Cornell ECE Meng

[handybryant]

Hey guys~

I was admitted by Cornell ECE Meng Program a couple of weeks ago. Meanwhile I also got admission offers for PhD from other universities in US which are ranking lower. Currently I am more interested in getting a job after graduation than setting up my mind to go for a PhD. Some say that it is a good investment for a job-seeking person, however I am still confused about it. Since I am a foreigner and it will take me some time to get familiar with the surroundings. Besides, there doesn't seem to be many EE industries around Ithaca or NY. So a one-year program seems to be a little bit short.

Can anyone give some advice over my situation?

[Mohammad Ali]

As you said. yeah it is short and besides, it is meng not msc and I think it would be a problem landing a good paying job with meng. I think you should try phd programs, it would be fun and you are gonna love it, believe me!

[delon]

One year program doesn't matter a lot. You have to take minimum 30 credits (even more than that if you can do it). So, considering the number of credits, it's same as the other 2 year MS. Moreover, this program also gives the opportunity to do research. There is a research track where you can take 7 credits of research per semester instead of MEng design project. I did plenty of research on Cornell MEng. So, it's not a disadvantage if you think about job. The only problem is, it doesn't offer funding and you won't get enough time to do part time job or hang out !

Edited March 31, 2011 by delon

[PavelV]

One year program doesn't matter a lot. You have to take minimum 30 credits (even more than that if you can do it). So, considering the number of credits, it's same as the other 2 year MS. Moreover, this program also gives the opportunity to do research. There is a research track where you can take 7 credits of research per semester instead of MEng design project. I did plenty of research on Cornell MEng. So, it's not a disadvantage if you think about job. The only problem is, it doesn't offer funding and you won't get enough time to do part time job or hang out !

Delon is absolutely right. Regular MS last 2 years with a maximum of 8 credits per semester or 2 classes. This totals to 32. This allows time for research positions or part time job. Where Cornell is more intense and you end with a project, where in regular MS its a thesis.

[handybryant]

One year program doesn't matter a lot. You have to take minimum 30 credits (even more than that if you can do it). So, considering the number of credits, it's same as the other 2 year MS. Moreover, this program also gives the opportunity to do research. There is a research track where you can take 7 credits of research per semester instead of MEng design project. I did plenty of research on Cornell MEng. So, it's not a disadvantage if you think about job. The only problem is, it doesn't offer funding and you won't get enough time to do part time job or hang out !

Hey, thanks for your advice. Another factor confusing me is that Ithaca may not be an ideal location for job-seekers in Engineering. Since most of the EE industries are likely to be located in the west. And unlike PhDs, the geographic location of the campus may be relatively more important to MEng students. I've also heard that a lot of MEng students in Cornell find jobs outside of ECE, maybe a lot of them go to other fields or even tertiary industries like consulting. Is that true? :-)

[delon]

Hey, thanks for your advice. Another factor confusing me is that Ithaca may not be an ideal location for job-seekers in Engineering. Since most of the EE industries are likely to be located in the west. And unlike PhDs, the geographic location of the campus may be relatively more important to MEng students. I've also heard that a lot of MEng students in Cornell find jobs outside of ECE, maybe a lot of them go to other fields or even tertiary industries like consulting. Is that true? :-)

Actually, I also got admission in ECE-Meng. So, I am trying my best to contact with seniors and past Meng students from Cornell to know more about that program. According to them- it doesn't matter! They said that most of the major companies visit Cornell in the career fairs and the "Cornell" tag will help a lot to get interview calls. I'm not sure about going to other fields for ECE guys like us. The CS people has that opportunity to end up in various financial companies because these companies need CS. So, for CS, it may happen. I don't know about ECE.

Try to do research as much possible before getting in. I'm also confused and still trying to know more about that program.

Edited April 2, 2011 by delon