adelashk

Shouldn't be too hard given you'll be attending CMU. There are massive career fairs that happen at top schools. Most, if not all, major companies regularly visit 6-7 schools and CMU is one of them. Age should not matter (Equal Employment Opportunity act), unless you did absolutely nothing from the time you graduated bachelor's until now. You must have good communication skills, enough to be a potential great team player. However, some companies do not usually interview international non-PhD students and they won't even accept your resume at a career fair (I recall IBM was one of them along with Dell and defense contractors such as Lockheed Martin)

Hi profoundquiet, I was in your shoes a month ago, I was set at going for master's at the university that accepted me. They had a visiting day that I decided not to attend, the open house is supposed to help you make up your mind. Seems like you already did so going there would be a waste of time/money... Plus open house would be more beneficial for PhDs since they will get a chance to meet face to face with their future 4-5 year "boss"

Cost of living is way higher around LA than Atlanta. As for the reputation and job prospects, I would definitely go with GA tech for CS.

From a shallow point of view, a GA tech degree would take you anywhere in the world. Statistically speaking, it is much easier to graduate from GA tech and work in UCSB than the opposite. Also, you will get out of it with well known connections. UCSB students might be happier because of the location and/or the lesser competition. Let's be honest, if it were about happiness/social life you wouldn't have applied to PhD to begin with. In the end it is all about how you feel towards these schools, you could go for UCSB and end up being miserable and vice versa is true.

I would go with Ga Tech then. You can always move to CA for work after getting a PhD.

LOL, mean.

Congrats, I would be interested in knowing TGC fellow member opinions. Please start another thread.

I would be more worried about the overdue earthquake, the "big one", that is supposed to hit the bay area every 100 hundreds.

No but seriously.. I highly suggest you dedicate some time to visit both places. Reputation-wise (in terms of engineering, not sure about the MS field) GA Tech is more known than UCSB. Location-wise UCSB is heaven on earth. What about the funding offers? Keep in mind SB is more expensive than Atlanta. Either way, a full comparison would not be complete if you did not see the campuses yourself. Don't make up some excuse not to visit.. You are going to spend years living in the area (and living with the decision of doing so. If you don't have money then borrow some.

Touche, PsyK.... Touche.

Thank you sir.. As a token of gratitude: http://www.bestplaces.net/col/?salary=50000&city1=50669070&city2=51304000

and I'll sign off on that: http://lodim.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/2012_6.jpg

That would have been the best Easter Egg.. EVER.

I just accepted my admission in to a CS master's program. They did not require me to pay some deposit. Is this normal? I do not have any funding from the school and it is one of the IVYs Thought about calling them but did not want to be a hassle. Thanks

Sorry to hear that Awexome. Would you mind sharing the post mark date and your location (east/west coast, central U.S., or international)?

Thanks sldm. Could you please keep us posted with your friend's status (not necessarily decision, just letter arrival)? He would be the first one to receive the letter given his proximity to Cambridge.

Interesting, if he lives two towns away he should have definitely received it by now :S. Here is the number I called (listed in Harvard SEAS FAQ page): 617-496-6100

I did not ask specifically about Master's. I think this includes both master's and PhD. They said all decisions, so I can assume it also means rejections.

Just called them! All decisions have been made. The last batch of decisions were mailed on Tuesday the 15th. Depending on where you are from Cambridge, MA you should receive the letter shortly.

Sorry to hear that surprisecake.. I had my share of shattered dreams last month. It took a bit of time to sink in and recalibrate my priorities/objectives.. remember it's not about how hard you hit, it's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward

Some of us applied to master's, in which they send out acceptances/decisions early March. If you applied to PhD and have not received a reply then you are most probably rejected, this is not the case for master's........... Yet.

Judging by previous years from different forums online, decisions for SEAS master's have been sent out (i.e. postmarked) the first Friday of March until the second Friday of March. From the looks of it, acceptances are only sent out during the 4th? Not sure. Anyway, I am almost sure our decisions are in the sky right now. I am on the west coast so I expect to receive the decision tomorrow if it was sent on the 11th. Anyone on the east coast or close to MA that haven't received a decision yet?

Thanks!! Good luck to you as well. I guess it should take a maximum of a week from now to get the decision (at least for folks in the U.S. )

closetgeek, As another fellow thegradcafe member once said: If it were about the money, you'd be working instead of applying to graduate school