On the morning of March 12, 2022, Zhao Junbo, the project leader of the Turing Class, invited Dr. Ji Yi and Dr. James to give a talk on studying abroad for the students of Zhejiang University's Turing 1901 program.
First, Zhao Junbo introduced the general agenda of the talk and raised questions about future planning. For third-year students, whether to enter the workforce, focus on scientific research at school, or struggle with the decision of studying abroad, they are standing at a crossroads in their lives. This talk is aimed at students who are considering studying abroad in the future, and the sharing from the two speakers is expected to help clarify their plans.
1. Introduction
Dr. Ji Yi holds a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Rice University in the United States, a master's degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. He has guided students from top science and engineering universities in China, such as Zhejiang University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Tsinghua University, Harbin Institute of Technology, to gain admission to master's and Ph.D. programs at institutions such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, University of California, Berkeley, Yale University, University of Michigan, and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He was also named on the Forbes China 30 Under 30 list.
Dr. James holds a PhD in Computer Science from New York University and works as a research scientist at a FAANG company. He has published academic papers in top conferences such as ICML, CVPR, and NeurIPS. He has also worked as a core quantitative systems developer at a global AI hedge fund giant.
After the introductions, the symposium began.
2. Development Abroad and Domestic Development
Firstly, the speaker analyzed the differences between China and the United States in terms of studying and career development, based on their personal experiences, when it comes to choosing between development abroad and domestic development.
In terms of studying, the talent development characteristic of the U.S. education system is to cultivate well-rounded individuals before specializing in a particular field, while China's educational philosophy emphasizes the development of individuals with a solid foundation of basic knowledge but is constrained by limited resources and specialties.
In terms of career development, firstly, there is job competition. Compared to China's intense competition for high salaries, the U.S. emphasizes the balance between work and life. Secondly, there is room for advancement. Although popular majors in the U.S. offer a generous starting salary, there is a limit to how far one can advance. Conversely, there is no such cultural barrier in China, and there is more room for development. Thirdly, there is life outside of work. China has more diverse cultural and entertainment activities, but the U.S. offers the advantage of lower cost of living due to the sparser population.
Specifically, the speaker also provided comparative advice for future study and career development in the field of computer science.
If one chooses to pursue further education, it takes 1.5-2 years to obtain a master's degree in the U.S., although tuition fees are expensive, the employment cost-benefit ratio is extremely high. To obtain a PhD, one needs to study the most cutting-edge core technologies, and it is generally admitted on a full scholarship. This will provide a strong competitive advantage in academia in the future. Obtaining a master's degree in China takes more time, 2-3 years, although tuition fees are cheaper, it is difficult to get admitted directly without taking an entrance examination, and there is little employment advantage. If one chooses to pursue a PhD in China, they may face the challenge of adapting to a foreign culture and limited options for choosing top-tier schools, but the future competitiveness in academia is still reasonable.
If one chooses to directly enter the workforce, the starting salary in the U.S. is high, with some companies offering pension plans, but there is a lower ceiling. There are three recommended directions: pension, research, and hedge funds. As for the Chinese job market, internet companies offer high starting salaries and more entrepreneurial opportunities, but there may be higher pressure due to the 996 culture, and the ceiling is slightly higher.
3. Introduction to CS Schools and the Application Process for MS and PhD Programs
Next, the speakers introduced the CS schools and the application process for MS and PhD programs.
School Introduction
The speaker first explained the differences between three types of degrees. The first is the Master of Science, which is the most common two-year program that includes both course-based and thesis-based options, with the latter more likely to receive full scholarships; typically a prerequisite for a PhD. The second is the Master of Engineering, which is mainly employment-oriented, aimed at cultivating students' comprehensive abilities; not a prerequisite for a PhD, so students need to start from scratch when applying for a PhD. The third is the PhD program, which requires 4-6 years, with the first two years focused on course work and the remaining three or four years on research.
CS-related schools are divided into two tiers. The first tier consists of four schools: the first is CMU, which is generally the top choice and has a very fine professional division, including CS, AI, CV, Robotics, and so on; the second is MIT's EECS program, mainly for PhD students with no direct admission for master's programs; the third is Stanford, which offers both master's and PhD degrees, has a good location, but is more difficult to apply for the master's program; the fourth is UC Berkeley, which is friendly to international students for the MEng program, but has a very high level of difficulty for the PhD program.
The second tier includes top state engineering schools such as UIUC, UCSD, UT Austin, UW, Gatech, and private universities with strong CS competitiveness such as Comell, NYU, and so on. In addition, other schools such as Yale, Columbia, and UWM also have outstanding CS programs.
Application Process
For the MS application process, a personal statement (PS) and resume are required, which tends to emphasize the exploration of the applicant's professional direction during their college years. MS applicants can expand their experience through internships, practice, project work, and other activities (such as SRTP). Recommendation letters typically come from teachers, research mentors, internship supervisors, etc., demonstrating the applicant's ability to learn during their graduate studies.
For the PhD application, the emphasis is on the statement of purpose (SOP), highlighting the applicant's research advantages, research direction, and prospects for doctoral research topics; a more hardcore research experience and excellent recommendation letters are required, fully demonstrating the applicant's personal abilities.
In addition, standardized testing is required. The TOEFL mainly tests listening, speaking, reading, and writing, with a total score of 120, and most schools have a minimum requirement of 100. The GRE is a graduate school entrance exam, and a recommended score is 325+3.5, but it is not mandatory for this year's application season.
4 Admission Case Studies and Q&A
First of all, there are three abilities needed to DIY a personal application. The first is time management: managing time for standardized tests, essays, recommendation letters, and other tedious procedures. The second is information filtering: selecting preferred, suitable, and reasonable school programs. The third is writing essays and English communication skills: being able to score well on standardized tests, write well-organized and professional essays, and communicate in English through emails and interviews.
Secondly, seeking guidance also requires attention to three points. Regarding time, if a consultant who is familiar with the application rhythm and process can be found, it can save time and improve ROI. In terms of selecting schools, it is important to focus on reasonable positioning and personalized school selection. In terms of writing essays and English communication, one needs to have a sufficient understanding of English technical writing and be familiar with academic and job prospects, as well as American communication styles.
Summary
The two-hour exchange passed in a flash, and in the end, Speaker Zhao Junbo made a brief summary.
Regarding scientific research, he hopes that students will think deeply about whether they are suitable for scientific research, whether they have patience, what research direction they want to pursue, and how their surroundings will change in the future.
In terms of positioning, it is necessary to determine one's upper and lower limits, use leverage theory, and Turing Class and Zhejiang University are the first levers. Choosing is always more important than effort. For students, self-discovery is a lifelong pursuit.
As for the future, Zhao left a powerful message: China will surely have a great future, and the truth-seeking youth of Turing Class will carry the future. No matter what choices they make in the future, they will expand the width of their lives and the depth of their professional knowledge in various fields, and contribute back to society, the country, and the entire nation with a solid foundation in their subjects and a deep professional literacy.