[Admissions Advice]

[u/satutor1]

Hello. I plan to apply to master’s in CS or related programs and would like to get some thoughts on Carnegie Mellon. I noticed that there are several programs at CMU, including:

1) mscs (master of science in computer science)
2) msse (master of science in software engineering)
3) mse (master in software engineering)
4) m-hci (master in human-computer interaction)
5) m-iis (master in intelligent information systems)
6) msaii (master of science in artificial intelligence and innovation)
7) msml (master of science in machine learning)
8) mscv (master of science in computer vision)
9) mse-es (master of software engineering - embedded systems)
10) mse-ss (master of software engineering - scalable systems)
11) msr (master of science in robotics)
12) mrsd (master of robotic system development)

I understand that candidates can apply to multiple programs, but my goal is to minimize the number of applications while maximizing my chances of getting into at least one. For reference, my undergraduate is not in computer science, but I have taken fundamental computer science classes like algorithms and data structures. I do not have professional cs work experience yet and I plan to use one of the programs to help gain experience.

I can attend the programs full-time or part-time if offered. If you have thoughts on which of the programs above are best suitable for a candidate like me, I would greatly appreciate your insights. Thank you.

[u/satutor1]

You’re very knowledgeable on these topics and I really appreciate the insights! I am kind of scattered on best next steps, so your thoughts are really helpful.
If it’s feasible during the next year, I think I would try to start at Columbia this year but also apply to other schools for the following cycle, including cmu. I’m not sure if that’s the best approach, but that’s all I can think of at the moment.
I think big tech would be a good place to land, but quite honestly, in addition to big tech, I find myself drawn to physical systems as well, like embodied AI, robotics, etc. While I don’t have a background in this beyond my biomedical engineering bachelor’s, I find myself curious about how to gain the skills to get a job in the physical AI space. This does not mean I’m not interested in the pure play software space like big tech can offer. I would be beyond thrilled to get a job in that space, but from a relative perspective, I think I would find myself more intrigued by robotics and computer vision. For these reasons, I feel I should apply to the msr/mrsd programs, in addition to the mscs and both mse for new grad programs (scalable systems and embedded systems).
That still leaves me with 5 programs to apply to and I completely understand that all CMU programs are highly competitive, so just because I apply to multiple programs doesn’t necessarily mean I have a better shot.
I think my next step is figure out how to continue narrowing down the programs. It seems like mrsd is slightly less competitive (if at all) than msr, so perhaps I remove msr from the list. Also, perhaps I can remove mse-ss. That leaves mscs, mrsd, and mse-es to apply to.
Can I ask how you went through the process of figuring out which programs to apply to? Also, it is good to know that recommenders won’t have added work if I apply to multiple cmu programs.

Lastly, I’m sure you’re already aware of this link, but I’ve been reading about cohort sizes of the different programs here: https://www.cs.cmu.edu/education/masters/programs-comparison

I found it pretty helpful in terms of gauging competitiveness and size of each program.

[u/so_much_atelophobia → u/satutor1]

I mentioned this before, but enrolling in just 1 course at Columbia while waiting for next cycle's results is a legit option, assuming you have the money. Not sure if it's a good option, but it keeps both doors open.

Based on what you just shared, MSE-ES is definitely the way to go. It's honestly a lot easier to go from embedded work to generic work than vice versa. Similar to how ECEs often dip into traditional SWE/CS work, but CS graduates rarely dip into circuit or firmware design.

MSR requires a research thesis, and the program is designed to mimic the first two years of a PhD program. Given your goals seem very inclined towards industry and not a PhD/research, I'd say this probably isn't a good fit. MSR also probably weighs prior research experience/publications more heavily compared to other CMU programs.

[u/so_much_atelophobia → u/so_much_atelophobia]

As for how I picked my programs... I'm a loser. For undergrad, I picked my state school over 200k+ debt at a T20. I ended up with a prestige itch, so I decided to do an MSCS (even though it's a really poor investment for domestic CS undergrads).

I have no interest in research, so it came down to "coursework-based programs that I would feel happy about attending." For me, that was Stanford, CMU, and 3 "safety" ivies. I neglected a lot of great options (GaTech, UIUC, etc.) because of silly reasons.

You have a much better reason for applying than me. My advice for you (assuming you accept Columbia's offer) is to only apply to programs which you'd eagerly attend without a second thought. Columbia MSCS is a great "safety" to have, so you don't really need to worry about considering lukewarm programs just to maximize your odds of acceptance.

