Stanford MSCS vs MIT PhD EECS for startups

[Icydubloon]

I was having a discussion with a friend who is very interested in entrepreneurship and is interested in pursuing her own startup somewhere down the road. She is debating (assuming admission from Stanford) between Stanford MSCS and MIT PhD EECS, specifically with the LIDS group. She refuses to create an account on GradCafe so here I am making this post instead. She only applied to MIT for the heck of it and at the time of applications, was primarily interested in an MS.

 

Is the Stanford name worth it? What if the MSCS was funded with TA/RA positions. Will 4-5 years at MIT and distance from the valley cause some missed opportunities? The PhD is a degree for life and opens doors in academia, both in the future and now. It could be possible to do a PhD at Stanford after the MS. What are your thoughts? I've already exhausted my arguments and would like to hear what GradCafe has to say.

[hikaru1221]

Opportunity doesn't matter. Being opportunists matters. Just sayin'

[compiler_guy]

PhD is a huge time dedication. Is your friend considering a research position afterwards as a career?

[Icydubloon]

PhD is a huge time dedication. Is your friend considering a research position afterwards as a career?

 

They are not interested in research. Some jobs/software engineering positions may have a research focus such as Google Ads Targeting but she doesn't (nor do I) consider these straight research jobs. I'd define research job as a scientist at MSR/Google Research/academia which is something she is definitely not interested in.

[cicada2014]

Then MSCS makes much more sense. She would be miserable in a PhD program if she doesn't want to do research

[Icydubloon]

It's interesting how highly people view Stanford. Even when compared to MIT...

[gorki]

It's interesting how highly people view Stanford. Even when compared to MIT...

I don't think the poll results should be interpreted in a Stanford > MIT way. You say that she was "very interested in entrepreneurship and is interested in pursuing her own startup somewhere down the road", "not interested in research" and "was primarily interested in an MS." From what you wrote, fit (at least for the program) sounds much better at Stanford. I don't think the people who voted EECS read your post -- if you voted EECS, could you please explain why?

 

Anyway, congratulation to your friend for getting admitted. 

Edited March 18, 2014 by gorki

[Icydubloon]

Just to follow up: she chose to go to Stanford since she was offered full funding for a MS. Interestingly, she was offered more funding by Stanford for their MSCS than MIT PhD.

[DeleteMePlease]

Just to follow up: she chose to go to Stanford since she was offered full funding for a MS. Interestingly, she was offered more funding by Stanford for their MSCS than MIT PhD.

 

What is surprising about this? Isn't the cost of living much higer in the Bay Area?

[Icydubloon]

What is surprising about this? Isn't the cost of living much higer in the Bay Area?

It's surprising because it's funding for a MS vs PhD. Masters programs are generally unfunded, especially at a "cash cow" machine like Stanford.

[waiting4columbia]

What is surprising about this? Isn't the cost of living much higer in the Bay Area?

Don't assume Cambridge is a cheap place. I live in Boston area and I can tell you housing cost in Cambridge is crazy as well.

 

A one-bedroom apartment is at least $1500 per month and easily over $2000, so students cannot afford to live alone. Boston is one of the most expensive cities in the US too.