I’m currently weighing two very different paths for my CS degree, and I’d love to hear your thoughts — especially from those who’ve been in either (or both!) environments.
Option 1: San Francisco State University (SFSU)
Located in the heart of SF — tech capital of the world.
Tons of networking events, hackathons, meetups, internships with startups and big tech nearby.
Access to the ecosystem of Silicon Valley (Google, Meta, Salesforce, etc.).
Downside: expensive cost of living, high competition, and SFSU isn’t considered a top-tier CS school.
Option 2: Iowa State University (ISU)
Located in Ames, Iowa — quiet, student-focused town.
Strong engineering and CS program, with solid research opportunities.
Lower cost of living, fewer distractions, easier to focus.
Fewer immediate internship options nearby, but better chance to build deep skills and a strong GPA.
Comments
I did my undergrad a GWU (which has a non-campus in the middle of Foggy Bottom in downtown DC), did my PhD at UC Davis (which is a college town, albeit with somewhat easy access to Sacramento) and currently live in SF. I think it really comes down to what you want, and how much you think you’ll use/leverage what each option provides. For example, there are hackathons and access to Silicon Valley in SF, but will you actually go to those hackathons and network in Silicon Valley? Or, as a counterpoint, are the stronger research opportunities in research at ISU something you’re actually interested in, or is there a possibility that it will feel too esoteric and not practical enough for what you’re looking for?
Personally, I would focus more on the PI you’re interested in working with and the work you’re interested in doing, and focusing on environments that emphasize those aspects, rather than thinking too much about a location-first approach. Visit the campuses and do a vibe check.
One thing I should mention is that the area SFSU is in wouldn’t be reasonably described as “in the city” and it does have more of a campus than some of the more ‘city center’ schools. It will also be somewhat tough (though not impossible) to access Silicon Valley without a car (or an expensive Uber, or a long ride on BART).