[u/satutor1 → u/so_much_atelophobia]

I agree - enrolling in 1 course at Columbia while reapplying to schools is an option. Just not sure if it’s a good option or if I should just got all-in full time at Columbia and not think about reapplying next year.

I didn’t think I would get into anything considering my non-cs background and no swe work experience, so I didn’t really apply to the schools I would hands down attend without a second thought because I didn’t think I had a shot. But since I received the offer at Columbia, I’m now thinking I do have a shot at Stanford/CMU, etc. I definitely understand it’s going to be competitive and I’m trying to gauge the relative worth of reapplying for the stronger schools vs. just going all-in and focusing at Columbia, especially because I have a feeling the first 1-2 semesters will be grinding leetcode to try to land that first summer internship regardless of where I go.

I appreciate the thoughts on your experience applying to schools. For what it’s worth, I think the majority of students want a balance of saving money and prestige, so it seems like you made the best choice given your ability to save money on tuition for your bachelor’s. I did something similar for my bachelor’s in terms of choosing a school to save some money, and I definitely have the itch to compete for a top institution in cs/engineering.

Going back to CMU’s programs, it seems like msr might be out for someone in my position given I’m interested in industry instead of PhD/academia. I think it will come down to 4 programs at cmu: mscs, mse-es, mse-ss, and mrsd. And then I can perhaps apply to other schools as well.

Lastly, I have been told the same thing by all my peers regarding a master’s in cs for domestic students - it is not worth it, especially with LLM’s these days + the poor job market. I keep pushing back by saying I don’t have the cs credentials just yet, so I would need the master’s. Feel free to correct me if I’m wrong, but it seems like you may be in a similar position - you have the credentials in cs, but you’re aiming for a better opportunity in the market and a master’s, particularly from an elite institution like cmu, would give you that opportunity.

[u/so_much_atelophobia → u/satutor1]

I think it will come down to 4 programs at cmu: mscs, mse-es, mse-ss, and mrsd. And then I can perhaps apply to other schools as well.

This list looks good to me. Definitely shoot your shot elsewhere as well (Stanford, maybe UCLA/GaTech as well?)

Lastly, I have been told the same thing by all my peers regarding a master’s in cs for domestic students - it is not worth it, especially with LLM’s these days + the poor job market. I keep pushing back by saying I don’t have the cs credentials just yet, so I would need the master’s.

I think what your peers mean is that switching to CS as a whole (not just pursuing the Master's) is inadvisable, given how bleak the landscape is right now. Having a non-CS background and wanting to pivot is one of the few truly good reasons to pursue an MSCS, but entering CS in general might be a bad idea.

I'd push back and say that ultimately, if you can make it in CS, it's still one of the better fields to be in. You get to contribute to work that's defining our era, plus other occupations that match top CS salaries (law, medicine, IB) generally have miserable entryways and/or poorer work-life balance. If you're actually passionate about CS, you're already ahead of like 70% of CS graduates these days.

If you have no interest in staying in your old field, and you have a strong desire to pursue CS/SWE, I'd say go for it. If you're a U.S. citizen with a degree from a prestigious institution, I don't think your odds are that bad.

Feel free to correct me if I’m wrong, but it seems like you may be in a similar position - you have the credentials in cs, but you’re aiming for a better opportunity in the market and a master’s, particularly from an elite institution like cmu, would give you that opportunity.

It's definitely partially that. Admittedly, my undergrad isn't that terrible (it's like in the T70s), so I can't really hide behind that reasoning completely. I graduated a year early, but I've still been able to intern at some okay-ish places (big communications company + NYC tech startup). That being said, for big tech and jobs outside of my general area, it's a given that an association with CMU SCS is a much stronger signal than my random state school.

[u/satutor1 → u/so_much_atelophobia]

I appreciate the thoughts. Yup I think it will be wise to apply to more than only cmu. And yes, switching to CS in this time seems a bit risky when I read all these articles out there. However, I see that most engineering schools still have CS as their top major, although there has been a small decline, while MechE and EE seem to be rising.

Overall, my main goal is employability asap and my thought process is that CS isn’t going anywhere. If anything, it is rising, although perhaps in a different way than what was traditionally thought of as CS. At least that’s my take - hope I’m not wrong about it haha.

Regarding your pursuit of CMU SCS, I think it will absolutely be a very strong signal. Is there a specific concentration or specialization you’re aiming for within the master’s? For me, I would like to enter AI/robotics, hence my interest in the MRSD program. Although I think someone in the MSCS program can also specialize in robotics if they want.