<p>Hello i'm an aspiring student who wants to major in computer science, mostly because I love computers. </p>
<p>I've been getting suggestions about what college would be the best school for me to study computer science, which eventually turns out to be a pick between two very prominent schools: Stanford and MIT.</p>
<p>However, a slight more number of my counselors(most of whom are attending college right now) tell me Stanford would be the better school for my career prospect in computer science. Plus, they always add this comment as one of their supporting reasons.
"By the way, Stanford is located near the Sillicon Valley"</p>
<p>Sillicon Valley to me is pretty much like how economics/management people would think about Wall Street. It's my dream career and I'd really like to work there after I go all the way through my education. Well anyway, I'm making a very hard decision whether to apply early to Stanford and MIT right now. And if I choose to apply to Stanford over MIT, the top determinant would be its bonds with Sillicon Valley I assume it to have.
I know both schools are very competitive to get into, but I've made some groundbreaking achievements in HS so I think I've got an ok shot. (I am invited to the Nobel Awards ceremony in Stockholm, for one instance)</p>
<p>So how exactly Stanford connected with Sillicon Valley? How tight are those connections? Do a large number of Stanford comp sci graduates get their jobs in the Sillicon Valley after graduation? How is the prowess of Stanford graduates in the Valley? I'd really appreciate helpful advices.</p>
<p>Carnegie Mellon is actually on the top of the Comp Sci revolution... you should also consider it to... they were more prominent in the Documentary- Next World- Future Intelligence... shown on discovery channel...</p>
<p>Well that is pretty impressive- the nobel prize invite- that can be used as a hook, cuz i heard its a very restrictive awards ceremony (i dont know the policy of award nominees allowing to invite other people like family/friends)... my advice is that whether your a grad from mit or stanford, you'll most likely get a job from the top comp sci firms... there is no doubt about it... average MIT/Stanford grads from what ive researched make around 90,000 grand net income... so thats just with BSc or BA... and if your that awesome, and done some revolutionary things during ur BSc and BA, they take you during your second/third year (depending how much research you squeeze in and how much youve changed a certain aspect of the world)...</p>
<p>But you are right about the silicon valley aspect... stanford undergrads use that to their advantage for paid internships and job opportunities... that way you know it was worth chillin at Stanford... while MIT doesnt necessarily guarantee a job, unless you've applied etc to a certain firm... or the certain firm comes to your university etc</p>
<p>Intel, HP, Google, Yahoo and Oracle are just some of the companies founded or partly co-founded by at least one Stanford student. so if you are interested in computer science and have an entrepreneurial bent, then I think the environment at Stanfoord edges out that of MIT and CMU.</p>
<p>You could compare the average weather in both places and let that be your tipping point!
It is true that Stanford undergrads have extraordinary opportunities because of the location in the heart of Silicon Valley. There are amazing speakers on campus, research opportunities, internships, and great employers seeking Stanford grads.
That said, it's not like we've never heard of MIT out here...choose the better fit for you, and you will get a great job from either school.</p>
<p>I'm sure datalook would be willing to post about Stanford's continuing contributions to CS.</p>
<p>Let me just say that Stanford essentially created SV, has ties to over 3,000 companies in SV, and has an amazingly strong network in the area. It's not just "next" to it--it's at the heart of it. Stanford grads are highly sought after in SV. Average starting salary for a BS in CS is approaching $80,000. Stanford also allows you to do a coterm, meaning you can study for your BS and MS at the same time; the average starting salary for an MS in CS is approaching $90,000.</p>
<p>Right. Stanford IS Silicon Valley, its central institution.</p>
<p>That said, MIT ain't too shabby, either, and Route 128 (the Boston beltway) is something of its own tech hub. If you are lucky enough to get into either college, you should not be worrying much about whether you will be employable with a computer science degree from either. Same with Carnegie-Mellon, and it doesn't even have its own tech hub, really.</p>
<p>Sometimes it's hilarious to see high school students here obsessing about teeny-weeny differences between incredibly good colleges. ANY of these colleges will make you a full-fledged Jedi Knight, and you will have lots of job prospects and internship possibilities. You can't go wrong. Concentrate on getting in to at least one of them.</p>
<p>I explain, Silicon Valley's tech economy didn't happen because the companies liked the bay view in California. Stanford on one side and Berkeley on the other was the driving force.</p>