<p>(I know that CS isn't engineering, but I don't see where else this major fits)</p>
<p>I'm interested in UIUC for computer science, because while it is much cheaper than CMU/Stanford/MIT (even for out-of-state), magazines recognize all of these as powerhouses. UIUC has 1100 CS undergrads and UIUC has ties to many large companies, similar to CMU.</p>
<p>I could get a masters degree from UIUC for less money than 4 years at CMU. It would also be much easier for me to get into UIUC.</p>
<p>If I work very hard (i can bypass most non-CS requirements with AP) at UIUC, would my education or (predicted) starting salary be any worse than if I had gone to CMU?</p>
<p>The two schools have very different social environments and locations, but I don't think I care much about these things. Georgia Tech is the other State school that is a CS powerhouse, but if the costs are about the same, I would prefer...not to be in Georgia.</p>
<p>I want education that best prepares me for real-world problems, though I think that is the teaching philosophy at both these schools.</p>
<p>You'll get your education no matter where you go to school man. Don't get hung up on how much "prestige" a school has, because you can get an equivalent education at many other institutions. Go wherever you feel you will enjoy being more.</p>
<p>Best advice I can give is to visit them both and and decide on the best 'fit'. Sometimes paying the extra money is worth it, sometimes it isn't. Truthfully I don't think job prospects will be any different at CMU than UIUC, that is my opinion though.</p>
<p>As for Georgia Tech... yes it's in GA but it's also in Atlanta. It's a lot different than you may think, I know I was pleasantly surprised when I visited. I suggest you visit it too and not rule it out due to location quite yet. I mean who knows, you could end up with better scholarships there.</p>
<p>I think you should apply both to CMU and UIUC and, if you get in both schools, then make a decision (CMU's SCS is particularly tough to get in ). </p>
<p>CMU, being a small private university, may have certain advantages that a big state school like UIUC lacks. Cost is however a big factor as CMU is very expensive and offers little financial aid compared to peer institutions (mostly because, being a relatively new university, CMU has a very low endowment).</p>
<p>As far as job prospects are concerned, I think a CMU CS degree is more prestigious, but you'll do just fine with a UIUC degree. Besides, with a UIUC diploma, you can always go to grad school somewhere else (e.g. MIT, Stanford, or CMU itself).</p>
<p>
[quote]
but if the costs are about the same, I would prefer...not to be in Georgia.
[/quote]
<em>disclaimer</em> I am a tech grad student</p>
<p>I was expecting Atlanta to be a ****hole from what I had heard about the city from people who graduated 10+ years ago, but the area is really nice and turning better every year. Tech has purchased a lot of the real estate around campus and have turned it into commercial areas. One particularly cool thing they did was converted the overpass that connects Tech to its commercial hub into a smaller road with a large green area on either side such that you can't even tell you're over the interstate. I think you would like Atlanta, at least between late September and May. Also, contrary to popular belief, nobody besides the groundskeepers have accents.</p>
<p>The surrounding state (especially north) is very nice as well. There is plenty of hiking about an hour or 2 away.</p>
<p>As an Illinois resident who currently attends the U of I - Chicago campus, i would recommend UIUC over CMU for undergraduate studies. There are a plethora of companies that recruit from from U of I. Indeed many of the silicone valley giants were former alumni, Youtube and Paypal founders were from UIUC and Tiger Electronics(Furby) was from Illinois - Chicago.</p>
<p>Personally I preferred Chicago campus to the Urbana/Champiagn campus because I got a very competitive part time(during school semester) internship at a major Chicago firm. So that I can have extensive work experience by the time I graduate...something I could not do at UIUC.</p>
<p>It's hard to say what your salary will be, regardless of where you go to school, because of the uncertainty of the tech market. IMO, you should go to the school that can give you the best education for the best price. Plenty of people who've attended UIUC have gone on to great careers.</p>
<p>i just stumbled across this thread and have a quick question. Is there much disparity academically between the Chicago/UC campuses? I have some relatives that live in Chicago, and one who i could probably even get an internship with, but i noticed that the UC campus is about two hours away. Would i be just as well off studying EE or CS at UI-chicago as i would at UIUC?</p>
<p>UIUC is a much bigger name for engineering and CS, at least locally. I'm still in high school though, so I can't comment on the actual education.</p>
<p>I think you'd be safe going to either CMU or UIUC, since they're both fantastic schools. CMU is really expensive, and their aid isn't the greatest, so if you like both schools equally I don't see a reason not to go to UIUC. I'd say you should apply to both schools and see what sort of aid you wind up getting offered. My college costs at CMU wound up being about the same as my brother's at the University of Pittsburgh, even though the difference in the sticker price was over $20,000 a year.</p>
<p>Computer Science program at both CMU and UIUC are good. CS program at CMU is excellent. A large number of quality companies recruit at CMU ;the link will give you a fair idea TOC</a> 2008 - Technical Opportunities Conference</p>
<p>Visit both campus; meet the admission officers. I would definitely encourage you to consider CMU</p>
<p>“I know that CS isn’t engineering, but I don’t see where else this major fits”
There is a Science Majors subforum. Otherwise, Other Majors would be a decent forum. Then again, this forum is fine.</p>
<p>“what does ece stand for?”
I think that stands for electrical and computer engineering. In the future, Google will be useful for finding acronyms.</p>
<p>“also, how is comp sci (CS in the thread. I guess) different than computer engineering?”
Depends on where it’s taught, but in an academic sense, CS is slanted towards theory and CompE is slanted towards hardware and architecture. For instance, at my institution, CS majors have to take a course in Formal Languages that the CompE majors don’t have to take, and the CompE majors have to take a course in Computer Architecture that the CS majors don’t have to take. Another way of saying this is that CS majors will do more math and CompE majors will do more EE.</p>
<p>CMU is a bit more liberal artsy, but if you don’t mind that then CMU would be great. I know someone who goes there, loves it, wouldn’t trade it for any other school in the world (even MIT, which he got rejected but definitely could’ve gotten in if luck had been on his side…).</p>
<p>As Gatech CS graduate student, I often see amazing research/algorithm development coming from CMU research department.</p>
<p>UIUC is more known for Electrical Engineer department. So I suggest if you are more into non computer engineer hardware side of Electrical engineer, I suggest you go UIUC.</p>
<p>CMU is more known for one of the best CS department in the nation but regardless, both are excellent school. To me, there aren’t much difference in CS undergraduate program but I am sure some upper level elective courses within the department can vary since professor’s knowledge can directly influence the curriculum of the course. I think the educational outcome is better with CMU and if your goal is doing master, I strongly suggest CMU.</p>