ECE: Two Offers Options

[ariesxiao]

Hello, Everyone:

I have two offers now. Could you please give me some suggestions which one is better and which one is worth to go? Both of the two offers are ph.d in ECE. Thanks

1. Boston University ECE ranking 44, Graduate School Ranking 56

As you know, Boston is a large and international city which I like. But Will the living expenses in Boston be very high in Boston? My potential supervisor is an Indian Associate Professor and the OSA fellow. I think his academic background is very strong and he also control a set of the largest fiber fabrication equipment in BU. However, he just came back from the indusry and I will be his first set of the students if I go. I am doubt maybe he doesn't know how to train a ph.d student in the academic part as he just came back from the industry and doesn't have this kind of experience to train students. There is also nothing in his lab excepet some desks, fibers and that fiber fabrication equipment which inherated from an emeritus professor. If I go, I need to help him to build the lab and I am doubt he will be very push. At last, I don't want to be a professor. I want to find a job in the industry after I graduate. My work will be the bio-sensor or nano-sensor if I go. I am doubt it is not easy to find a job if I focus on bio or nano-work in my ph.d period.

2. U of California- Riverside: ECE ranking 57, Graduate School Ranking 96

Riverside is a small city but it is near the LA. So I think the place is also a kind of good. My potential surpervisor is a Chinese Professor. He is the head of lab of communication of light and wireless communication in UCR. Now, he mainly focus on Wireless Communication. I think I will also do some work of wirelss if I work for him. I don't know the job-finding condition in the wirelss communication. I think it may should be easy to find a job if I work in the wireless other than the bio or nano-sensor. And California is also a good place with many job opputunities. But it seems the reputation of UCR is not good. When I referred to Boston University, many people thought it is a good university. However, when I mentioned UCR, a lot of people thought it is a bad school and its reputation is not good.

I am confused in the offer selection. Could you give me some suggestions based on my introduction and my doubt mentioned above?

Thanks

[yacobito]

Hey there. Most likely by now you have decided, but I would go with BU. I am actually here at BU working on my PhD in Materials Science and Engineering. I think the person you are talking about at BU is Siddharth? I know him and he seems nice. I know a project that he is starting that sounds really cool. BU school of engineering is significantly larger which leads to more collaboration and if all goes poorly you have options to move to other advisers who do similar research. Drop me email if you want and we talk more if you have any questions.

Good Luck

-Jacob

jtt23@bu.edu