UPenn CIS/MSE vs Rice MCS

[Shinnippori_]

Hi folks, my girlfriend has been accepted by both computer science grad programs, and we really need some advice in making a decision. Which would you choose and why? Here are some comments we have so far.

Rice:

Pros: 1. Good location and bigger city (Houston compare with Philly, but this is totally subjective). 2. Much cheaper, both tuition and living expenses. 3. Well known for its great employment statistics. 4. I am a Ph.D. student at Rice (Don't know if this should be something that affects her decision)

Cons: 1. Master of Computer Science is a 1.5-year professional degree, not MS. Not sure if this is a disadvantage if she wants to do Ph.D. in the future. 2. Not sure about Rice's reputation nationwide. How's the reputation in, for example, Northeastern of the country? 3. Will a 1.5-year program be too intensive?

UPenn:

Pros: 1. Ivy League, very great reputation. 2. It is a 2-year master of science degree, is it better? 3. Might be more selective? (but lack of evidence for this)

Cons: 1. More expensive. 2. Not sure about its employment statistics.

Thank you very much for any suggestions you may have.