CS Major here: UCI vs CSULB (President's Scholarship)

State Forums
1

Here is my dilemna. I applied as the CS Major at both UCI and CSULB. At UCI, I got accepted as Undeclared (so it may be difficult to get classes) and I have to pay ~$8-9k per year. At CSULB, I got accepted as CS Major and was blessed to receive the Presidential Scholarship.
Benefits include:

  • Full Ride (4 years w/ housing), probably have $5-7k left over in my pocket each year
  • Priority registration
  • $500 each year for books/materials
  • “President’s Scholars” Dorm
  • 2 summers of funded research.

My question is will the research opportunities, job opportunities, and reputation of UCI overshadow these benefits? Or will I be able to get a job just as good graduating from CSULB? I plan on getting MS of CS at a UC either way.

2

Your post grad job opportunities are more about what you do while you are in school that where you go to school. So… why not Long Beach?

3

Graduating without debt from CSULB is a huge plus. Agree with @NCalRent, that your Grad school opportunities will not be dependent upon where you go for Undergrad.

4

^^Plus, did you visit Long Beach and see their facilities that they are leasing to the engineering companies?
They have student interns in engineering and CS on campus.

Also, the corporates, in nearby Huntington and Redondo Beach, have a long history of employing Long Beach students because of the hands-on approach that the CSU’s incorporate.

Visit and ask questions.