Why I Want a Masters in Computer Science

I have been thinking about this for months now, and I think I have finally made up my mind. I want to pursue a Masters in Computer Science in the United States.

This is a big decision. Huge, actually. It means taking the GRE, applying to universities, convincing my parents it is worth the investment, and moving to a completely different country. But the more I think about it, the more I believe it is the right move.

Let me try to explain my reasoning, partly for you and partly for myself.

Where I Am Right Now

I am finishing up my engineering degree. I have learned a lot, both in class and on my own. Linux administration, some programming in C and Python, the basics of networking and databases. I have this blog where I write about tech. I spend most of my free time reading about cloud computing and open source software.

But here is the thing: I feel like I am hitting a ceiling. The job market for fresh graduates here is mostly about getting placed in a services company, doing outsourced IT work for clients abroad. There is nothing wrong with that, plenty of talented people take that path, but I want something different.

I want to build things. I want to work on systems, not just maintain them. I want to be in the room where technical decisions are made, not on the receiving end of those decisions.

Why America

The honest answer is that the best computer science programs in the world are in the United States. MIT, Stanford, Carnegie Mellon, UC Berkeley; these are the places where the research happens, where the innovations start, where the tech industry draws its talent from.

But it is more than just prestige. The ecosystem in America is different. Silicon Valley exists because of a concentration of talent, capital, and ambition that does not have an equivalent anywhere else right now. Google, Facebook, Amazon, Apple; these companies are all headquartered there. The startup scene is there. The open source community, while global, has a massive presence there.

If I want to work on the kind of problems that excite me, being in that ecosystem matters.

Why Computer Science Specifically

I am technically getting an electronics engineering degree, not a computer science one. But over the past couple of years, I have realized that software is where my passion lies. Hardware is fascinating, but software is where I can have the most impact with the least friction. I do not need a fabrication lab to write code. I just need a laptop and an internet connection.

A Masters in CS would let me formally study the things I have been teaching myself: operating systems, distributed systems, databases, algorithms. It would fill the gaps in my knowledge and give me the credential that opens doors in the American tech industry.

I have been looking at programs that have strong systems tracks. I am less interested in pure theory (though I know I need a solid foundation in it) and more interested in the applied side: building scalable systems, understanding how large software systems work in production, learning about cloud infrastructure.

The Concerns

Let me be honest about the downsides, because there are plenty.

Cost is the biggest one. Tuition at American universities is expensive, especially for international students who pay out-of-state rates. We are talking about tens of thousands of dollars per year, and that does not include living expenses. My family is not poor, but we are not wealthy either. This would be a significant financial commitment.

There is also the uncertainty. Getting admitted is not guaranteed. Getting a job after graduation is not guaranteed. The H-1B visa situation is complicated and unpredictable. I could invest two years and a lot of money and still end up right back where I started.

And then there is the personal side. I have never lived away from my family for more than a few weeks. Moving to a different continent is terrifying, if I am being honest. Different food, different culture, different everything. I know people who have done it and thrived, and I know people who have done it and struggled.

Why I Think It Is Worth It

Despite all the concerns, I keep coming back to the same conclusion: the opportunity outweighs the risk.

The local IT industry is growing rapidly, and there are good opportunities here. But the kind of work I want to do, systems engineering, cloud infrastructure, building products, those opportunities are much more abundant in the American tech industry right now.

A Masters degree is also a relatively low-risk way to get to America. You get two years to study, build a network, do internships, and figure out if you want to stay. If it does not work out, you come back with a degree from a respected university and that still opens doors back home.

I have been talking to seniors who went abroad for their Masters, and the common thread in their stories is that it changed their perspective. Not just professionally, but personally. They came back (or stayed) as more confident, more capable people. The experience of being on your own in a new country forces you to grow up fast.

The Plan

Here is what I am working on right now. I am studying for the GRE, which I plan to take in the next few months. I am researching universities, looking at their faculty, their research groups, their curriculum. I am working on my statement of purpose, trying to articulate why I want to study CS and what I want to do with the degree.

I am also trying to strengthen my profile. This blog is part of that. Working on personal projects is part of that. I want my application to show that I am genuinely passionate about computer science, not just chasing a degree.

The application cycle for Fall 2011 starts later this year, so I have some time. But not a lot.

To Future Me

If you are reading this years from now, Lokesh, I hope you went for it. I hope you took the risk. Even if it did not work out exactly as planned, I hope you tried.

And if you are a student in a similar position, thinking about grad school, unsure if it is the right move: I cannot tell you what to do. But I can tell you that staying comfortable is its own kind of risk. The risk of never finding out what you are capable of.

I will keep you all updated on how this goes. Wish me luck.