So I've decided to go back for my master's degree, the only question I have now is weighing the options of which school I want to go to.

My top choices are: Cal Poly Pomona(my alma mater), Cal State Long Beach(down the street), and USC.

I have heard that it looks better to go to a different school for a master's as it shows that you aren't too lazy to find a new school - I would think it complete hogwash, but who knows? I really enjoyed the program at Cal Poly Pomona and I firmly believe that I would learn a lot from this program. The downside is that it is easily a 1.25+ hours drive one-way to get there.

USC seems promising, but, if memory serves, they focus heavily on the theory - not that there is a problem with theory - a hands on approach is just more my learning style.

Cal State Long Beach has a bonus in that I live down the street from it. They seem to have a decent program, but completely lackluster next to either USC's or Cal Poly Pomona's programs.

Has anyone been through one of these programs (or is familiar with it) and has a recommendation? I feel like I have been decided to go to one of each of the schools with my decision changing every few days.

Perhaps nothing will come of this, but it's good to get it out there.

Thanks.

 

I can't speak for those programs specifically, but I think it's better to go to a different school for your Masters or PhD not because it shows that you're not lazy, but because the professors will continue to see you as a undergrad and not treat you as well at your alma-matter.

I think about getting my masters occasionally... then I quickly change my mind. The classes did get more interesting the further I advanced though... I would love to go back and take DSP, Power Supply Design, Motor Drive, and more Controls classes.

 

I am really excited for the controls classes. My first controls class was taught by a guy that was on his way out (I mean this was his last quarter teaching), and he let that show - he would show up 45 minutes late and never seemed to care about what he was teaching us. After I took another controls systems class for digital control systems, everything clicked and we made a fuzzy logic controller in a FPGA to prove it!

I would like to take more DSP classes - I feel like these are my weak point and that needs attention.

There was just a free DSP class on Coursera (they are all free!), but I just didn't have the time for it right now. Perhaps that would be beneficial for you too...

 

Hey Tshuck, it is great to hear from a fellow Cal Poly alumnus. I graduated way back when ptyerydactyls roamed the skies, and recently when I looked up an online professors' review from Cal Poly, I was amazed to see that former EE department chairman Dr. Palmer is still there, stalking the halls of Buiding 9 like a grey ghost, along with a couple of other names I remembered, like the famously tedious Mr. Coutras and the brilliant but drab Dr. Raffikuzman. It was great to see also that my favourite Physics lecturer of all time, Dr. Robert Bush, is still holding court in that department, dishing out his witty one-liners between formulae derivations.

If I ever decided to go back for an MSEE, which is highly unlikely, I would definitely go back to my alma mater, where I can savor that gentle aroma of fresh cow pies in the morning, iif the wind is right.

 

[...]Dr. Palmer is still there, stalking the halls of Buiding 9 like a grey ghost, along with a couple of other names I remembered, like the famously tedious Mr. Coutras[...]

Many of the older professors are professors emeriti - these two included. They have an 'office' shared among about 5 other professor emeritus, but are never there. They have honorary positions at the school.

and the brilliant but drab Dr. Raffikuzman.

He's still kicking and teaching. It's actually quite funny, anyone who has been to the school in the past half-century knows Dr. Rafi and has probably taken a class or two with him (myself included).

[...]where I can savor that gentle aroma of fresh cow pies in the morning, iif the wind is right.

Yeah, there's nothing like waking up before the sun and driving for 45+ minutes only to arrive and having the whole place smell like a turd - that is a scent I do not miss...it almost stings the nostrils of those who aren't accustomed to it...On the bright side, you don't need coffee to wake you up, the smell hits you like a brick!

 

Many of the older professors are professors emeriti - these two included. They have an 'office' shared among about 5 other professor emeritus, but are never there. They have honorary positions at the school.

He's still kicking and teaching. It's actually quite funny, anyone who has been to the school in the past half-century knows Dr. Rafi and has probably taken a class or two with him (myself included).


Yeah, there's nothing like waking up before the sun and driving for 45+ minutes only to arrive and having the whole place smell like a turd - that is a scent I do not miss...it almost stings the nostrils of those who aren't accustomed to it...On the bright side, you don't need coffee to wake you up, the smell hits you like a brick!

Ah I see. I didn't realize that those old professors were only present in spirit, as it were. Anyway, it is good to hear that Dr. Raffi is still on active duty as the resident microprocessor meister. One of these days, I intend to stroll that campus again as a visitor, just to stir up a few fond memories.

I wish you success with your masters program, Tschuk, though I will confess to being green with envy at your taking the path this old geezer missed many moons ago.

 

Just my 2 cents, ... I would go with the one with the best hands-on requirements...

 

Okay, so as an update, I applied to USC(their deadline is in two days) and should hear back just in time for them to reject me and still have a day, or two, to apply to the other schools.

Reading up on USC's program does make me hopeful that I'll be accepted.