Waterloo like ? I've heard from my CS friends and online reviews that Waterloo is pretty good, if not among the best for CS. My adviser has done a fair bit of praising himself. I'm still very surprised. Whoa !

I think I may have been accepted to Waterloo's MMath Computer Science, although haven't received anything official yet. What does it mean when my potential adviser with whom I've been exchanging regular e-mails since September '13 says : " You'll be happy to know that I've already pressed the "Accept" button in our online admissions system. At this point, a bunch of bureaucratic gears should grind away for a while, eventually resulting in a formal offer of admission being spit out at the other end. " - and he's talking already talking about stuff that we'd do as soon as I get there. By the way, I'm an Architecture undergrad and my grades were terrible. It'll be a miracle if I'm accepted. Not a word from U of T.