<p>Hello to everyone!! I’m an international applicant and I got my admit from UFL last Friday for MS in ECE!!</p>
<p>I’ve secured 5 admits, my best admits being ASU and UFL ($11K achievement award) for MS in ECE for Fall '07. I plan to do VLSI related courses (preferably Digital VLSI). As of now i have no inclination to do my PhD…Its too early now to decide I think… </p>
<p>Since many of you are currently in UFL I would like to get inputs from you, so that I can decide which university to attend. First hand info is valuable and welcome!!</p>
<p>I had few specific doubts about UFL::</p>
<p>–> As I had mentioned earlier I wish to pursue VLSI related courses…How is the course/proffs/research for VLSI in UF?
–> Job/internship opportunities in EE (esp VLSI related) in Florida.
UF is not in a very good location. Is that going to affect my job prospects?
–> Funding/GA/RA opportunities for MS students.
–> What is the class strength like for EE?</p>
<p>Hope I haven’t bombed you with a lot of questions!! Looking forward to replies!!</p>
<p>First let me start off by saying: I do not have a degree from the Engineering School, however I do know that our Engineering Department is consistently ranked in the Top-25 and is one of the strongest in the South-East USA. I believe ASU has a reputation of being a regional school at best. Needless to say, I can almost guarantee a MS from UF will give you better placement. Keep in mind the cost of living in Florida is extremely cheap.</p>
<p>I would go to some of the faculty’s home pages that research VLSI and take a look at what they’re doing. Perhaps read some of their papers and try to contact them with interest in doing research with him. I know you’re not looking for a PHd, but plenty of Masters students do research and if you are doing the thesis option, you have to find a research adviser.</p>
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<p>UF isn’t a great location, but its recruiter and peer assessment is very good. It isn’t limited regionally. </p>
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<p>I know it’s a lot easier for if you are in the combined BS/MS program, they hand you a teaching assistantship. It is difficult getting a research assistantship, I read in one of the professor’s pages, that he will only take the very top students in a graduate course for his research. So for funding, you’re best bet is to apply for a teaching assistantship for undergrad courses. I have heard that they were cutting pack on TA funding though. I would give ECE graduate student services a call, they’re really helpful. It’s summer right now, so they have free time. (352-392-9758)</p>
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<p>Here are the graduate guidelines, <a href=“Home : ECE FLORIDA”>Home : ECE FLORIDA,
a lot of info is in there, plus all the courses offered. Pages 28-35 have all the course descriptions. They are taught rigorously, I’ve taken one grad course (not VLSI related) and it wasn’t easy.</p>
<p>BTW: ASU is also a strong engineering school. I don’t think you can go wrong with either.</p>
<p>It’s basically solid-state technology, the purpose is to make electronic chips and circuitry smaller and smaller while increasing efficiency and speed. As a result, it makes things a lot cheaper due to its mass production. That’s why you can get a nice computer for cheap because the Intel chip is getting cheaper due to VLSI.</p>