M.Eng at Cornell vs. Work at small business

[RobChoch]

Hi all,

I've accepted an M.Eng. for BME at Cornell (and a very generous scholarship) but have also been offered a position near my house at a small company. I just recently graduated w/ a BS in BME. I am split between the two, but I know I want to work in industry and not continue into Ph.D. or Med school. I feel like Cornell will be a great experience, but I've also heard the BME M.Eng. program is very new and it is still difficult to find a job with it. I don't think I would consider the job offer my dream job nor does it pay exceptionally well, but it is in a related field and I feel like getting experience in industry first before going for masters would be a better choice in terms of looking for future work (after looking for work I got the impression that employers would rather see practical experience than degrees).

Any help/advice would be appreciated

[ponylevel]

This would be a no-brainer for me. Do the M.Eng at Cornell. It's a one year investment for a masters degree from a good university.

[OregonGal]

It's up to you, but if the scholarship truly is generous you may want to take advantage of it. You're never guaranteed funding should you apply to places again. However, if you feel that few years of experience will get you the edge at a more prestigious institution, and you can set aside enough money to pay for the program, you might want to take the job.