Hi I am brand new to this forum and seeking advice. Thanks in advance!!
My child was fortunate to be accepted into following colleges for Bachelors/Undergrad Computer Science.
I’ve included the rounded approximate cost of attendance - After scholarships and financial aid - based on today’s sticker prices assuming 4 years of college to complete the undergrad and on-campus stay for all the 4 years.
It is not too clear at this time whether Masters/Graduate will be pursued immediately after undergrad or may be later after a few years of employment.
Any suggestions/inputs/thoughts/ideas/advice in deciding which college to choose is highly appreciated! Thank you in advance!!
George Mason University (instate, local) - $64k (on-campus housing is not needed, as we are local)
Virginia Tech Honors (instate, 4hrs drive) - $121k
University of Virginia Rodman’s Scholar with guaranteed newer housing and priority registration (instate, 2.5hrs drive) - $155k
University of Massachusetts Amherst Honors (out of state, 7hrs drive) - $158k
University of Maryland University Honors with Machine Learning specialization (out of state but local) - $164k
Georgia Institute of Technology - intends to pursue AI Thread (out of state, 9.5hrs drive) - $212k
Additionally, Carnegie Mellon University Waitlisted (private, 4hrs drive) - $313k
Thank you so much for taking the time. I am a single earner in the family and based on current circumstances, I can push myself up to 50k per year. It is a risk, but I am willing to take the risk if it is worth it and it makes sense.
My advice is to not push too far. Circumstances can change.
Carnegie Mellon and Georgia Tech are certainly top-rated schools for computer science (respectively ranked #2 and #5 by US News) but clearly above your budget, isn’t it?
I don’t know that it is fair to price George Mason without housing. If you can afford 50K per year I don’t think that skipping the housing makes sense.
Virginia Tech Honors, assuming Honors College rather than Honors Program, might offer the best value.
The book “Inside Honors 2020-2021: Ratings and Reviews of 40 Public University Honors Programs” by John Willingham covers it. You might want to read it.
I don’t know the specifics of the programs , but UVa CS grads do well (see below). The overall prestige of the university could be useful in different fields as well.
From everything I’ve read, CS is a great degree - from anywhere.
All are good schools - GM is least expensive and that matters. But living at home is not experiencing college.
So no need aid from UVA or CMU?
If you say you could get up to $50K a year but probably $40K - let me tell you, college costs more than they tell you it will cost - I’m living it. Everyone says - not my kid - he’s not going to ballgames or weekend trips or spring break or out for pizzas. hmmmm - yes your kid is.
And let’s say the markets tank - do you really need that stress?
Some take out loans - but loans have not only interest but points. So someone taking a non-subsidized loan of $10K is really only getting $9600, etc.
Your son is going to get a great education - make it one you can afford.
I’d recommend UVA, VA Tech (they’re very different)- which does he like more or GMU but living at school. UMASS is fine too. VA Tech is your 'safest" bet as it’s reasonably under budget.
The stress that being strapped financially will cause you is not worth it…so why not come in under budget so you can avoid a job loss, furlough, markets crashing, etc.
If your son wants to do AI/ML he must’ve done his research. His list is solid.
For AI/ML it’s UMass or Maryland. GT is in that group but not for the additional cost. GT is very generous with AP/IB/Dual enrollment. If you could graduate in 3 years then it might be affordable. My S20 probably will graduate in 3 years at GT for ISyE. Not sure how doable it would be for CS.
UVA and VT are very good but a notch below for AI/ML, especially since UVA is same cost. VT is a great low cost option. Our friend’s son is graduating this summer from VT with a degree in CS. He likes VT but they’ve been online all year so he’s stayed home. Between UVA and VT I’d go with fit. Both are probably even for CS. However, if he wanted to switch to another major UVA might be a better choice. Especially if it’s business.
I’d want to know each school’s plan for fall instruction before I decided. Does your son like online learning.
Thank you all very much for your advice. I am kind of torn between sending him to a place where he feels happy/thrives versus the risk of cost of attendance. His mind is kind of inclined towards Georgia Tech AI thread program because he says he wants to be in an environment where he feels challenged. Partly because he went to a STEM focused high school where he already did a few CS/AI courses and also research/internships as well. I am constantly monitoring which colleges have confirmed in person for fall. GTech is one of them. But I am also monitoring which colleges are insisting on vaccinations. Else the concept of opening classes could be short lived if there is a quick spread of the virus once they open. I checked VTech honors and it is Honors college and not Honors program. I have asked him to put a spreadsheet together with pros and cons for each of his choices so we take an informed conscious risk-aware decision so he also understands the risks. But end of the day I feel the pressure of not wanting to send him to a college where he has a reason to blame me Worst case if circumstances change then hopefully financial aid will increase and/or he transfers out to a cheaper option at that time… Does this approach make sense? Thank you again for your time and advice.
IMO, you should be crystal clear and up front with your student that this could be a possibility if he chooses a school you can’t afford. I think being forced to transfer out of would be significantly worse than having to pick an affordable option up front. Transferring involves leaving friends and activities, along with the connections to professors which could already have been made.
Your child has wonderful options that you can afford. Sounds like he will be a kid who blooms where he’s planted.
GT will have in-person classes but they will also have online classes. CS and math classes were online this year and I suspect many will be again next year.
As for the vaccine, I doubt GT makes it mandatory but that’s OK. They’ve been offering it for weeks on a voluntary basis. Last time I asked my son he said 70-80% of the students got the vaccine and it’s still available. They keep pretty good stats at GT.
He could also do co-op/internships to offset costs. If study abroad comes back he could do that for a semester and pay in-state tuition. Also AP/IB credits can reduce graduation time.
For AI/ML UMD and UMass are probably equivalent to GT. Has he visited any of the campuses?
A couple of thoughts. First of all, he will be challenged wherever he goes particularly in engineering or computer science, regardless of the fact he came from a STEM school. The coursework is rigorous, and I don’t think he will be any more challenged at Georgia Tech then he will be at Virginia Tech or UVA. Second, the cost for Georgia Tech would be a nonstarter for us particularly with other excellent options like your son has. My sophomore son is at Georgia Tech and it is a great fit for him but we are also in state. We likely would not have paid the out-of-state premium for him to go anywhere other than MIT, and will not pay the out-of-state premium for his brother to go to UVA. The cost difference you cite above is significant and not worth it particularly since you expressed concern about being able to pay for it comfortably.
As far as starting somewhere and then transferring if it becomes financially difficult, I agree with the poster above. You need to have an idea about whether you can comfortably afford it over the next four years. Transferring is not a great option a lot of times. We know a kid who transferred into Georgia Tech as a sophomore and really never felt a part of the campus. This is not true everywhere but it would be very difficult to leave a school where you were happy.
Your son sounds like he will do great wherever he ends up. Congrats to him for getting into such great schools!
Also, I agree it needs to be his choice but his choice needs to be within the parameters that you are comfortable. Sending him to a school that you cannot afford so that he can make his own choice doesn’t make sense to me, particularly when he has other comparable options. Will he have any skin in the game such as loans he will personally have to repay?
Maybe combine this with GT’s Co Op program. Graduate in 4 years with 1 year of work experience. GT has great programs, but where they really shine is helping to find jobs and internships.
Being unable to continue college due to running out of money is a common cause of dropping out completely. Having overspent on the first college often means that transfer options are very limited in terms of cost constraints. Merit scholarships tend to be less common for transfer students.
Worst case if circumstances change then hopefully financial aid will increase and/or he transfers out to a cheaper option at that time… Does this approach make sense? Thank you again for your time and advice.