I’m currently attending an average, non-prestigious undergrad CS program in a state school ranked 100-120 by U.S. News.
I’m a really good student, very ambitious and driven, and have a 3.9 GPA taking a very rigorous course load. I messed up my freshman year of HS, had an average sophomore year, but excelled my last two years. So I didn’t get into the elite schools.
I’m constantly worried that my degree will not carry me as far as I would want to go, or will limit my choices after I graduate, esp. when it comes to working in exciting tech companies and startups. That’s why I’m considering doing an M.S. from a top school. I want to get an advanced degree eventually, and it gets harder to “make time” as your progress in life, which is also a strong case for doing it right after I graduate. My parents are also willing to pay (they have enough); if I start a career right after I graduate, I would feel wrong asking their money, and would have to take up debt or depend on an employer.
My question is, what are the advantages of doing this over just working straight out of a “regular” school? Will I have a better chance of being recruited? Could it hinder my employment prospects in any way?
I’m not even considering a PhD since I’m not interested in academia. I do love research, tough–but academia is just not for me. In that case, a Master’s is a better option, right?
What do you recommend?
Open up Google Earth. Zoom in. Keep zooming in. Eventually you end up in Lawrence, KS.
This is not because it is in the rough center of the United States. Instead, it is because it is the hometown of Brian McClendon, who was creator of Google Earth. He attended the next-door University of Kansas, which is ranked somewhere around #100. Apparently a mid-ranked school didn’t stop Brian. Why should it stop you?
But if you want to study further anyway, you will certainly be able to get into strong graduate schools with a 3.9GPA. Your choice.
If you like research and have some experience with it to decide if itis for you, then you should definitely consider a Ph.D. as a possibility. Google hires a lot of CS Ph.D.s as do other tech companies and you don’t have to pay to do it since you will likely be a TA or RA. If you are not interested in research, then go find a job after graduation and then if you find that you need the advanced degree, go later on. With the work experience under your belt, you will have a more clear idea of what kind of degree you want and your employer might even pay for a lot of it.
First of all, I think there is a big difference between an MS and a PhD, in terms of the commitment needed to get each degree and what your objectives might be for seeking such a degree. If what you are seeking is gainful employment, I suggest you see how job recruitment goes with an eye toward companies that might provide tuition assistance for taking additional classes while you are employed. With a year or two of employment under your belt, you will have a better idea of what you really want in life, and many grad schools favor candidates with 2-3 years of experience (which adds to classroom discussions.) On the other hand, if what you want to do is teach at the university level, then by all means go for the PhD. But don’t think you need a PhD to get a good job.
The problem with U.S. News is that students always use it to compare schools on the list to each other, without realizing that the point of the list was to highlight the top schools in the entire country and really, you’re comparing all the schools on the list the ones that are not on the list. A school in the top 120 on USNWR is in the top 6% of four-year institutions in the country.
When I look at schools in the 108-129 bracket, I immediately see the University of Oklahoma (#108). One of my coworkers at Microsoft (where I work) went to the University of Oklahoma for undergrad and grad school. I also see Colorado State University (#127). Bonnie Ross, an engineer who’s been with Microsoft since 1989 and the current leader of 343 Industries (the studio that makes the Halo franchise games), went to Colorado State for undergrad. Washington State University is ranked #140 but I know a lot of people who went to undergrad there who work here now (as well as the other regional Washington public universities - Western, Eastern, and Central).
You don’t have to go to a prestigious undergrad to work at an ‘exciting’ tech company or startup. I’m not even sure what counts as exciting to you - a big-name company, or just one where the product/service is appealing to you? But I would do some job-hunting first. Many people make a series of lateral or upward moves to get into big companies like Apple or Google. Some people come straight from undergrad, too, but they don’t all come from fancy schools. And your job may pay for the master’s degree!
Many PhDs, especially PhDs in computer science, work in industry and tech. (I have a PhD myself - in psychology, though. I’m in UX.) But you don’t need a PhD to work in tech unless you are interested in doing research and development of new technologies. If you are unsure, I wouldn’t go straight into anything; think about it while working and maybe getting an MS.
Anyway, you can get an MS straight away, but my recommendation is that you at least try to look for some jobs first - you may be surprised and find something you really like!