Electrical Engineering Masters Choices

[blacknighterrant]

Hey everyone, I wanted help choosing between universities to attend for Masters in Electrical and Computer Engineering. The choices are UCSD vs USC vs Purdue vs UCLA vs GATech vs Carnegie Mellon (I've only actually been accepted to UCSD and Purdue so far, but need to decide where I'd go in advance so that I can make certain arrangements, but based on the UCSD and Purdue acceptances the others shouldn't be too much of a stretch, especially GATech considering my undergrad institution has a very good relationship with the school). I was personally leaning toward Tech provided I am accepted, but would like others input. Where would you go and why and which program would help you get into the best PhD program? I'm most interested in robotics (CMU would be silicon valley campus, not PA). 

[compscian]

Firstly, I am not sure if doing an MS is the correct way to get a PhD admit, but that cannot be changed now, so lets work with what we have. The single most important thing to get a PhD admit is to work with some professor for substantial time (1+ years) and produce at least one paper. Coursework by itself has no value, unless supplemented by good projects and papers.

CMU SV has no robotics presence to speak of, and their robotics institute have very weak ties with the ECE department. Unless you talk to some professor now, and he agrees to take you as a student, I wouldn't choose CMU. Among the others in your list, GATech and USC have the best professors. However, USC has a very poor reputation for their MS programs (cash-cow). UCSD is decent too, and I think offers partial TA/RA support for top students.

[blacknighterrant]

10 hours ago, compscian said:

Firstly, I am not sure if doing an MS is the correct way to get a PhD admit, but that cannot be changed now, so lets work with what we have. The single most important thing to get a PhD admit is to work with some professor for substantial time (1+ years) and produce at least one paper. Coursework by itself has no value, unless supplemented by good projects and papers.

CMU SV has no robotics presence to speak of, and their robotics institute have very weak ties with the ECE department. Unless you talk to some professor now, and he agrees to take you as a student, I wouldn't choose CMU. Among the others in your list, GATech and USC have the best professors. However, USC has a very poor reputation for their MS programs (cash-cow). UCSD is decent too, and I think offers partial TA/RA support for top students.

MS wasn't a good idea? Don't some programs have easy transfer methods to PhD from MS though ? For example, from what I remember for GATech, you can transfer to PhD after Masters by passing a qualifying exam, Purdue has easier re-application (3.3 master gpa min and positive recommendation from advisory committee), and UCSD let's you do it if you get the support of a research adviser and pass a qualifying exam. (Didn't apply to PhD because I didn't have the research experience to get into the same programs I've been getting into for masters, I would be very happy to go to one of these schools and continue for PhD). Although robotics is what interest me the most, I was considering CMU's sv campus mainly because I thought being in silicon valley would be a major plus. I didn't apply to Purdue for robotics, but for quantum devices which is also interesting to me and I'm not sure how it is for that program. In terms of support, UCSD gave me a 5k fellowship on top of the already low in-state applicant cost, but honestly I'm more concerned about future PhD prospects than the cost of the masters.

[compscian]

@blacknighterrant What you describe is a backdoor way into the PhD program, which doesn't always work out. Not to discourage you, but a good fraction of people I know who tried this ended up disappointed. In general, you would need a letter of support from a faculty member willing to take you, in addition to good standing in coursework and research. It's hard to get a research adviser if you want funding from him (he might as well take a PhD student). TAing while taking courses and doing research is simply too demanding.

I'd go to a place which is offering me financial support for the first semester/quarter. Talk to a few professors over this time, and try hard to find an adviser to work with from the next term. If UCSD is offering you this deal, I'd simply take it. With regards to GATech, this is hearsay, but I believe they admit a whole lot of students and make the quals very tough to kick out many.