MIT or Berkeley

[blackswan13]

So I really like boston area and I am tempted to choose MIT (I also have a Harvard admit so I got to explore the area twice) but the glitch is that I dont have any advisor in MIT. Most students come without advisors and apparently "find" one later on. For Berkeley I have three good advisor choices, its an as-good school but I absolutely disliked the area. I am also from east coast and hate heat and get summer blues :(. Any advice suggestions of someone just willing to make my choice for me ...

[preantepenultimate]

First of all, congratulations on getting accepted to both (plus Harvard)!

If I were you, I would definitely go with MIT. I don't know how much of a difference it makes to have an advisor lined up already, but I imagine it's less important for PhDs, and it might even put you at a disadvantage (giving you less time to get to know potential advisors). Berkeley is great, but MIT stands alone in engineering. Cambridge is lovely, and it sounds like you want MIT deep down anyway, so go for it!

[aegis921]

1 hour ago, preantepenultimate said:

First of all, congratulations on getting accepted to both (plus Harvard)!

If I were you, I would definitely go with MIT. I don't know how much of a difference it makes to have an advisor lined up already, but I imagine it's less important for PhDs, and it might even put you at a disadvantage (giving you less time to get to know potential advisors). Berkeley is great, but MIT stands alone in engineering. Cambridge is lovely, and it sounds like you want MIT deep down anyway, so go for it!

Both schools are great in the area OP is looking into. I'd advise against choosing a school just because of its name, especially at the level of Berkeley and MIT. The name of both of those institutions go very far. I've visited both schools (and even spent a summer at one), and I wouldn't say MIT is any better or worse. I've met quite a few grad students who turned down MIT. It really comes down to personal fit.

OP: Did you not have a good match with faculty members you talked to when you visited MIT? Maybe you could spend more time looking through their webpages and emailing/calling them. I'd imagine you had a few professors of interest when you applied to the program, no? 

[electrickimchiclub]

For PhDs, I've heard the most important thing is research/advisor fit. With regards to reputation, MIT and Berkeley are pretty even (maybe MIT takes it based on name recognition), but what you do during your PhD will matter much more than the school name. And in that sense, having a good set of choices for your grad advisor is a big advantage from the get-go. Also remember, you can change advisors mid-way, and having a number of people you'd like to work with is a big plus. As for the location preference I can certainly understand that sentiment. Maybe it might be worthwhile trying out something new in terms of scenery?

It's a pretty good dilemma to have, though. Congrats!