Is it a good idea to go for Computer Engineering Masters in the US for fall 2024 (Indian)?
I have admits in a few universities (Purdue, NCSU, USC, TAMU) for Electrical Engineering/ Computer Engineering specialisation. Is it a bad idea considering the Visa concerns in the US now? Is it difficult to find hardware engineer (Digital design/DV) jobs in the OPT period? Reasons for masters: career break, academic research, lack of visibility ( multiple instances in the past where peers in the US got credit for the work I was leading because usually they are the ones selected to go for trade shows, summits and customer meetings) YOE : 3.5 (Embedded SW, Bengaluru) TC : 34L (+ 12L retention bonus per year for next two years, 30k RSU/4 years)
In the current political and economic climate, US isn't the best of options. Personally, I'd recommend Europe or Australia, primarily due to the work-life balance you get immediately after school as well as the social support system. Ofc, it helps that you don't have to be a visa slave for decades but rather get a life built up fairly quickly to enjoy with family and friends
Thanks, I applied for ETH Zurich, but didn't get an admit, work-life balance is also a concern, that's one of the main reasons I am not preferring a professional masters without leaving my current job.
Don't make the mistake of moving to Europe. You'll earn much more in India.
People commenting non-US places. Generally they are not good from money point of view. And US job market is all time low as of now. And i don’t see it improving drastically over the next 2-3 years. I wouldn’t recommend masters at this point of time. Just keep working in India until the market improves. Too much risk at this point.
Is the job market for the semiconductor domain also bad? Considering the master's option after working for the next two years might not be possible considering my personal scenario, Thanks ,I do understand the risk you pointed out
Depends on what you want to optimize for. If it’s education, then there is hardly a place better than the US. Your schools are pretty good and you will learn a lot. If the goal is living in the US for short term, then that’s also worth it , you will get to work with diverse folks, learn from very smart folks (if you end up at a good place) and grow professionally. If the goal is to immigrate here, then it’s not a good move. The immigration system here is broken and you will be stuck in the loop for ever. Regarding credit stealing, it can happen everywhere. What you need to do is to speak and advertise you work across the organization in different forums. Stay in sync with your manager and others in your organization to let them know of your contributions. Also it helps to have good public speaking and presentation skills. Many Indians I have worked with personally are very smart but lack other soft skills. Those that do, have done very well.
Thank you for the advice, immigration is not a goal for me, but I really prefer working for sometime during the OPT period. I do belong to the category of people with poor public speaking/presentation skills , something to improve in the future.
> immigration is not a goal for me. Trust me everyone starts the same way. Unless you have some personal compulsions to return back, it's going to take a ton of willpower to return once you get used to Western comforts.
Jobs are there for semiconductors, but it’s less than SWE, and concentrated in few companies who take ppl on visa. Getting a job as new grad is difficult. You have some relevant experience. So make sure to get into a university near job hub or check with students there to see if people get internships from good companies . Companies either hire from only selected universities or the ones closer even if it’s low tier. So make sure your university and target companies get along. There are layoffs everywhere and lot of ppl in market. Most jobs ask 5 years of experience . So, good internships at reputed companies will improve your chances on landing a job during OPT period
Make a resume exactly like how yours would look like in two years when you graduate. Change the name. Apply for jobs. This will give you the most accurate job market position
Don’t do it. It is a shitshow if you are looking for employment.
Go for it Don't worry about those things You will learn a lot professionally and personally And it should be a personal decision. Don't be too always by anonymous comments
Got it, Thanks.