Hey! I’m a British national at King’s College London studying Computer Science (A top 20 university in the world according to rankings, if that’s any help?) but I’m starting to think I’ve made the wrong decision. I’m just coming to the end of my first year.
I really want to work in the US in the future and I feel as though staying my current course is a notoriously unreliable method of getting a job there. Despite London being Europe’s “tech hub” (hah), the job market here for CS is dead and underpaid with a low demand for jobs. What’s more, despite King’s high reputation, the CS course is crap. Like seriously bad.
Foolishly, I didn’t check the job market here so I never really considered the US, and the course is pretty horrible. Unfortunately my troubles have been amplified by a few family tragedies early in the semester and dealing with some mental issues so my GPA is nothing to be proud of. I can anticipate something between a 2.7 and 3.4 GPA at the end of my first year.
Obviously, International Transfers are nigh on impossible for good schools even with top grades, so where can I realistically aim for with my current set of results? Taking into account the reputation of King’s in the first place (for all that that’s worth) but also my low GPA. I’ve missed to boat for applying as a freshman obviously so I have to take a harder path.
I’m fine with the extra costs of tuition, the healthier job market tends to balance that aspect out in the US.
KCL doesn’t use a GPA system.
What marks are you getting?
Also, what can you afford?
And do you have authorization to work in the US?
@PurpleTitan yes I’m aware we don’t use a GPA system, but most of this site’s users are American so I thought I’d convert it for easier reading. My prediction is a 2:2, maybe a 2:1 if I’m very lucky but it’s unlikely.
My first semester was great, averaged 85 which is a very high First, but it’s all come unraveling in the second semester with my personal issues. I think I’ve failed a couple of my modules.
Money is not a major issue, I’m fine with spending up to £50K a year on tuition + expenses. Though I suspect the venerable institutions that charge that much would be out of reach! Regarding work - if I were to have a student visa I’d have to seek employment on campus for my first year, then out of campus for my second year onwards.
Working long-term in the US may be difficult for you.
With transferring, it depends on where you care to transfer to. The top schools will be difficult. Essentially impossible.
Even if you manage to graduate with a 2.2, while that is not great, doing that and getting a CS master’s from some place respectable in the US (like the UChicago CS master’s) may be more likely for you than transferring.
I’m sure if I stay here I’ll graduate with a first because of the way the first year is weighted (it’s only worth 9% so the difference between getting 40% and 80% is barely 3% overall at the end of the course). The job market here or most other places in Europe though is very shoddy.
Why would it be difficult to work long term? I think due to the OPT thing I’ll get 3 shots at the H1B right?
Even if the job market in Europe is not to your satisfaction, getting a Master’s in the US is still more likely than transferring in if your goal is a top American college.
Getting an H1B is easier with a Master’s as well. Though those rules may change anyway.
@PurpleTitan is right - on all points. A 1st from Kings + a US masters will get you farther than an UG degree.
Apply to flagships that aren’t too selective for CS. It means the American school won’t be very selective.
A degree from King’s + decent US Masters would make more sense than an average flagship, but…
A 2.2 however wouldn’t allow you to get into a decent Master’s program.
You thus need to really evaluate your odds of getting a 2.1.
I think the following universities still have places - this comes from the list of universities that miscalculated yield; they’re all good and should be able to accept you even if you are closer to a 2:2 than the 2:1.
ASU - only if you can get into Barrett based on your high school record.
Hendrix
UofPacific
Colorado State
UDelaware
Berry College
Drake University
Florida Tech
Iowa State
Luther
New College of FLorida
Ball State
Butler
DePauw (only if you request substance-free housing)
Wentworth
Valparaiso
Goucher
Loyola-Maryland
Mizzou
Michigan Tech
UMBC (University of Maryland, Baltimore County)
UMN-Morris (well-known for CS, maybe a reach)
John Carroll
LaSalle Philadelphia
Millersville
Ohio Wesleyan
Penn State (branch campus : meaning you’d have to do one year at a satellite campus before being allowed to go to the main campus in University Park)
Skidmore (reach)
Susquehanna
UScranton
UDayton
@MYOS1634 Thanks for the in-depth post. Yeah basically my low GPA this year is due to my personal issues. I know that if I stick it out for another couple years I can comfortably get a 2:1, and probably a First considering I was at a very high level during the first semester.
I have a hankering feeling though that I’d benefit from the added networking possibilities in the US, but I digress.
I don’t think applying right now would at all be possible since I haven’t done my SAT/ACT! Unless for some reason they don’t require it for transfers? This idea only really took root a week or so ago, so I had the idea with a 2018 entrance in mind.
@collegemom3717 Yeah, I suppose you’re right on that count.
My advice to you if you are sure you’ll get a 2:1/1st is to stay at King’s. If you don’t want to transfer now, when you wouldn’t lose too many credits, you’d transfer when your degree is nearly complete and you’d have 2-3 more years in the US instead of one. You’d likely find an internship then position with a degree in CS. What you do in that position will help you get into a Master 's.
@MYOS1634 Alright, that makes sense, thanks again for the advice. I’d just like to clarify on one thing though - you said “If you don’t want to transfer now” - there’s no possible way for me to transfer now (for Fall 2017) is there? Since I don’t have any SAT/ACT scores?
You should email every university on the list, indicate you’re a first year student at King’s in London and thus didn’t take the sat, can they consider your application as a transfer without sat but with your A Levels / TOEFL / whatever exams you do have + results at King’s?
Most universities don’t need the sat from transfers.
However you should consider carefully whether you want to transfer from King’s to one of those.
The only ones under as not too bad compared to King’s are Skidmore, UDel, colirado state, Florida tech, perhaps Mizzou. Penn State if you can withstand the idea of one year on a branch campus before you can move on to the main campus.