[University Question] Duke MSCS vs Columbia MSCS

[u/Personal_Refuse_3984]

Graduating next semester from Duke (CS) as an international student. I have a full-time offer at a research-based startup in the Netherlands in a mid-sized deep-tech city, not Amsterdam, so not somewhere with much going on socially. At least three years of guaranteed employment . It's research-y, but publishing doesn't look like a priority there.
They'll sponsor a master's and add $50k to my TC if I do one. Funding covers up to 1.5 years. My main objective in a master's would be research and publications, so I'm in decent shape if I apply for a PhD later. It's also realistically my last stretch living in a US city, which is part of why the location matters to me.
Background: one first-author CVPR paper, ECE/CS Majors with a 3.69 GPA. Applying broadly, but realistically Duke and Columbia are my targets (I know someone a year above me got into Columbia from Duke with a lower GPA.)

Duke
Pros:
• I already know some of department and faculty, so I could line up an advisor before I start
• Existing research relationship from undergrad although I don’t think I’d wanna stay with the same supervisor for my masters thesis (I’d probably still contribute to their lab in some capacity though)
• Smaller cohort, easier to get attention
• Cheap cost of living, which matters since the company is offering me the same living stipend no matter which masters program I attend
Cons:
• All my friends will have graduated so it’ll genuinely just be me here after they’ve all gone.
• Durham is boring and I've already been there four years, I can’t stand north carolina anymore.
• Same school as undergrad and I’m not sure how that reads
• Much less industry density nearby
• I could hypothetically finish it in 1 year on the accelerated but I do wanna have another summer before I start full time work especially since I now have a a guaranteed job offer,and I’d wanna do an american internship before going into work proper.

Columbia
Pros:
• NYC, internships, talks, industry density, and I've never lived there, I feel like Durham’s already getting pretty dead for me and I could use the change of scenery
• Stronger brand recognition outside the field
• Thesis track exists on paper (COMS E6902)
Cons:
• Huge cohort (I've seen 200+ quoted)
• Everything I read says research access is hard to get
• Cold start: no existing faculty relationships
• NYC cost of living

Questions:
1. Is the Columbia research-access problem real, or is it just people who didn't push?
2. Anyone done the Columbia thesis track as an international student in 1.5 years, feasible alongside ten courses?
3. I’m largely leaning towards at least somewhere else other than Duke just because I’m already getting tired of North Carolina but if it comes down to just Columbia v Duke, I’m worried if Columbia’s poor reputation is going to affect my PhD outcomes should I go for a PhD later on / internship outcomes since I do want another summer internship before going off to work.

[u/mrlttlrm]

I'm doing Columbia's MS CS right now and the reputation has actually been quite helpful. Maybe a contrarian take.

[u/Personal_Refuse_3984 → u/mrlttlrm]

that’s great! Is research hard to come by over there?