Computer Science Major: Purdue vs. UWisconsin-Madison vs. UMass-Amherst

College Search & Selection
1

I recently asked CC users about what to choose between Purdue and Virginia Tech assuming I got into Virginia Tech, and I received great feedback.

But this time, I want to ask what school will be the best to go to assuming I got denied from Virginia Tech, so that I can prepare early.

Unfortunately, all the schools I got into so far are out of state, so cost will be neck-and-neck if I do not get into Virginia Tech.

I am going to major in Computer Science, and the colleges I have gotten accepted to so far are as follows:

-Purdue (CS Dept.) & $45k net price
-University of Wisconsin-Madison (College of Letters & Science) & $47k net price
-University of Massachusetts - Amherst (Computing and Informatics Exploratory Track) & $32k net price (I received a Chancellor’s Award, which is a renewable scholarship that offers $12k/yr; original net price is $45k without the award)

Just as a side note, UW-M requires you to take a computer science course after enrolling and do some other stuff to declare a CS major after getting into College of Letters & Science, which I got into (http://www.cs.wisc.edu/advising for more information). Also, for UMass-Amherst, Computing and Informatics Exploratory Track is considered an “undeclared computer science major,” and you have to do something to officially declare a CS major.

I do know that graduate school’s and undergraduate school’s ranking are two completely different things, and that I am going to undergrad school. Also, I do know that US News ranking is not necessarily reliant. But just for reference for some few people, this is each school’s graduate ranking in computer science (source: US News):
Purdue: 20th
UW-M: 11th
UMass-Amherst: 25th

Also, I am aware that cost should be a prime concern if I cannot afford it, but could you please also somewhat judge it on the quality of the school’s computer science program as well?

Thank you all in advance.

2

The rankings are rather meaningless. All of these schools are fine for CS. You’re talking about state flagships. They’re all going to have good CS programs…because they have to.

Looks like UMass will be $45k+ less expensive than the others. How will college be funded? Parents paying all? Loans? How much would YOU be expected to borrow each year?

There are hundreds and hundreds of very good CS programs in the US…that’s why rankings like the ones you’re looking at are meaningless.

Have you visited? Which do you like best?

3

What is your home state?

4

If cost is a concern, then there’s no reason to pay more for Purdue or Wisconsin over UMass (which has a good CS department).

If cost doesn’t matter, then pick whichever one you personally like best - you’ll get similar education and employment chances at all three.

5

If the OP does not get into VTech, it is doubtful he will get into Wisconsin. Of these three schools, Wisconsin would be the best from a college experience POV. Job outcomes would also favor Wisconsin, but the differences are not dramatic.

6

That link from Wisconsin says that you just need a C in one CS course to get into the CS major.

Check what grade or GPA requirements you need at the other schools to get into the CS major if you are not directly admitted.

7

@Zinhead, The OP says in his first post he has already been accepted to Wisconsin (college of letters and science). VT engineering is not an easy admit and that is where CS is located at Virginia Tech. He would need to take General Engineering and then move into CS.

8

Yes, like @sevmom said, I don’t think I can really say I will get into Virginia Tech Engineering because I got into UWisconsin because VT Engineering is very competitive (ranked #15 in Engineering). It’d be great if I get in though :D.

9

@HardOREasy , I do hope you are admitted to VT engineering so you will have that as a potential option. You may decide you like another school better but it would be nice to have it in the mix, since it is instate for you. Good luck!

10

@sevmom Thank you!

11

They’re all good, so I see no reason to pay an additional $45K+ at Purdue or Wisconsin when you could go to UMass-Amherst.

12

Purdue is personally my top choice school, so if I got in I would go there. I was waitlisted there, but… I got the chancellors award from Umass and my 2 years of community college will transfer. I’m not a transfer student though. I have completed 2 years of college while in high school and will be getting both degrees/diplomas at the same time.

If affordability is a main concern, I would just choose Umass.

Someone once said to me:

“Once you get into a top school, it matters a whole lot more about you than where you went to school”

13

I just read that you didn’t get the CS major at Umass. I would DEFINITELY choose purdue in that case. What a nightmare it would be if you went to Umass and didn’t get your cs major

14

@QuestionsMate I was thinking about Purdue too. But, as for UMass, I thought you couldn’t directly get a CS major as an incoming freshman. I heard that you have to take one year of required computer science courses in order to actually get an official CS major in UMass. I applied for CS major, but they got me into this major because it was allegedly part of steps to getting CS major. The same for UWisc-Madison, too.

15

http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/discussion/comment/19854939/#Comment_19854939 shows some information on criteria to get into the CS major at various schools if you are not directly admitted. Verify on school web sites, since some may have changed.

16

@HardOREasy in UW-Madison, you just have to take 1 course and get at least a c in it, and I don’t think it would be hard to. Umass is different though. You can be directly put into the CS major or you can get in exploratory. If you got in the CS major at purdue, that is phenomenal. It’s an amazing program and the school is perfect (at least for me). If I were you I would go there.