u/Rough-Cause6213

I’m currently deciding between the MCS at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the MSCS at Georgia Institute of Technology, and I’d really appreciate any insights.

My Background:

• Undergrad in CS @ Purdue
• TA, course developer, and course coordinator for 4 classes
• Taught undergraduate algorithms
• No formal research experience (but interested in exploring it during my master’s)

My Goals / Interests:

• Interested in systems (mainly compiler design and optimization)
• I'd liked to do research (which is only an option at Georgia Tech)
• Also strongly considering industry roles after graduation

My dilemma:

• UIUC MCS is solely course-based, which seems great for industry and systems depth, but may limit research opportunities along with the funding that comes with it
• Georgia Tech MSCS can be research-oriented, which aligns better with theory and gives me a chance to get into research despite my lack of prior experience

From what I understand:

• UIUC is often considered slightly stronger in systems / infrastructure
• Georgia Tech is especially strong in theory and algorithms
• Both are top-tier CS programs and highly ranked

1. How comparable are these schools really in systems vs theory? If I were to average the two areas, would one school come out on top?
2. Given I have no research experience, how realistic is it to break into research at Georgia Tech MSCS?
3. Given my TAing experience along with connections in both schools (more in UIUC than Georgia Tech though), what is the likelihood of getting a GTAship at these schools. I have worked under Professor Kent Quanrud who is famous at UIUC for theory.
4. For industry, is there any big difference in brand recognition or recruiting outcomes?
5. Does the MCS vs MSCS distinction actually matter to recruiters in practice?

I’d love to hear from people who have attended either program or considered both, especially if you had similar interests.