PhD in CS: UCB or Stanford

[Pulkit_Grad]

Hi,

I got PhD admits in CS from Stanford and UCB. I will probably be working on vision, computational neuroscience and related fields.

Any suggestions on the schools ?

Also, any comparisons between neuroscience departments of both the schools ?

[Azazel]

With that kind of choice, you can't really go wrong. I had a similar dilemma and decided on Stanford (I liked the more entrepreneurial culture), but my subfield is different from yours, so I can't speak to the quality of its computer vision and neuroscience programs.

Were you at visit days for both schools? If so, I'd just go with your instincts...

Edited April 6, 2011 by Azazel

[Pulkit_Grad]

Yes, I was there at the visit days.

I sort of got a feel that people in Stanford collaborate a bit less, otherwise I found it to be spectacular.

[Azazel]

Yes, I was there at the visit days.

Then it's possible that we've met ;-)

I sort of got a feel that people in Stanford collaborate a bit less, otherwise I found it to be spectacular.

Initially, I felt that too. But as it turned out, the three potential advisors I met with all seemed interested in working together on collaborative projects. So that sort of laid to rest my concerns. But your experience may vary...

Good luck with the decision.

Edited April 6, 2011 by Azazel

[hiscoba]

Hi,

I got PhD admits in CS from Stanford and UCB. I will probably be working on vision, computational neuroscience and related fields.

Any suggestions on the schools ?

Also, any comparisons between neuroscience departments of both the schools ?

If I were you, I'd go to Stanford ( although I was rejected by Stanford :-( )

It is true that Berkeley is fantastic in CS PhD program. However, for people who are doing real CS research, they cares more about what work you have done rather than from which program you graduated. But for people who do not know CS research, they judge you simply on the school name (I bet you have to get along with a lot of such people in your career). I think Berkeley is highly respected in the west coast, but Stanford is respected all over the world. You can achieve success anywhere with a Stanford degree. So if both school have attractive professors, then go to Stanford!

[Azazel]

It is true that Berkeley is fantastic in CS PhD program. However, for people who are doing real CS research, they cares more about what work you have done rather than from which program you graduated. But for people who do not know CS research, they judge you simply on the school name (I bet you have to get along with a lot of such people in your career). I think Berkeley is highly respected in the west coast, but Stanford is respected all over the world. You can achieve success anywhere with a Stanford degree. So if both school have attractive professors, then go to Stanford!

Any consistent employer of CS PhDs will have equivalent respect for the Berkeley and Stanford "names." This goes without saying for academic and industry research positions, but I expect it holds even in areas totally outside of CS research (e.g. jobs in I-Banking, SDE at Company X, etc). Any relevant employer who is competent will have some idea where the "talent" can be found. Sure, a random layman may not be as impressed with the Berkeley brand, but a random layman is not going to be hiring you ;-)

So even as a tie breaker, I'd be skeptical about going on brand name. But maybe things differ outside the United States. I can't speak to that issue.

Edited April 7, 2011 by Azazel

[Amogh]

I think you should decide based on fit, where you find more people working on what you are specifically interested in.