Grad school decision time: Brown, Berkeley, Northwestern, Carnegie Mellon

<p>I'm thrilled that I received admission to four great graduate programs and I am trying to decide between Brown, Carnegie Mellon, Northwestern, and UC Berkeley. </p>

<p>I have an undergraduate engineering degree and my long range goal is to go into the workforce for a couple of years (probably in the San Francisco bay area) and simultaneously develop products on my own.
All the programs are one year with the exception of Berkeley which is a two year program. If you’ve had experience with any of these schools I would appreciate feedback. </p>

<p>Have visited Berkeley (can commute three, very close to it) and Brown and both the programs and the professors I’ve met were great.
I am worried that Berkeley would be a much tougher program (ME) to get through. </p>

<p>Going to visit CMU and Northwestern but will have to commit to a school by April 15 so there isn’t much time and would love to get your thoughts if you’ve attended engineering programs at any of the above schools.
Thank you.</p>