Mitsuki

I know this is somewhat of a redundant topic... But for people currently attending and prospective students who have the choice between these schools, where would you choose now or if you could choose again? Particularly if you were interested in (1) IC design or (2) computer architecture... (I'm especially curious about Stanford vs. Berkeley since they're kind of like Silicon Valley rivals) I've seen people mention in past threads that you really can't go wrong with one school or another, but it is a problem when your PI's personality doesn't suit yours, research interests don't fit, or maybe you don't really like the atmosphere at a particular school... I think it's good to talk to other people in your area that aren't directly involved in the recruitment (+ people at schools of interest), but I'd also be interested in seeing more "anonymous" opinions @ GradCafe. Does an "insider" have an opinion about where the IC/comp architecture research stands between the schools? Does anyone think the adjacency of Sand Hill Road to Stanford is overhyped for those interested in (CS or EE; difference between) startups? Or does that really make Stanford THE place to be for those interested in startups? How much did the campus and surrounding area (= grad life) play into your decision? And the kinds of people that attend? Is there any appreciable difference in terms of the "name brand" of these 3 schools (more curious about in industry and the startup scene, as opposed to in academia, because they seem to be on par in that respect)? Especially between Stanford/Berkeley? Does attending one over the other get you in the door at most places and enable you to obtain a higher starting salary? Did parental pressure affect your decision in any way? I do know a lot of Asian friends who gravitate towards Stanford because Stanford's overall reputation (undergrad/grad) is "better" than Berkeley's... and, well, you know how much name brand schools mean to Asian parents/acquaintances... How much should funding matter? Clearly, it's not wise to go to Stanford if they offer no aid, but how about if you get a 3-quarter fellowship vs. (I think) Berkeley guarantees support for something like 5 years, or if a prof at MIT agrees to take you on? How much should the "prestige" of a fellowship matter, if at all? i.e. If you get SGF at Stanford vs. Chancellor's at Berkeley (particularly one or the other, but not both)? And would getting external funding (NSF, NDSEG, Hertz) sway you if you managed to get some kind of university/departmental fellowship? Does the level of recruitment affect your decision when, all things considered, it's still quite difficult to decide? Is it better to pick a school based off of research the professors there are currently interested in (since interests change relatively frequently...) or the school environment? (If you liked one school more for one criterion and not the other...)... Also, in general, do you think it'd be better to work for famous, more established profs or profs who are particularly motivated to get tenure (neglecting any risk of not getting tenure) if you want your time as a PhD student to be productive? Would your choice differ if you were only interested in MS/MEng?