UC San Diego vs Purdue (MS ECE)

[StephDY]

So I am deciding between UCSD and Purdue for my graduate study (ECE). Here are some of my own analysis:

UCSD

• Better internship/job opportunities
• Better location. In CA near Silicon Valley
• Sunshine beaches seals!!!
• Better overall reputation

Purdue

• Better chance to receive funding
• Easier to transfer to PhD program
• (Slightly) better ranking in ECE
• Cheaper living expenses

I'm positive to continue pursuing a PhD after MS study, so if just considering chance of admission to PhD program I'd vote for Purdue since I was told by UCSD admission office that chance of transfering to PhD program is rare. However, I visited SD in March and I LOVEEEE that city! I already spent four years in midwest and I'm not so much a fan of it. If I ended up finishing my MS and hopefully PhD in Purdue, that's gonna be six years, and I honestly don't know if I can handle another six-year cold and snowy weather.

Neither promised me with funding but seems that chance of receiving funding is better in Purdue.

Open to all ideas/comments/suggestions.

 

--------------------------Some Add-ons----------------------

UCSD track: Robotics, Intelligence and Control

Purdue track: Signal Processing

UCSD has limitations on course registrations outside my track while Purdue does not.

Edited April 5, 2017 by StephDY
Additional Info

[DiscoTech]

You will not want to get a PhD in robotics after you see the job offers that come after the MS. 

[StephDY]

4 hours ago, DiscoTech said:

You will not want to get a PhD in robotics after you see the job offers that come after the MS. 

I'm more on the Intelligence side though. Might end up doing machine learning or computer vision in grad school.

[lunarCircle]

@StephDY

What did you decide in the end? I'm in a similar situation having received admits from Purdue Ph.D. ECE and UCSD MS ECE. I'm also interested in doing a Ph.D. in computer vision and machine learning.