For reference when looking at CS programs. Again, rankings aren’t the be all but used wisely its a good start.
The problem here is that most of these are not financially attainable but OP should know these are not the only programs from which success can happen.
I’d love to drive a Benz but a Kia will get me to the same place.
I wake up in a Hampton Inn just like I can at a Ritz Carlton.
They can all do the trick.
Programmer here. No…that’s a bad idea. Most of those schools will put you in well over $100k in student debt…assuming you could even get the financing. For a bachelors degree, that’s financial suicide, even for a comp-sci degree. The best part of computers and tech is that prestige doesn’t matter at all. Your salary will be determined entirely from what hands-on experience you gained AFTER college. After about 3 years experience, employers don’t even ask where you went. I went to a regional state university, and I’ve interviewed at Google, Amazon, (both overrated) USAA, and a multitude of other fortune 500 companies.
Your best bet would be U of Tenn. You’re getting enough to cover most of it. Add reasonable student loans and a job, and you can make that work 
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I do programming for a living. All you have to do is get your degree, then find a job out of college. It doesn’t really have to be the job you “want.” Your hands-on experience will increase your salary, and you’ll be empowered to move-on to the next job at a higher salary. As you gain experience, jobs will get better and more secure.
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My nephew works in NY for a very well known publicly traded company with a poli sci degree from Arizona and makes several hundred thousand + with bonus.
He self learned and had to pass a bunch of hiring tests.
I know that’s rare but it’s to your point - the where (and potentially major) may matter less.
UTK is an excellent option, and OP may very well end up happily choosing to go there. But if he strategizes well, which he appears to be doing, he may get some aid offers from other schools that also come in at an affordable price. It would be ideal for him to feel like he has several options from which to choose, even if he ends up liking UTK the best. That’s part of the adventure of college hunting, if he’s up for it, which it sounds like he is.
OP, I do agree with this. It’s worth putting a little more time into curating the list. Those apps get tiring. For example, my kid had all his apps in by mid-Oct last year. His supplemental essays were minimal (didn’t apply to any real reaches). And he still was super annoyed at the amount of app stuff he had to take care of after that (honors, scholarships, virtual sessions, etc). It truly lasted the whole dang school year. Bounce the list and your rationale around on this thread a little more and I bet you’ll arrive at something more manageable – maybe 10?
Feel free to ask me about Rose-Hulman, Syracuse, or CWRU as I know a decent amount about engineering/CS at those schools.
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I know a guy – literally, a rocket scientist – who works in Oak Ridge at one of the national labs there; and he said that some of the best interns they have had come from Tennessee Tech, and that several have been hired while he has been there.
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Looking at list shared above. I know that Ohio State gives OOS scholarships.
But can the price get to $20k OOS ? I don’t know.
I believe freind’s daughter has it very close with a scholarship. It was in line with instate at UMD or better.
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Yes, it can. This student has high stats and the Morell could be in reach…as well as other scholarships awarded by tOSU.
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At least chances for scholarship for OP at Ohio State are much higher than at GaTech in my opinion.
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Ok here’s the description - it doesn’t seem like OP based on the ECs listed but maybe it works.
If I’m op tho - and applying to more is great but you have 20 common app spots. If there are more schools of interest and it’s not easy but you have to determine, where you’ll get the most merit bang for your buck.
If you have less than 20, then you don’t have to worry about picking and choosing.
‘The Morrill Scholarship Program (MSP) offers scholarships and educational enrichment opportunities to academically talented students who are committed to diversity-based leadership, social justice, and service .”
I would not be fixed on particular scholarship description. I believe Ohio by itself assignes who gets what. But I would say that that this would not be wasted application…
I agree.
Depends on, like I noted, how many app slots does he have left. If he has some then I agree. If not, he has to optimize.
It’s for him to decide but his activities don’t align with what that particular scholarship seeks. Perhaps there are other scholarships.
But if he has spots and is interested in tOSU, it’s no issue bcuz he has those couple cost safeties already. That’s really the same for any school he chooses because OP has options no matter what.
There are other scholarships. What the student needs to decide is…does he want to apply to tOSU!
As much as I love Ohio State, I think there are better (for this OP) applications to focus on to have affordable options to choose from.
I think he’s likely for an admit at tOSU and even the Maximus and National Buckeye which stack to $16,500 but that’s off of at least $38,365 oos tuition & fees (the price goes up over the summer) and I don’t think that includes the special fee of $4,000/yr for college of engineering. Plus he’ll need to pay room, board, and possibly health insurance.
There are some coe and department scholarships that will also stack, but they are very unlikely to get him to the <20k net price he needs.
He can review the description of the other full ride scholarship (Stamps Eminence) and apply if he thinks he’s a good fit for it, but should consider it a reach.
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I still would apply and then see what happens. At least he will definitely get something there. At Gatech it is Stamps or nothing…
I am going to send you a PM.