I know all the rankings by heart, but that can only tell you so much about how good a college is. I know how UC’s have great opportunities as well as UMD, but it’s not that easy to compare the two. I need some other views that can help me choose between UCI and UMD. My intended major is either computer engineering or computer science. I was given computer engineering at UMD and Undeclared at UCI.
I’d go to UMD where you have been accepted into the program you want. If you consider UCI you would need to research the likelihood of your being able to do an internal transfer into an discipline you want to study.
Net price at each?
Trying to get into the program I want shouldn’t be too much of hassle according to their admission’s office. Cost would be high for both, but I don’t really want to go in numbers and money received. Money isn’t a huge factor in the decision because either school will be a lot and I care more for the education and job prospects that make the money worth it.
Given that cost is not a factor, between those 2 schools, UMD is the better one by a good margin. I’d pick that.
UCI change of major criteria: http://www.changeofmajor.uci.edu/
Computer engineering: >=2.70 overall GPA, >=3.00 prerequisite GPA
Computer science: >=2.7 overall GPA with >=2.0 in quarter immediately before changing major, >=2.7 prerequisite GPA with no prerequisite grade below C
Computer science and engineering: >=2.7 overall GPA with >=2.7 in quarter immediately before changing major, >=3.0 prerequisite GPA
If cost is similar, and you are already in the major at UMD, that is in UMD’s favor.