Evaluation for CompNetworks or InfoSec

[CalmLogic]

Asking cuz in tcpmag.com i read avg salary for CCNP in US is 65k and for CCIE is 117k. And the salary statistics in the univ sites (eg. CMU The Information Networking Institute (INI)) after doing the above mentioned master program is lesser or comparable.

The issue that you didn't mention in those salary estimates is previous job experience. Someone with a BS degree and 7 years of experience in progressively challenging positions can easily make more money than someone with an MS degree and only two years of experience. The job statistics given by universities are not very well verified, tend to be very general, and may be out of date. Basically, I would use them as just one indicator. Another potential factor is that salary of an H1B holder may be somewhat less compared to US citizens, depending on the company. That isn't something I know much about. BTW, a job site for H1B jobs:

International IT Jobs. Pure IT Global Career Portal

In any case, I don't think CMU's professional/terminal MS programs are worth the tuition cost. Even with the tuition waiver that most everyone seems to get, it's still $45,000 per semester. Certainly, I haven't found anyone yet at TestMagic who has argued strongly and without equivocation for the tuition value of CMU's INI program. Similarly:

Well, the tuition for MSIN (Information Networking) and MSISTM (Information Security Technology & Management) at CMU-INI, both for which I have been accepted, is $68,000. So with a partial tuition waiver of $23,000 I still have to shell out a mammoth $45,000. That's why I prefer UNH to CMU.

Whogotin: admission, rejection, interview, waitlisted notification for graduate school

I made some additional arguments in the thread below, such as that the money you save from tuition by going to another school could be used for flying around America for job placement, such as back-and-forth from New York and California, for your entire career:

http://www.urch.com/forums/computer-...gineering.html (Got admit from CMU - Masters in Software Engineering)

Anyway, a good resource is PayScale.com. For example, for software engineering, going to the best program (CMU) did not result in higher earnings relative to some other programs:

According to PayScale.com, the median salary for someone with an MS in Software Engineering from CMU is $78,030. However, the highest pay went to graduates of three other programs:

Median Salary:
National University - $90,132
Seattle University - $84,048
DePaul Univeristy - $81,677

Since National University's MSSE program is allied with CMU, I assume the difference in pay is mostly because those who went to National University (which based in San Diego) were more likely to work in San Diego and Silicon Valley where there is a higher cost of living.

http://www.urch.com/forums/computer-...gineering.html (Got admit from CMU - Masters in Software Engineering)

[CalmLogic]

And given those deadlines can i afford to take gre in Jan 10th to 15th?

I would re-take it as soon as they let you. What do you have to lose except some cash? It could certainly help with the universities that have later application deadlines. Also, getting a higher verbal score may help increase your chances of getting a TA position.

Are ur predications based on my current gre scores??

Yes. However, I am making a lot of assumptions about your profile and about the universities. For example, I assume your ranking is at least in the top 50 percent. Basically, I see your real-world networking experience, your related awards, your IEEE paper in applied research, and your quantitative GPA as your greatest strengths. The impression one gets is of a person that is very motivated and focused with proven ability and intelligence.

[rajatkheria]

Thanks for all your help calmlogic..... It was a great help...
THANKS once again.... do u have any messenegr?? por favor, El Señor send me a private message with thy messenger id if u dont mind....

[CalmLogic]

Personally, I don't use or like instant messaging

[CalmLogic]

Regarding NCSU, as you may have already read in this forum, they seem below average regarding funding. This is actually one of the more positive posts about funding at NCSU:

Originally Posted by tachyon

I completed my masters (dec06) in CS from NCSU...I would say chances are practically zero for being funded from the very first semester. But if you try hard enough, getting support after 1/2 sem is possible.

http://www.urch.com/forums/admission...epartmend.html (NCSU MS in CS departmend)

According to other posts, even some PhD applicants apparently didn't get funding offers from NCSU.

BTW, a post in which I mention some safety schools for networking:

http://www.urch.com/forums/computer-...tml#post489483 (Please suggest some Universities..)

[MDK]

The job statistics given by universities are not very well verified, tend to be very general, and may be out of date. Basically, I would use them as just one indicator.

Statistics are like bikinis. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital.

[Ancalagon The Black]

MDK: Sidhuism?

[CalmLogic]

Oh, it's funny stuff. Thanks for mentioning it. Another one:

"You may have a heart of gold, but so does a hard-boiled egg."

Some more:Sidhuism « *.* of anything and everything else

[CalmLogic]

Regarding GA Tech, a great, long thread regarding Fall 2006 admissions included this profile of an accepted MS applicant:

AGRE: 740
GRE: 800+490
Acads: 69.7%
Work EX: 18 months
Mumbai UNIV


http://www.urch.com/forums/admission...gatech-cs.html (MS Gatech CS)

From GA Tech's website, they don't seem to have changed their admission statistics since 2006 since they are the same as posted in the thread above:

Once each year, the admissions committee selects for admission from an outstanding pool of students. Last year there were more than 700 applications for about 70 positions in the program.

Prerequisites — College of Computing

More positively, that is almost times the admission rate of Purdue:

For Fall 2007 we had over 700 applications for 25 slots.
Department of Computer Science

So, as I already intimated, I would definitely apply to GA Tech since it's a great school and you have a shot. If you do get accepted, the only issue, as with most schools, would be funding, at least for the first semester.

[MDK]

Originally Posted by Ancalagon The Black

MDK: Sidhuism?

Pardon me ???