MS in CS, UPenn vs Penns State vs USC

[MaverickB]

Hello I have been accepted from above mentioned programs (without funding).

About my background - International student talking half the tuition as the loan to fund the university.

UPenn : Pros: IVY. Well for any international student, ivy holds bigger attraction than for a domestic student irrespective of the program reputation.

It is in Philly, so better chances of internship (assumed).

Cons- no chances of funding, expensive

USC: Downtown LA, near silicon valley

better reputation that UPenn in CS and engineering field.

Cons- damn expensive, higher living cost

Penn State- Almost 20K cheaper than the rest of the two. Better chances of funding. Fairly reputed.

Cons - middle of nowhere, Not as reputed as rest of the two (generally).

**about reputation- i am just taking it as how people perceive and how they reacted to me. I know some rankings put Penn state eng/sci program higher than two. e.g arwu ranking

Most of my family member are giving me pressure to join Upenn because of the ivy. Where as I want to go Penn state ( i am not comfy with big loan). UPenn is my third choice after USC.

FYI - I do wanna work in US after my graduation.

I am kinda in dilemma. Any thoughts?

[liszt85]

I would advise against going to USC. Their MS program accepts so many mediocre applicants. So their MS program really holds no great value in my opinion but the PhD program there is reputed. So if you can continue on to a PhD or if you intend to do so, its fine.

About Penn State, if I were you, I'd go with it. $20K is a lot of money (and that's only the difference you're talking about, the actual amount you'd go in debt for is much higher). However, if UPenn has a really reputed MS in CS program and if you think chances of internships and jobs thereafter are higher, then $20K is really peanuts. You can earn ~$5K per month during internships in companies.

What is the total amount you'd have to take a loan out for if you decide to attend UPenn?

[belowthree]

Downtown LA, near silicon valley

400 miles away really isn't close at all... I wouldn't factor that into your decision at all. If you're more than 100 miles away it doesn't really matter a whole lot whether you're 500 or 5000 miles from it, you're not there.

[MaverickB]

Thank you for the input guys.

liszt85

Both Penn and USC are ranked 20 by US news for CS. From my research, all CS programs below 8-9 rank to 30-35 rank look for money in MS program rather than students. So it is really a toss. But Viterbi (USC) engineering is highly recognized where as UPenn is not famous for its science programs.

The prob with MS application is that, you have to follow the general grad rankings and reviews. So it doesn't always gives u full picture of MS as most of them are PHD oriented.

About the loan, I probably have to take around 30-40K for the USC and UPenn.

Belothree,

Nice nick name. Also, you have been very helpful in gradcafe. Thanks

I was talking relatively about the distance. Plus, CA is famous for start-ups and tech industry.

Anyone knows, how Penn state CS students are pitted against the USC or UPenn student by the employer?

[arienandthesun]

I am in a MS program in one of the Ivies, not UPenn so my answer probably will not help you much. My department has partnerships wih industry. Each semester a lot of companies come to the department and give talks, gather resumes etc. I do not know anybody who tried and could not find a job. Some people come to my university just for this purpose.

My little advice is, check their websites and look for industry relations. If you cannot find anything on the web page just call and ask them. Try to contact students who are there. If you want to see how my department does that, just pm me and I will give you the related link and more info.

Private universities are sometimes better for this kind of relationships, that's my observation. And some companies look for people from Ivy league. I am graduating this semester and I paid a lot for this Ivy League diploma but I can definitely say it is worth the money.

[liszt85]

The prob with MS application is that, you have to follow the general grad rankings and reviews. So it doesn't always gives u full picture of MS as most of them are PHD oriented.

Which is why I said I wouldn't really prefer USC. A 20th rank on US news is most definitely because of their PhD program. I did say that their PhD program is very reputed. I speak from personal experience. I know a lot of people who're doing their MS there. They've all got in without having to do much. Its as if almost anybody can get in! I have a friend who is doing a PhD there, he's seen the mediocre quality of the MS students there and the HUGE intake everywhere. Anyway, this might be offensive to many, but these are just passive observations I've been able to make from halfway across the globe. So please ignore these comments if you really like USC's program that much.

About cost of living, you really don't have to worry. This friend of mine lived for one year on a $950 monthly stipend. He shared a 1BR apartment with 2 others (!) and spent around $360 per month on rent. So if you're willing to live a slightly constrained life, you should be able to manage. Decide based on which program you really like and future prospects.

[MaverickB]

Hello,

I got funding with 1356 stipend from Villanova. What should I do?

Go to Upenn or USC with full pay or choose Nova?