Hello! I got accepted to Cal Poly Pomona for computer science and UCI but as an undeclared major. I was planning to switch majors in UCI (but it might be extremely difficult). So I was wondering if I should accept Cal Poly Pomona (no, not SLO) over UCI or take the chance to get into computer science when attending UCI. I know UCI and CPP have a really good engineering program but which is best for computer science?
Which has a better program?
Which provides better college experience?
Employment?
My advice is go for the direct admit into CS if that is really what you want to study. What happens if you are unable to switch into CS at UCI? Will you be happy pursuing another major?
Both will give you a very good education and both are ABET accredited.
You can do a side by side comparison of each school’s curriculum in regards to better program.
Better college experience is dependent upon you and not necessarily the school.
Employment opportunities are available for both schools and companies will recruit at both schools. My son a CS major at SDSU found most of the employment/internship programs through on-line websites like Glassdoor and Indeed. You might want to check out the listings for each schools career center.
I’ll second @Gumbymom. Let’s say UCI is better, and I don’t know that it is, you risk not getting in. I’d go with the sure thing.
I graduated from Cal Poly Pomona in 1986, though in Mechanical Engineering, but Computer Science and Computer Engineering (ECE) were highly rated. The ethos of the programs there are to educate to the needs of industry. In that regard You geaduate as a valuable commodity, because you are prepared for what is required to make your employer money on the first day you arrive. I’ve compared the quality of my education against other mechanical engineers over the last 30 years and Cal Poly is as good or better than any of the big-name schools. Go Broncos!
Here are the criteria to change major into CS majors at UCI:
http://www.changeofmajor.uci.edu/CoM_ICS.html