International student, applied to computer engineering to both but got my second choice major in UIUC (electrical eng) - if I do end up going to UIUC I definitely want to change major ASAP.
I’ve heard that UW has an advantage because of its location and internship opportunities, but I really don’t know how to make this decision. I also read something about the Greek life in UIUC, but its not really something I’d consider when deciding. I haven’t had the chance (and won’t until I attend, sadly) to visit either campus.
Are you into your preferred major at UW? If so, I’d go there. And I’ve spent time on both campuses, UW strongly preferred. It is in a vibrant city with a lot of natural beauty around it. You are also likely right about internships (although I don’t know what the rules are gor international students to work at internships in the US in general).
Like intparent asked above, are you a direct admit into engineering at UW or are you a pre-science admit? And what is your second choice major at UIUC - is it within engineering? These are important questions because we then have a better idea how hard/easy it will be for you to get into the major you want, or at least know what you have to do to get there. But for someone coming to US, ya, Seattle as a vibrant urban area surrounded by the most beautiful nature is hard to beat! Urbana is nice town, just very middle America, where Seattle has the west coast location going for it.
I got into electrical engineering at UIUC, and l I just got my acceptance for UW and they didn’t specify but I wouldn’t mind doing my second choice major(CS). I’m not sure about Seattle specifically but I know a few international students who are doing/ have done internships and got job offers right after graduation.
Heard the weather isn’t the best in Seattle but I can probably learn to live with it
First, both are fabulous schools for engineering and CS, so excellent choices. At UW, only about 20% overall are direct admits to CS and most of that 20% are instate students. The rest apply for the major in soph or junior year and it is competitive so you have to keep your gpa really strong.That is why we are keen on knowing if you are a direct acceptance at UW. My guess is at UIUC, getting from EE to CS would not be that difficult. Usually, moving within engineering isn’t that difficult, it is getting into engineering that is the hardest part.
Computer science is famously difficult to get into at both UIUC and Washington if you are not direct admit (probably harder at UIUC, since you need a 3.67 GPA with A- grades in CS courses to be eligible for competitive admission: https://cs.illinois.edu/admissions/undergraduate/transfer-students ).
“My guess is at UIUC, getting from EE to CS would not be that difficult.”
As a current student at UIUC, transferring to any major in the college of engineering is fairly difficult, but CS especially. I know people with 4.0 GPAs who got denied their CS transfer. Transferring EE to CE used to be easy, but I think it follows the standard transfer process now, which is more difficult but not impossible. CE here is now ranked #2 by US News if I recall correctly, so the program is hella good. If you have any questions about UIUC I can help answer some of them.
You should be able to take a decent number of CE courses as an EE major at UIUC. Seems like you are at least guaranteed a related major at UIUC and aren’t guaranteed an engineering or CS major at UW. That would make me lean towards UIUC.
As a UW grad, I am somewhat biased but UW is an awesome school all around. If you are smart and apply yourself, then you can get into your major of choice. And the cities just don’t compare. Seattle is one of the top cities in the world. Yes, it does rain, lightly, a lot, but if you are concerned about weather, then definitely don’t go to UIUC where they have terrible winters. If it snows once or twice a year in Seattle you are lucky and everyone freaks out. And if you are interested in Greek life, UW has a huge Greek community, but it doesn’t dominate the campus - dorms are cool too.
The schools are peers all-around, as they probably are in Engineering and CS. I’d base it primarily on cost (including travel cost), ease of getting into your major (which you are discussing here), the ability to get internships (Seattle is its own big city, while U-C is close to Chicago and multiple other Midwestern metropolitan areas – St. Louis, Twin Cities, Milwaukee, Indianapolis, etc.), and lastly on the desirability of the school/campus (natural fit).
4, to clarify, 20% of freshmen applicants to CSE at UW are not directly admitted. Rather, direct admits represent about 20% of the annual cohort admitted to the department each year. About 80% of CSE majors join the department through "Regular Admission."
UW reports:
“For 2017, over 5,000 freshmen applicants indicated Computer Science or Computer Engineering as their first choice major. Of these applicants, around 150 students were offered direct admission. These admits have an average unweighted gpa of 3.97 and are mostly Washington state residents. Average test scores are: ACT 34, SAT math 764, SAT verbal 758.”
A recent article in the Seattle Times about Paul Allen’s $40 million gift to the establish the new Allen School for Computer Science & Engineering reported:
"Students are usually admitted at the end of their freshman year or the start of their sophomore year. But the school also admits some students directly, at the same time they are admitted to the university as freshmen. This year, direct admission will be offered to 150 students. All but five of them are Washington residents.
"Although computer science and engineering is a tough program to get into, the picture is getting better. In 2016, 43 percent of bachelor’s applicants were admitted to the program. In previous years, the admission rate was lower.
“[The CSE Department] is now enrolling about 370 new undergraduate students each year, double the number it was able to accommodate in 2012… This year, it is asking for $6 million from the Legislature to increase the number of students it graduates by 120 degrees per year. Most of that increase would be in bachelors degrees, Lazowska said.”
@shik16 If you didn’t get direct admit at UW, I would not take the chance, especially with a guarantee into a very very good program like UIUC.The CS major is super competitive at UW and there are plenty that never get the major they really want in engineering and majors like business. My nephew just graduated from UW after 5 1/2 from years, because he couldn’t get into the business program till well into junior year and he had a very high gpa. He had trouble getting his classes all along so it delayed everything. He had a series of courses that had prerequisites and couldn’t get in the first one to get it rolling. 5 1/2 years is too long (and too expensive) for a 4 year degree. Not only do you pay for college that is time you miss working and earning an income.
Thanks all for your replies, I double checked and I got into ‘pre-engineering’ at UW, meaning I’ll have to do a couple of years of prerequisite courses before I can get into the CE program. Not very appealing, and I don’t really want to take the risk of not finishing in 4 years at UW, especially because I’m already in the college of engineering at UI. Thanks @literallymarx for the insight, I was under the impression that it was fairly easy to transfer from EE to CE.
@literallymarx For a transfer within the college of engineering at UI I’ve read that all it takes is a trip to your advisor and filling up the inter-departmental transfer form, would you say that’s accurate?
@shlk16
The process itself is straight-forward, the paperwork is easy. The issue is if you get accepted or not, especially for very popular majors. Currently it’s not too bad to transfer into CE but with how the major is growing it might get tougher. Transferring into CS for example used to be very straightforward (just have a certain GPA and good grades in classes), but as the department started to overcrowd it became almost impossible to do it.
That being said EEs can take a good amount of CE electives so its not as if it’d be a lost cause.