Hello! I’m a recent graduate from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor’s in CS & Physics and minors in Math and Philosophy. I’m pursuing a graduate degree in Computer Science to develop my technical AI safety research skills, since my career goal is to contribute to AI alignment at a leading AI safety research company.
I recently received my first admission to a graduate program: Columbia’s Master’s in Computer Science! However, they’ve given me a short time to respond, which I was able to extend to March 10 (originally February 24 – is that not abnormally early?). Still, that feels early, as many other programs won’t release decisions until April.
To prepare, I feel the need to rank my programs now so I can make timely decisions. If I accept Columbia’s offer but later renege, I will lose a $4000 deposit. I can sustain this loss, but I’d prefer to avoid it.
My main question: How should I rank these programs based on how well they will set me up for a career in AI safety?
Programs I’ve applied to (in tentative ranking order):
Berkeley | MS→PhD in CS
Stanford | MS in CS
MIT | PhD in EECS
Columbia | MS in CS (admitted)
UCLA | MS in CS
UC San Diego | MS in CS
Cambridge | MPhil in Machine Learning and Machine Intelligence
Oxford | MSc in Advanced CS
University of Michigan | MS in CSE
Some key considerations:
Career opportunities in AI Safety, particularly in industry (e.g., Anthropic, DeepMind, OpenAI) or alignment-focused research orgs.
Research opportunities and faculty alignment with EA and AI Safety.
Professional network and credibility in AI research.
Notes:
I ranked Berkeley and Stanford most highly based on my understanding of their flourishing AI safety communities.
I conducted research on the faculty interests that are most relevant to AI safety—I’ve decided to omit these details in this initial post for concision. I’m wondering whether I should weight this information less significantly, especially for Master’s programs.
I’d appreciate any insights from people familiar with these programs, AI Safety career trajectories, or general decision-making frameworks for high-impact careers.
[Question] Which Graduate Programs Will Best Set Me Up for a Career in AI Safety?
Hello! I’m a recent graduate from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor’s in CS & Physics and minors in Math and Philosophy. I’m pursuing a graduate degree in Computer Science to develop my technical AI safety research skills, since my career goal is to contribute to AI alignment at a leading AI safety research company.
I recently received my first admission to a graduate program: Columbia’s Master’s in Computer Science! However, they’ve given me a short time to respond, which I was able to extend to March 10 (originally February 24 – is that not abnormally early?). Still, that feels early, as many other programs won’t release decisions until April.
To prepare, I feel the need to rank my programs now so I can make timely decisions. If I accept Columbia’s offer but later renege, I will lose a $4000 deposit. I can sustain this loss, but I’d prefer to avoid it.
My main question: How should I rank these programs based on how well they will set me up for a career in AI safety?
Programs I’ve applied to (in tentative ranking order):
Berkeley | MS→PhD in CS
Stanford | MS in CS
MIT | PhD in EECS
Columbia | MS in CS (admitted)
UCLA | MS in CS
UC San Diego | MS in CS
Cambridge | MPhil in Machine Learning and Machine Intelligence
Oxford | MSc in Advanced CS
University of Michigan | MS in CSE
Some key considerations:
Career opportunities in AI Safety, particularly in industry (e.g., Anthropic, DeepMind, OpenAI) or alignment-focused research orgs.
Research opportunities and faculty alignment with EA and AI Safety.
Professional network and credibility in AI research.
Notes:
I ranked Berkeley and Stanford most highly based on my understanding of their flourishing AI safety communities.
I conducted research on the faculty interests that are most relevant to AI safety—I’ve decided to omit these details in this initial post for concision. I’m wondering whether I should weight this information less significantly, especially for Master’s programs.
I’d appreciate any insights from people familiar with these programs, AI Safety career trajectories, or general decision-making frameworks for high-impact careers.
Thanks in advance!