how important is the location of the univ. for a job afterwards

[LucKy_StriKe]

Hey there,

*new here*

I'll be joining a Masters in CS for F'10.

I kinda have a split mind between going for a Ph.D and taking a job afterwards(grad school is sure as hell not cheap). Assuming i'll want to find a job in my field of interest afterwards(robotics), how important is it that i join a university closer to a lot of robotics companies, even though the program in another university suits me more.

Or have i got it all wrong in this thought?

Edited May 4, 2010 by LucKy_StriKe

[Jae B.]

Closeness would be good for making early connections, but if you can attend a program that fits you better, wouldn't it be okay as long as the folks you're interested in working for have heard of and have respect for it?

Maybe you can look up employee profiles on LinkedIn and see where they went to school.

[pea-jay]

Never underestimate the power of proximity. JaeB has a good point on checking where your ideal firms are and find out where they went to school. If they went to school locally and entered during (internship?) or right after graduation, it may help you out to emulate that pattern as well.

[fuzzylogician]

Two things come to mind. One is that physical proximity can be helpful if you are the sort of person who can make personal connections easily, or if you can get summer internships. This is especially important if you already know what part of the country you want to get a job in after you graduate; it's probably easier to find a job if you're already in the area and make an effort to get to know potential employers. Another thought is that some schools have active alumni networks, and belonging to one can in some cases help you get a job even if you studied in a different part of the country. Aside from these points, I suppose the answer is probably "it depends" - on field, on location, on particular firms - so who knows.

[LucKy_StriKe]

Thank you all for your advice, the linked-in idea looks really interesting, will give it a try.

[Jae B.]

For the record, I'm nearly in Pea-jay's camp on this one. I picked a school right in the midst of where I want to have my career. I've got a ton of connections here already, and will be gaining more over the next two years for sure! The only other school I really considered is so prominent and well-known in my field, I was sure it'd be regarded in my ideal area -- I'd already seen a few relatively successful people here with their degree.

Edited May 6, 2010 by Jae B.

[oldlady]

Don't know what it's like in CS, but I'd talk to the Career Services offices at the schools. When I got my MBA, companies from all over the country (as well as internationally) recruited at my school, both for summer internships and for post-graduation jobs. School location, as it related to jobs, wasn't really an issue.

FWIW, I chose my program based on what I determined to be the highest value of the degree over the *long* term. Remember, you'll be an alum for way longer than you'll be a student...