Stanford vs. UC San Diego

[Yuri_Gagarin]

Hi all,

I've been admitted to M.S. in Structural Engineering both to Stanford and UC San Diego.

My main interest is Earthquake Engineering, as this is my main motivation to study in the US, so... I've got this big dilemma. Which one is a better choice?

Stanford is Stanford, and of course it has a better overall reputation. But one of my recommenders just called me to advise me to think it carefully, because San Diego is one of the leading universities in that domain.

The problem with San Diego is that, of the two Very well known professors In Earthquake Eng., one of them has just retired, and the other one is currently the Dean of the Engineering School, and he doesn't take students to work with.

What would you do?

Edited April 15, 2011 by Yuri_Gagarin

[eesj]

I'd go to wherever the best research is going on. People in your field will respect that you studied under the top researcher in the field rather than the university name.

[kala tim]

I'd take Stanford. There's a lot to be said for going to a really good school. It's nice when everyone around you is doing something cool.

UCSD is really nice, just a different academic climate. It has good Ph.D. programs but it's not Stanford