<p>Hi all,</p>
<p>I'm thinking of majoring in computer science in college. Right now my college list includes University of Washington, UC Berkeley, UIUC, and Carnegie Mellon. However, I'm looking to expand my list on schools that offer more generous financial aid than say CMU. Any recommendations?</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>“Generous financial aid” does not really say much. If you want help, specify your price limit, state of residency, and whether net price calculators at good-financial-aid schools have indicated affordability.</p>
<p>Since you will be out-of-state for at least two of the public schools you listed, do not expect good financial aid from them (check their net price calculators).</p>
<p>Unless you’re in state at UDub, Cal or UIUC, don’t apply to them since it doesn’t look like you’ll be able to afford OOS tuition. CMU is really expensive as well and isn’t known to be particularly generous.</p>
<p>In addition to your price limit, state residency etc, what are your stats like (GPA/SAT scores/class rank) and your household income? It’s sort of weird how so many of the top schools for CS are public flagships, but there are quite a few good private schools (other than stanford/MIT) that are very generous with aid in general, if you have the stats to get in:</p>
<p>Cornell - Good school for engineering in general, as well as CS. You can apply to either the CoE or CAS there and get a BS or BA respectively (similar to at Cal)</p>
<p>Brown - I initially overlooked this school in my application process (I am a CS major as well) and never thought it would be a good school for CS, but after a lot of research, it turned out that it’s actually really great for the major, has a small, intimate department, and is very generous with aid. (Don’t overlook it due to a low CS rank)</p>
<p>RPI and WPI give out decent merit scholarships (I don’t know how they are with need-based aid though) and are decent schools for CS.</p>
<p>Other than that, I suggest applying to in-state schools, since the majority of public schools are fairly good with CS.</p>
<p>I’m in state for UDub. SAT: 2220 ACT: 33 GPA: 3.89 Class rank unknown yet. Thank you for your help! </p>
<p>Be careful with Washington, since if you do not get directly admitted to the CS major, it can be very difficult to enter the CS major later.</p>
<p>Price limit?</p>
<p>I forgot to say in the previous post. I don’t really want to pay drastically more than what I would pay for UDub since UW CSE is an amazing department. However, I’m looking to somewhere else other than home for college, that’s why I’m asking for financially affordable options. Thanks for the help again 
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<p>Yeah for UW it’s like fingers crossed for direct admit sigh. Price limit…not really sure, 10,000 above UW’s in state tuition? </p>
<p>Washington in-state cost is $27,034, or $19,684 if you live with your parents, according to <a href=“Costs & Financial Aid | Office of Admissions”>Costs & Financial Aid | Office of Admissions; .</p>
<p>How much is “drastically more”? If your price limit is $27,034 for other schools, then the number of other schools with list prices lower than that, or big merit scholarships to bring the net prices lower than that, is relatively limited – see the sticky threads at the top of the financial aid and scholarships section. You also need to run net price calculators on schools with primarily need-based aid to see if their financial aid is sufficient.</p>
<p>However, if your price limit is $35,000 to $40,000 or so, then a number of other out-of-state public schools could qualify, such as Minnesota, Stony Brook, Virginia Tech, North Carolina State, Cal Poly SLO.</p>
<p>Yes my limit would be about 30,000 to 40,000. Any other options? </p>
<p>What is your family income? If it’s relatively low, even if tuition costs are over $40k (a lot of schools are even $50k+), aid may bring it down to something affordable, possibly below even $30k depending on your family’s finances. Run the collegeboard EFC calculator to get a general estimate, and run the calculators for individual schools that you are looking to apply to to get closer estimates than that.</p>
<p>I think you have a good chance at being a direct-admit to the CS major. From my own experience last year, as well as that of others on this forum, your stats look more than ample, but of course I’m just speaking anecdotally.</p>
<p>Ohio State will likely come out to be similar to a bit less than UW for you.
Texas A&M you could be in the running for a scholarship that would waive the out of state tuition. That would make it less than UW.
University of Arizona ?</p>
<p>It might be possible for you to get merit aid at Case Western.</p>
<p>Are you looking for need based aid or strictly merit aid?</p>
<p>@Truust Ok I will do that. Thanks for the hope haha, are you a CSE direct admit then?</p>
<p>@WAPacker Mostly merit based aid I think. </p>
<p>@VIkIngboy11 I’ll look into that thank you. </p>
<p>If you are willing to ignore the rankings and look at the actual program you could consider the university of Alabama. You will get full tuition + from them.</p>
<p>How about University of Southern California?</p>
<p>^ USC is really expensive ($60k+ I think), but if their aid package is decent it can be a possibility (although I’m under the impression they’re not very generous… could be wrong though).</p>
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<p>Yeah, last year A LOT of people with your grades got $20k+ per year. Plus there are no essays and the application is free (you’ll have to pay about $10 to send your test scores though). It’s a decent engineering school, but one of the unappealing things about the school I found was its location, Cleveland. If location matters to you, that might be a turn off since the city isn’t that great. You should definitely apply though.</p>
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<p>Yup, won’t be attending though.</p>
<p>^Case is in University Circle, which is a thriving part of Cleveland - a cool area, really.</p>
<p>OP: before you assume anything, run the Net price calculator on each website (each college calculates differently).
Since your odds of being a direct admit to UWA’s CS are pretty good, focus on schools like HarveyMudd, CalTech, etc., add Cal Poly SLO and Case Western Reserve, UMN-Twin Cities, tOSU, UAlabama, etc., ie., programs that are either higher ranked or cheaper. :)</p>
<p>List price at USC is expensive but there are a significant number of merit scholarships to compete for.
<a href=“http://www.usc.edu/admission/undergraduate/firstyear/prospective/scholarships.html”>http://www.usc.edu/admission/undergraduate/firstyear/prospective/scholarships.html</a></p>
<p>I was not aware that I’m competitive for schools of caliber like Cal Tech or Harvey Mudd haha. I will look into those schools. Of course I have a super reach school of MIT, but it’s unrealistic for me to think I can get in. </p>
<p>I’m a bit hesitant about applying to schools in the South, mainly because I’m from the Northwest and it would be a bit of change in culture for me. I will look into the California schools like USC. </p>