<p>I'm having trouble deciding between getting a Masters first or a PhD. The idea is if I went for a MS I could get into a top 5 PhD program. However, I've heard getting a MS first doesn't guarantee getting into a better graduate program because some top schools like to get BS students. If I went for a MS I've also heard that it's expected to have top journal publications, best grades, etc or I otherwise might hurt my chances. But then again, the UCLA site says they would rather have MS students apply to their PhD program than BS students. Confusing.</p>
<p>I've recently been accepted to UC Santa Barbara for a PhD in CS fully funded for 5 years. I feel it's slightly superficial, but the new NRC rankings came out and UCSB has been placed among the top 10 for CS Grad programs. I also like the HCI lab that UCSB has, which is what I'd want to research (along with machine learning and other forms of AI). However, I have a few problems:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>The stipend is barely enough to live off at Santa Barbara alone. A lot of UCSB students live with roommates which is something I'm done with after 4 years of roommates as an UG.</p></li>
<li><p>I'm not sure, but it seems like they don't offer an MS along the way. This is something I need to clear up with them, however.</p></li>
<li><p>A dream of mine is to get into the media lab at MIT. A few research groups there are doing amazing stuff. (e.g. affective computing)</p></li>
</ul>
<p>I have applied to MS programs, and got a response from UConn, which I've been accepted and appointed an advisor to do research with; it looks like it would be funded. I've also been accepted to Rensselaer Polytechnic, but I'm waiting to hear about funding. Still waiting to hear back from a couple others.</p>
<p>Can anyone cast some insight on this situation? Is it worth it to give up an opportunity at a fully funded, top PhD program so I can live the dream? Or am I truly just dreaming?</p>
<p>Take the sure thing.
Competition is very high.
Some Schools want to see how well you do as a masters candidate before they offer a phD position, also it gives you a way out if a phD is not for you. </p>
<p>MIT AI-HCI… very difficult to get in. DS applied twice and turned down. He went to the school that gave him acceptance (applied to 4, accepted to 1). His MS advisor offerred phd candidancy but he turned it down. His PI had some very good industry contacts and DS found some very interesting post grad internships. [do a search on my name for my recent posts on this topic.]</p>
<p>Stipends is what it is. Money is tight everywhere.
Get used to living in communal situations, builds character. Grad student living is different from undergrad living. Amazing how a diploma changes living maturity.</p>
<p>This post is late, but is will still add in case others see this. </p>
<p>TheUCSB CS PhD program DOES offer a MS along the way. Some students in the PhD program even sometimes end up just falling back on getting an MS and not a PhD, though this is not recommended.</p>
<p>Take the UCSB offer. As other have said, you can stop at an MS if you choose. As for living arrangements, you won’t be sharing a dorm room so it is not really the same as most Undergraduate situations. co-renting a 2 bedroom (or more) apartment is not such a bad thing.</p>
<p>The OP posted this in March 2011, three years ago. So hopefully he or she is in his or her third year at UCSB :D</p>
<p>I will add, just for posterity, that I agree with the above - sharing an apartment with another grad student (or potentially a postdoc or working professional) is not a bad thing at all. Several of my close friends were roommates first. Also, 22-year-olds - especially 22-year-old grad students - shouldn’t be “so over” living with other people just yet…graduate stipends are supposed to be enough to eke by, not enough to rent an expensive 1-bedroom in a high CoL area. But that’s the case for many entry-level jobs in many fields, too. I wouldn’t turn down an interesting job just because I might have to share common spaces with a cool person.</p>