decision between: Cornell, Duke, Columbia, Yale, USC

[CalmLogic]

Regarding Columbia's admission rate, they may be able to tell you if you call them up Personally, I don't know, but the best indicator I have is simply Columbia's position in USNews. However, there would need to be a major adjustment since their tuition is much more costly, making them less selective relative to similarly-ranked public universities which have relatively low tuition costs. For example, according to Edulix, Columbia and Cornell's M.Eng. program are considered "moderate to ambitious" with Texas A&M actually being more ambitious because of Texas A&M's relatively low cost of tuition and living expenses.

Yale certainly seems to have the lowest acceptance rate for graduate CS admissions based on old, questionable data from 2003 or earlier:

Cornell:
Applicants: 881
Acceptance rate: 19%

Yale University:
Acceptance rate: < 10%

http://www.urch.com/forums/graduate-...tatistics.html (Gforce's CS Guide Part I: Admission Statistics)

Though USNews does not have provide admissions rates for computer science, often a corresponding figure is the admissions rate for engineering. Unfortunately, a USNews subscription is required to get such admission rates. The information about tuition and class size is free though:

Columbia University (Fu Foundation) - Engineering - Best Graduate Schools - Education - USNews
Yale University - Engineering - Best Graduate Schools - Education - USNews
Cornell University - Engineering - Best Graduate Schools - Education - USNews

Also, I think the tuition at Cornell already went down to $21k:

http://www.urch.com/forums/phd-economics/86300-dean-power-partial-scholarship-cornell-tuition-reduction-plan.html (The Dean Power Partial Scholarship: Cornell Tuition Reduction Plan)

BTW:
http://www.urch.com/forums/admission...lumbia-ms.html (Help me choose between Cornell Meng & Columbia Ms)
http://www.urch.com/forums/admission...niversity.html (Columbia University!)

[chikachikayea]

I just returned from a visit to schools. And I was able to speak with people in the department. Approximately 25 applicants to MS CS at Yale. Approximately half accepted. Approximately 600 applied to MS CS at Columbia. Approximately 200 accepted.

[CalmLogic]

Interesting information. Thanks. Which way are you leaning now? Please feel free to post any additional details about your visit to these departments or schools

My guess is that you are leaning more to Yale since you like the small faculty ratio, which is all-the-more apparent now that Columbia has admitted so many people. My guess, though, is that less than 60 percent of those that Columbia admitted will actually arrive, especially due to the tuition cost.

[chikachikayea]

good guess! yes i am going with yale :-)