Tuition is insane these days, immigration rules keep changing, and even students who do everything right are still getting hit with SEVIS issues or ending up in legal gray areas. It’s honestly rough out there. So real question: does university ranking even matter anymore when you’re planning a Master’s?
Honestly, a top-ranked school looks good on paper, but if you’re on an F-1 visa, most companies don’t really care where you studied — they care if you have US work experience, if you’re allowed to work legally, and if your degree actually matches the job you want. A fancy name doesn’t mean much if you can’t stay in the country or if there aren’t jobs around you.
Curious what others think. Would you rather pay $$$ for a big-name school but struggle to land a job, or pick a less-famous school that’s close to actual companies hiring international students?
How’s everyone thinking about this lately? Would love to hear some real experiences, especially if you’ve already gone through it.
Let’s be real: tuition costs are wild, immigration policies shift like sand, and even students who play by every rule still find themselves caught in SEVIS messes or legal limbo. It’s exhausting.
So here’s the honest question I keep coming back to: Does university ranking even matter anymore when you’re on an F-1 visa trying to build a life here?
Because yeah, a top 20 MBA might impress on paper, but when companies are choosing between “authorized to work” vs. “needs sponsorship,” that name brand fades fast. Employers want practical experience, matching degrees, and zero visa headaches—not your school’s place on some list.
So is it smarter now to pick a school that’s less famous but has strong CPT/OPT support and is located where companies are actually hiring internationals?
I’d love to hear from folks who’ve been through this—what worked, what didn’t, and if they’d make the same choice again. This conversation feels more necessary than ever.
People still hire based on education tho and if you go to a school with a strong alumni base, you might just bump into an someone who’s also from the program you just graduated.
But is it worth that much? Sometimes double the tuition?
I’d say if you’re confident enough in previous work and project and your network, you don’t need a top ranked school on your resume. But if you’re just getting started, sadly, this is how companies screen people and saves them a ton of time.
If you don’t have a degree from a well-known or widely recognized school, how do you grab a recruiter’s attention in the first few seconds?
Let’s be real—your school name is often the easiest “shortcut” to get noticed. If you’re from a target school, you’re already playing the game on easier mode. It can open doors before anyone even looks at your resume in detail.
But of course, if you’re someone with strong networking skills or already building your own startup, you’re probably playing a different game altogether—feel free to ignore me
Great insights in this thread! Just wanted to chime in and say I believe this is definitely one of those things that “depends”. It depends on what field you’re going into and what your work experience looks like. And like @Duckcooo mentioned, sometimes the most significant thing a prestigious school can give you is connections, but the value of that also depends on your ability to network. Another thing to consider is if you end up leaving the US, which country would you build your career in? Does this country value the ranking of the school you attended? All this being said, it definitely won’t hurt if you can make it work financially. Would love to hear what more people think!
A school with big names… They are earning a lot from international students and if you see you will know immediately some of the program they have are just for them to get more money so they can support other programs… Anyways, big regrets… Recommend to go to a program where they actually teach things lol
Honestly, I agree — ranking used to feel super important, but now I think work authorization and job location matter way more.
I know people from top schools still stuck in visa limbo, while others from less-known programs found CPT-friendly jobs and stayed long-term. If a school helps you stay in status and gives you time to build experience, that’s a win in my book.
Big name is nice, but not if you have to leave the country right after graduation.
Location is very important! I have talked to some HR, they all said they prefer students who live near the company because relocation is not an easy thing!
Emm depending on your subject?? Tbh most of my friends studying social studies or humanity studies go straight to PhD, and CS major friends will get a work first then decide whether they need a master. Maybe look for the one will get you work experience or internship experience will be better choices.
That’s interesting. Do you have any insight as to why the CS people don’t really go for PhDs? And if they do a Master’s, what are the common types of programs they choose? I’m having trouble deciding on what type of program to pursue for career development if I do another Master’s, and I’m leaning toward the tech field
I don’t have any data support, but my friends with CS Bachelors, they usually get a big corp job after college, work for a while, then maybe Master if they need other skills. PhD is really research oriented and tbh you don’t need those skills if working in office… My understanding is that for IT or tech position, work experience is more important because you get to work on actual projects.
where did you go
