UPenn MCIT vs. NYU MSCS (Poly)

[rpnpolska]

Need advice!  Please and thank you!!

 

Overview

 

Non-CS undergrad playing catch up.

 

Admitted to Penn MCIT.  Assuming admission to NYU Poly MSCS.  Really difficult decision between the two.

 

Penn

 

Penn is appealing because of CS graduate ranking, Ivy league prestige, and the less-urban campus. Also, good prospects for Big Tech placement or PHD if I decide to take that route.

 

Biggest concern for me is the fact that it's away from the major tech hubs (Valley/Alley).  Also, my goal is getting a master's in computer science, so I would have to take a few MCIT classes first and then transfer to MSE CIS.

 

NYU Poly

 

NYU is appealing because of the proximity to Silicon Alley and the entrepreneurial culture/opportunities.  I definitely see myself attempting my own startup or joining a young startup.  Being immersed in the Brooklyn Tech Triangle and the "I2e" mentality is a big plus.  Potential of scholarships also a plus.

 

Biggest concern is the relatively low ranking.  At the same time, I feel as though this will trend in the right direction due to the merger as well as the rapid growth of Silicon Alley.

 

So...

 

Basically, my gut tells me NYU is the right choice.  The hard part is giving up the already highly reputable and prestigious opportunity of Penn.

 

Thoughts??  Thanks all!

 

[moolriaz]

Go to NYU. I was at Penn CIS doing CS and in my own personal opinion I did not think the CS department lived up to the prestige of Penn at all. That is really down to Wharton. The CS department and courses offered seemed small and limited, and the facilities were not sufficient at all (often had to stand outside a lecture room just to listen to a lecture, insufficient space in the labs to do work). The students were not friendly, there were some good professors though. I sat in on some of the MCIT courses. It did not seem like there were many tech opportunities either.  I was very surprised given the prestige. Penn would be a better choice if you wanted to move there for research in a specific field, like NLP which Penn has good faculty in.

Edited March 15, 2014 by moolriaz

[Icydubloon]

I have never heard of Silicon Alley...

[DeleteMePlease]

Isn't there a big difference between NYU and NYU poly? Isn't poly really bad ranked compared to UPenn?

But still, listen to your gut.