Deciding between NYU and Columbia for Data Science

[lettuce]

Hi everyone,

 

I'm trying to decide if I should attend either NYU or Columbia's Data Science program next year. Neither school gave me financial aid, which I expected. Also, both programs are relatively new and cost about the same. With data science programs being so new, there isn't really and info on the internet that I can find comparing schools so I'm hoping to find someone else who is/has been in a similar position to offer some advice

 

NYU
pros: I'm already a student at NYU so it's a familiar place/I already have friends, Courant is very good and in the program you're allowed to take a lot of math classes as electives, the curriculum has more room for electives/specialization

cons: Program is generally 2 years long, less prestigious than Columbia, worried about getting my grad degree from the same place as my undergrad

 

Columbia

pros: Ivy league school, program seems more grounded in math (Probability/Statistics are part of the curriculum- though this might just be because they dont expect students to know this coming in?), program can be completed in a year if I want, 1.5 years at most, professor quality may be better?

cons: Unfamiliar, less room for electives, will be taking less classes that I will at NYU (30 vs 36 credits) but paying around the same

 

Thanks for taking the time to read Any advice is really appreciated, thanks!!

[juilletmercredi]

If they're about the same price you can't really go wrong here.  NYU seems to allow more flexibility in the curriculum because they are assuming a foreknowledge of probability and statistical inference. Columbia requires you to take those two courses, but if you have already taken them you might be able to place out of them and use those core spaces for electives. If you are concerned about that, I would ask about it. I don't think the professor quality at Columbia is necessarily better than NYU - I went to Columbia, and the professors *are* excellent, but NYU's professors are also good and the Courant Institute is great as well.

 

I think in this case I might lean towards Columbia. Part of that is my own familiarity - I know Columbia is making strides in building its data science capabilities; they already have strengths in applied math, statistics, computer science, operations research and industrial engineering and are simply drawing on all of that to build this data science program. They have the new Data Science Institute but also individual centers focused on health analytics, translational research and other stuff. Columbia has also been doing a lot of work building relationships with tech start-ups in the NYC area and beyond; they want more of their graduates to get involved in the tech start-up world (so that they can beat the Stanfords and Harvards of the world at that game). Besides, you already went to NYU for undergrad; the program is more flexible with length, in that you can complete it in a year and save money on living expenses; and there is the small matter of Columbia's name prestige. I wouldn't make a decision on prestige alone, but since you are now looking for small differences to make the decision and since they will cost the same anyway I would use that as a deciding factor.

[m88]

@lettuce Just curious what did you end up choosing? I am facing the same dilemma right now