abhi.verma87 Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 Hi guys, I have admits for MS in CS from NCSU and Rutgers University. Both the admits are non-funded. My specialization track is algorithms and theoretical computing. I have received reviews that Rutgers is way better when it comes to these subjects with an overlap between computers and mathematics dept (very highly reputed) and some really awesome faculty around. All the factors are ruling in favour of Rutgers in terms of location(proximity to NYC), lower batch strength, higher on-campus job opportunites, better faculty and research opportunities when it comes to algorithms etc... however, cost is one factor which is letting me off. Higher tuition and higher cost of living sums up for a considerable difference among the two. What do you guys opine my choice should be? Is it worth trying to fight your way out in large CS batches (120+ MS students) at NCSU or the environment at Rutgers with lower and quality crowd(mostly research profiles) is worth those additional bucks. P.S. from what I have heard, I am already at a loss trying to figure out admits whereas many a courses like algorithms, advanced data structures etc are already filled out at NCSU Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kleene Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 First of all, I am not familiar with the two universities you mention. I am, however, struggling with a similar decision. I am also studying theoretical computer science and taking costs, location/housing and the cohort into account. Perhaps my considerations are of some use to you. What exactly do you mean with "lower batch strength"? I think that you mean that your fellow students will be less competition, but please correct me if I am wrong. A weaker cohort is an advantage is the sense that you might have an easier time standing out. On the other hand, you are less likely to study with likeminded people. I don't know about you, but I thrive in situations where I am not by far the most advanced student. IMO you will learn more in an environment where you are a bit more mediocre than in an environment where you are the most advanced student. On the other hand, excelling usually gives confidence which may in turn enhance your achievements, so it is a matter of personal preference. Given that the programs have such different cohorts, you might want to look into the ways of teaching. Small interactive classes versus massive one-way classes. Also look into the specific courses taught and the faculty, and how these fit with your interests. For two unfunded options, the costs would have low priority for me unless the difference was very large. I am facing a similar decision. The difference for me is 11.000 dollars, while the cheaper program is half a year longer. That is not a difference that cannot be overcome, so it will not be leading in my decision. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abhi.verma87 Posted April 3, 2014 Author Share Posted April 3, 2014 Hey Kleene, When i mentioned lower batch strength, I had no intention of commenting on the competitiveness of the students in the batch. It simply meant lower NUMBER of students ( I should've gone with batch size ). As it is NCSU gives admits to approx 250 students for their Computer Science courses where at Rutgers the batch size is somewhere around 30-40 (massive difference). About competitiveness, I would say that at Rutgers most of the students are admitted for PhD and have research profiles so that will only make up for a more competitive environment with a lot of research profiles around but what the lesser number of admits accounts for is better on campus job opportunities which would eventually help me with my finances. Hope i made myself clear there..... and I totally agree with you on whatever you said. I reckon having good competition does provide an ideal environment to grow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts