Question 1

Is it worth going to University of Massachusetts Amherst by paying double instead of Portland State University in areas of Embedded Systems for Masters of Science in ECE?

Accepted Answer

If you go by the brand name and ranking, University of Massachusetts clearly is our winner. But what about other factors? Let us consider three parameters to choose a better University for you shall we? 


	Job opportunities after graduation
	Research opportunities
	Funding


Job opportunities:

When it comes to job opportunities, PSU has an edge because of its proximity to Intel. But UMass weighs equally if not less because of its brand name and connections it has. Upon that UMass is a huge University which offers you tons of connections globally. So there is a tie between both UMass and PSU.

Research:

Students at Massachusetts, Amherst usually team up with the University faculties in their ongoing research projects along with pursuing their degree. The department focuses majorly on Computer networking, embedded systems and Computer system security. 

PSU on the other hand is a great University if you are looking to pursue your career in front end VLSI. It's curriculum aligns perfectly with the technology which Intel is using. 

Funding:

UMass Amherst clearly beats PSU in both internal and external research funding. If your area of focus aligns with that of the university, then well you would just hit a jackpot! While PSU still offers internal research grants upto $5,000 UMass is on par with that.

With one tie and two leads, University of Massachusetts Amherst is a clear winner. So yes, the money you pay at UMass is clearly worth it and you can earn a lot more than your investment within a few years of graduation.

Question 2

I have admits from Portland state university and san jose state university, which should I choose for MS in electrical engineering?

Accepted Answer

Both Portland and San Jose are good in their own ways. The admission intake for both the schools takes place in the fall season. Here&rsquo;s a gist of both:

San Jose State University

The university is good for majors like Engineering, Computer Science and Business. The location of the institute is in Silicon Valley where every semester a job fair is organized. Many big companies participate in this job fair and offer great opportunities which are quite helpful. Apple and Google companies have hired many SJSU students. The weather is very pleasant throughout the year, neither too hot nor too cold.

Portland State University

The institute is located in a cold, lovely and manageable little city. The people there are quite warm and friendly. The institute has been ranked #801 for engineering by Times Higher Education 2021 (international).


	
		
			San Jose State University
			Portland State University
		
		
			Tuition fee for the 1st year (international students)
			$ 16,283
			$ 21,105
		
		
			Acceptance rate
			55%
			96%
		
		
			International students&rsquo; percentage
			12%
			6%
		
		
			Delivery type
			Full-time
			Full-time
		
	


On looking at the above information about expenses, location of the city, atmosphere of the city, etc. whichever seems suitable for you, you can choose that.

Question 3

Should I attend San Jose State University or Portland State University for Computer Science if I'll receive cheap tuition at both? Why?

Accepted Answer

Both of them are equally good and provide comparatively cheaper education in the field of Computer Science. The only difference you will experience is in the living conditions, location, cheaper lifestyle, etc. Some other things you should focus about are the placement opportunities, average salary obtained by the students of that University, living expenses, etc.

Students should also look for the social and political life of the institutions. Which school provides you with an atmosphere that will be suitable for you? Both of these have graduates earning between 61,000- 91,000 USD and good placement rate, so you should consider other factors as well.

The following table provides some information about both the institutions:


	
		
			San Jose State University
			Portland State University
		
		
			Tuition fee for the 1st year (international students)
			$ 17,225
			$ 24,530
		
		
			Acceptance rate
			55%
			96%
		
		
			International students&rsquo; percentage
			12%
			6%
		
		
			Average starting salary
			$91,000
			$61,000
		
		
			Financial aids
			Loans, grants, awards and scholarships
			Scholarships
		
	


Whichever school offers you a better lifestyle in all aspects and better future opportunities, you should choose.

Question 4

Is it difficult to get into Portland State University?

Accepted Answer

The difficulty level mainly depends on the majors you want to get into. The acceptance rate of the PSU is 96% which means it is not hard to get into. The admission procedure also changes depending on if you&rsquo;re applying for an undergraduate or graduate course. Some majors are easy to get into while some are hard to get in, usually the in-demand majors have a larger applicant pool so there is that. Completing the program is more difficult as compared to getting in. The best thing about the institution is that the professors want their students to excel and become successful. If you&rsquo;re an international student, you&rsquo;ll have to provide many additional things like TOEFL/IELTS scores and some other exam scores depending on your program.

The admission requirements are different for freshman admits and transfer admits. The only requirement is to meet the eligibility criteria for the major you are interested in. PhD programs are hard to qualify as they are only admitting the best applicants. You also need to meet the course-specific requirement for your majors like CS, School of Music, etc. For admissions in Music major the applicants should clear the audition round and for CS the applicants should gain minimum grades for mathematics and CS classes and meet GPA requirements.


	
		
			Acceptance rate
			96%
		
		
			International students&rsquo; percentage
			6%
		
		
			Students faculty ratio
			21:1
		
		
			Students retention rate
			74%
		
		
			TOEFL
			71
		
		
			IELTS
			6.0
		
		
			PTE
			53
		
		
			SAT
			560
		
		
			DET
			110
		
	


You can apply to this university and expect to be accepted here as the university is not hard to get in if you meet all requirements.

Portland State University - [Portland State University], Oregon, Portland - Student Profiles

interested in this College ?

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWS LETTER