CS_Student

I followed the same plan, and decided that I should submit a paper during my Masters to a top conference. But it turned out that publishing something valuable takes time. I finished my paper by the time I was applying for PhD, and got my paper accepted after some universities already rejected me (mostly top universities). I don't regret it though. I have benefited a lot from that. And it helped me with the other universities that were still processing my application. I disagree. Look at the professors' profiles in Cornell, which is a top-10 university. You will find some professors holding PhDs from UC Santa Cruz and U Southern California. Look at Purdue, which is a top-20 university, you will find some professors holding PhD from Ohio State University. Also in U Washington you will find some professors coming from UC Irvine, Rochester and the University of Bonn. The point is, while university rankings are good for promoting competition between departments, I believe that such rankings also have their bad consequences. Grad applicants now resort to the lazy option of looking for rankings when comparing their PhD schools, rather than looking carefully on the profiles of potential supervisors and the specific research groups they will be working with. In reality, the supervisor matters most, followed by the research group, followed by the department. And above all, the student's passion and persistence is the thing that makes all the difference. If you go for OSU, make good research and publish in top conferences/journals, then your research career is surely promising. If you go for a higher-rank university, and don't produce high quality research, then you are doomed. That's all.

Omar, I have done a Master's in Waterloo, so I can talk about it. Here are some things that you might consider: 1- If you consider the university prestige as a whole not only its rank in computer science, then Toronto, UBC and McGill are more "prestigious" than Waterloo. But Waterloo has monopolized the highest rank in computer science in Canada for a long time! Read this: Canadian Universities: U. Toronto Still Tops 2- When Bill Gates visited Waterloo in 2005 he said that Microsoft hires more fresh grads from Waterloo than any other university in the world. Read this: Bill Gates draws a crowd at Waterloo university - CTV News Bill Gates has visited Waterloo several times. I am not aware of any time Bill Gates has ever visited Toronto or McGill, maybe you should make some search. 3- Waterloo has a Research & Technology Park directly besides its campus where you can find the local branches of great companies like Google, Sybase, RIM, and Open Text. It is interesting how these companies chose such a small city, Waterloo, to open their local offices, instead of choosing a large and metropolitan city like Toronto. It is because "Waterloo has a big pool of talented students", as one of the managers in Google once said. IBM is the only big name I know in Toronto. Also Google has another office in Montreal. 4- Waterloo has the best Canadian record in the ACM ICPC programming contest, the most prestiguous programming contest in the world. Waterloo students have won championships in 1994 and 1999. They have also won gold medals in 2000,2001,2002and 2005. This is absolutely unmatched by any other Canadian university. Actually Waterloo is one of the best universities world wide in that regards: Read this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ACM_International_Collegiate_Programming_Contest#Winners 5- Waterloo claims (and I tend to believe) that it has one of the largest co-op programs in the world. Co-op programs are programs that engage students in temporary jobs for one or two semesters, so that when you finish your undergrads you already have professional work experience. 6- Waterloo is a small city with suburban culture. Toronto and Montreal are large and metropolitan cities. It all depends on you. I personally prefer small cities, they are quieter and safer. Some people consider it boring though! 7- McGill is in Quebec, which is a French-majority province; does this have any effect on your decision? I can summarize it briefly as follows: If you care more about the general prestige of the university, go for Toronto or McGill. If you care more about the strength of the department, go for Waterloo. By the way, what is you nationality, Omar? :)

I don't think it is wise to tell names plainly on a web forum. But it is not a single professor anyways, it is two professors in joint supervision.

Thanks CalmLogic and Luma for your replies. But what would be your second choices? UCSB or Purdue? Better location than UCSB?! Are you sure? http://www.fhi-berlin.mpg.de/th/Meetings/SantaBarbara-2005/UCSB-from-air.jpg I am sort of inclined towards UCSB since it seems they have better connection with the nearby software industries in Silicon Valley. Research Assistantship

All with funding. Which one would you choose? Why?

Could you please elaborate? Yes, it was Waterloo. Actually, I haven't received about McGill's financial offer (it is in its way in airmail) but at least I know that my tuition fees will be fully covered. By the way, are you Canadian?

I have already posted it here: http://www.www.urch.com/forums/computer-science-admissions/80504-any-hope-get-one-those-schools.html

Hello guys, I would be grateful if anybody here could help me decide which university to join. I have been accepted for the Master's programs of McGill and Waterloo. My most important criterion is the academic level and the quality of the research environment. If I am going to join McGill I will mostly research in discrete algorithms, while in Waterloo I will research in self-managing databases. Could anybody help here?

gidora: York is in my list, so I am waiting just like you. If you received something please tell us.

Thank you for the advice. I really admire this university and I am not sure what to choose if I got admitted to both of Toronto and Waterloo. But anyway, I am currently not sure if I am going to be admitted to any school at all :) So I just wait and see.

Still haven't received any reply from any univ. I am an Egyptian student applying for MSc. Toronto Waterloo McGill UBC York Utah McMaster

Well, $120 are really sufficient when you are living in Egypt, as MDK said. But when you start paying application fees for universities in Canada and the US you will be in a big trouble.

Yes, specially for an Egyptian student (like me) with a monthly income that is less than $120. I have spent all my savings applying here and there, hoping that I will get a teaching/research assistantship in Canada (or the US). If it turns to be in vain, I will commit suicide :)

I am really grateful for your concern. I have already submitted my application and my transcripts. All that remain are the TOEFL/GRE scores. I think they will reach Utah a week after the deadline.

Thank you guys for your precious advice. I have added York, McMaster and Utah to my list. Concordia doesn't have my research interests at all. I still have the capacity to apply for one or two more schools, would anybody suggest more safe choices for me? Thank you for your cooperation.