testarossa

So nervous ..... I think last year Columbia started to send out rejections and acceptances for the MS OR around this time as well.

Congratulation !! Both schools are great and you can't go wrong with either choice. I think you should choose the program that offers the research you are interested in or with the professor that you prefer. Just some thought that I have, Berkeley's budget has been cut drastically last year. With California is still facing a seriously budget deficit, I don't see anyhow that Berkeley's funding is going to recover. Thus, it makes some research stalled that you might have been interested in. Personally, I like Stanford better since I feel that it is more prestigious.

rejected by MIT ORC today (SM). I am on a losing streak T_T

Thanks seadub and hubris for your insights and I do take criticism as better advice than "oh you have the chance, just apply and you'll get in" type of advice. Since my background is pure electrical engineering with research and programming from a non-top university, I figured that my chance to get into consulting firm would be very small. Therefore, I am trying to find a brand name non-MBA program that would improve my chance to a consulting firm, maybe not big name like McKinsey, BCG or Bain. I know that top consulting firms hire a lot of top MBA graduates. However, I only want to get MBA after I get some working experience because I want to get the best out of a MBA program (and hopefully get the company to pay it for me). Right now, I am weighing Stanford over Columbia since the MS&E is more diverse program. I do prefer NYC over California for the lifestyle and people but the MSOR program at Columbia happens to be less prestigious (Columbia's MBA is really good though).

Well, I do know that it takes more than a degree to get into top consulting firm. What I was asking is where is a better environment to train those skill between Stanford and Columbia. From what I have researched, Stanford MS&E has a better placement into consulting industry than Columbia but I was afraid that MS&E is kind of redundant when my plan is to get a MBA eventually.

Hello, I haven't heard any decision from both schools yet. I just want to gather more opinions and informations regarding both programs. My background is an BS in Electrical & Computer Engineering with minor in Computer Science and Management. I want to have a career in consulting with firms like McKinsey or BCG. I want to know which program is a better fit, Stanford MS&E or Columbia MSOR. I know Columbia OR is famous for their quantitative financial engineering and very reputable to Wall Street firms but I know nothing about how consulting firms view their Operations Research MS degree, and Operations Research program in general? Is it the type of person they are looking for? I also want to take into account their campus city: New York vs San Francisco environment .

Thanks to your statistics that I won't feel depressed about being rejected by Princeton anymore. lol If I want to have a career in IBD or consulting with firms like McKinsey or BCG (I don't want to be a quant), which is the better "cash cow" among those: Stanford MS&E Columbia MSOR MIT SM ORC Cornell IEOR

Congrats on Columbia MFE When did you get rejection from MIT SM ORC because I am waiting for decision as well I heard Columbia MFE have a huge waiting list so it makes sense that they rush you to decide ......

Now bad news coming ..... just rejected by Princeton ORFE (Master of Science in Engineering)

Columbia MSOR class size is like 200+ students. The same goes for Stanford MS&E but it's a much bigger and broader department so 200+ master students is acceptable. Columbia is famous for their Financial Engineering program, which is very prestigious to Wall Street firms and accepts around 80+ people per class, and usually defers those who couldn't get in to FE program to MSOR program. Therefore, the MSOR at Columbia is considered lesser quality than the FE program, although you get the same professors and could take as much as 70% of the same classes in the FE curriculum. You could potentially learn the same amount as any FE student but as seadub said, you are graduated with an inferior degree from the department so your placement chance as well as attention you receive from professors and the department is less. Stanford MS&E is more diverse and somewhat like a technical MBA. If your goal is to become a quantitative trader on the street (quants), I think Columbia MSOR is still a better choice compared to other programs. Otherwise, I think any other programs would be better .

I think it's relatively easier compared with MIT SM ORC, Stanford MS&E, Princeton MS ORFE. It is probably harder than Columbia MS OR .... With that many papers, you'd definitely get a very good chance if you applied for Stanford MS&E.

Well, because I would prefer not to disclose it for privacy as well as for unbiased purpose. I shouldn't call it top because it is only in top 30 of electrical engineering departments ranked by USNews.

It's actually in the profile thread

Thanks, hope you'll get in too . Good luck

Well, I just got acceptance email from Cornell ORIE (Master of Engineering) so I guess they're sending out decisions.

the acceptance is most likely for PhD ... Master usually get their decision beginning of March. (last year the holy day was 6th March)

I am not applying to PhD so I am not really an expertise in judging the school quality. But from my perspective: - I would rate NU higher than UMich in term of prestige. Kellogg is a much better brand name than Ross - Evanston, which is very close to Chicago, is a better choice compared with Ann Arbor (it is just my opinion). - Both school are from top 10 OR ranking so I would consider them both equal in term of ranking. Georgia Tech's reputation in OR has always been among top schools for the last 10 years but I still weigh NU > GT in term of branding ..... I think the only thing that goes with you for the rest of your life is the school's name .... so I would choose the school with better brand name

Undergrad Institution: Top Engineering School in US Major(s): Electrical & Computer Engineering Minor(s): Computer Science, Management GPA in Major: 4.0 Overall GPA: 3.97 Length of Degree: 4 Position in Class: top 5% Type of Student: international, male, asian GRE Scores: Q: 790 V: 690 W: 4.0 Research Experience: 1 publication Awards/Honors/Recognitions: Dean's list, Institute Scholarship Pertinent Activities or Jobs: 2 Internships in Electrical Engineering Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help: Letter of Recommendation by Dean of the school, and supervisor which is head director of Fortune 500 company Applying for [ MS ] at: Columbia - OR - waiting/endless/no funding Stanford - MS&E - waiting/endless/no funding Princeton - ORFE - waiting/endless/no funding MIT - SM ORC - waiting/endless/no funding Cornell - ORIE - waiting/endless/no funding

Are you talking about MS or PhD ? I am also applying for the MS Program but based on last year thread the decision won't be sent out until Feb 23 ...

Thanks, you were scaring me a little bit ^ ^ ..... This waiting period is so unnerving and depressing

That's really weird since I haven't got any rejection or acceptance email/letter

Does anyone know when MS program at Princeton ORFE decision is announced?