University confusion

I have been offered admission from University of Virginia and Stony Brook University in MS CS. I am not able to decide which university to choose. Can anyone help me make my decision :slight_smile:

Is there a difference in cost for you?

I think overall cost will be approximately the same for both of them. Fees at uva is higher but living expenses are comparatively less and in case of stony brook, it’s opposite.

Do you want to live near NYC or would you prefer to live in a more rural setting? Does either school have a program you are specifically interested in?

Yes, both schools have MS in computer science. And overall ranking of uva is better than sbu. But from job prospective, I think SBU is better. I don’t really know which factor to look at.
(I am okay with both rural or city setting as far as school is good enough).

I would start with the location. They are very different. Which one speaks to you more in terms of where you want to live? Next, I would consider the student population. SUNY schools tend to have a lot of students from downstate, NYC and Long Island. Is this the group you wish to go to school with? Where might you like to live after college? If it isn’t in the northeast but is south that might be a nod toward UVA.

Have you visited both? If not try to get there soon. Typically students get a feel or a vibe while on campus that gives them their answer. Good luck!

I would revisit both. Will you be directly admitted to the CS department at both, or will you have to meet further qualifications? They are both excellent schools, so congratulations!

Where do you want to work after you graduate?

UVA might give you better access to some of the very interesting CS jobs in the Washington DC area. Think about the kinds of industries/sectors you would like to work in.

So according to you, UVa is a better choice? And btw I am an international student and haven’t visited any of the places before. So the sole factor in deciding the college is its reputation in USA to help me find a good job later.

And I can work anywhere in USA. I have no location issues. Right now I just need a good school.

Have you talked to the employment offices at both schools? I’m not sure what the differences would be for the schools (say more people going into software dev vs. software architecture). What aspect of CS/Software are you interested in? Does one focus more on what you want to study?

Also, how did I never know SBU was in Long Island? Like 45 mins from NYC no? Lots of jobs in NYC and NJ. The DC area has lots of tech jobs, but a lot are government related.

Many of the jobs in DC will not be open to you as an international so the bump that others referred to up thread won’t really apply to you. In fact, getting hired in any job in the US as an international student is hard. Being in CS will make it easier, but there is no guarantee you can stay in the US after graduation.

I would suggest picking the program that more aligns with your interests.