<p>well i don't like chinese universities.
i did not apply mit or stanford.
money is not a problem for my family i think, we do not need that much money. $250/month is enough in china,for an affluent life(including fees), which is under my parents's salary.
the question is: i like to pay $50,000 for a college, but is CMU
as good as its reputation and statistic?</p>
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you guys become way too sensitive whenever the name is mentioned.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Er, perhaps that's appropriate when you seem to have some disdain for Californians? See this:</p>
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Don't come to Berkeley, it's not worth it for you to pay such a extraordinary amount of money to attend Berkeley when the undergraduate portion is mainly dedicated to the service of Californians.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>You clearly don't quite understand how it works. If you go to Berkeley, even as an OOSer, they will cater to your needs, too. It'll be as though you're an in-state student. The only difference is that OOSers pay more money. But they are not treated any differently.</p>
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For 200k, are you seriously gonna suggest that he comes to Berkeley?
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</p>
<p>Er, yes. The CS program at Berkeley is top. The average starting salary is approaching $80k/year. The average starting salary of Berkeley's grads is actually about $5,000 more than the average starting salary of Stanford's grads (though it may just be sampling error).</p>
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but economics are very important and as a general rule of thumb there's no reason to waste entire saving accounts on undergraduate education, period.
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</p>
<p>Then why in the world are you recommending Stanford and MIT? He'll "waste" all his money there, too. The price he'd pay for Berkeley OOS is the same he'd pay for privates (actually, a bit less--about 43k/year). Financial aid will vary -- he may not even qualify for it.</p>
<p>RedTapePatrol, everytime someone corrects the ignorant misconception that Cal is somehow not that great, it is interpreted as a case of fanaticism or sensitivity. It isn't. I personally have no attachment to Cal, but I cannot deny its greatness. Particularly in Business, Engineering and the Sciences, Cal deserves praise. I personally agree that spending $45 K on Cal is probably not worth unless one comes from a wealthy family. However, the same can be said of any university. That is why I said Cal would be worth looking into IF and only IF the OP got a scholarship. I also don't think CMU is worth $53K per year. That's just too much for a middle income family to spend on an education. </p>
<p>Evi, what are your safeties? How much will they cost you?</p>
<p>OSU admitted with merit, total$32k-$6.6k=$25.6k
i ask bucknell and trinity for 10k family contribution.</p>
<p>I would not pay 200k for CMU (which is a very impressive amount for any family from China (mainland or HK) to save up)</p>
<p>Since you are Chinese, I am going to assume that your terminal degree is not going to be your BS/BA. You will probably want a PhD; thus in my opinion, you should save some money and go to a solid undergraduate school that would not cost nearly as much.</p>
<p>Wiping out your family saving really sounds a little bit too extreme to me.</p>
<p>Wow, you guys are just taking everything I said completely the wrong way. If what I said was disdain for Californians, then .......... then I don't even know what I can say to that because it's completely ridiculous, lol. I'm a Californian myself and what I said was a objective statement of the University of California's mission: to service the citizens of California. I actually think my statement carried a great deal of pride, but somehow you were able to turn that into disdain ......... weirdest thing ever.</p>
<p>I said it and I'll say it again, OOS unless with significant aid, it's not worth it to attend ANY public institution that is designed to be providing their service to their state residents. For example, if I was a Washington resident, I would go to University of Washington over Berkeley or UCLA, <em>UNLESS</em>, I'm offered enough aid that it would cost the same to attend Berkeley than it is to attend UW. Undergraduate doesn't make or break a person's future, but it CAN put a family in significant debt.</p>
<p>So please, back off a bit and take a look at what I'm saying. If you still think that I'm anti-California, anti-UC, anti-Berkeley or whatever it is, then I have nothing say and I certainly feel no compelling reason to justify myself beyond this point.</p>
<p>P.S. I'll say this over and over and over till my mouth fall off: middle class families are much better off looking at the whole ordeal of education ECONOMICALLY and look at their finances STRATEGICALLY, doing so will benefit BOTH the student and the family in the long-run.</p>
<p>P.P.S. I recommended MIT and Stanford strongly over Berkeley because they're a lot more LIKELY to offer SIGNIFICANT aid to him due to their large endowments. Everything I've said I've said it out of the best interest for him, for Berkeley as an institution, and for Californians. He can get take full advantage of the endowments of elite private institutions, Berkeley doesn't have to give a large chunk of aid to him to get him to attend, and his spot can be replaced by another Californian who really wants a good education at Berkeley.</p>
<p>At the end of the day, however, it's your education and your money so you'll be the best judge to decide your own life. I'm sure you'll be able to derive your own meaningful knowledge from everything that has been said in this thread.</p>
<p>just a kind of investment
i need money,a good job. i don't care phd.</p>
<p>CMU is indeed as good as its reputation perceives it in the field of CS. But if you have any doubt that you'll venture outside the world of CS in your future endeavors, then Berkeley is a much more well-rounded school. And if there's a possibility of you ever returning to China for employment in the future, then Berkeley will probably also work out better in that regard.</p>
<p>thank you all.</p>
<p>Berkeley costs about 40K. I don't know if we can call it more affordable. According to Berkeley's website, "The following types of financial aid, administered by the Berkeley International Office, are only available to international students who have been registered at UC Berkeley for a minimum of two semesters." You will need to be in Berkeley for 2 semesters before you quality for grant and work-study aids.</p>
<p>Have you look into University of Texas or University or Illinois? They are probable 10K cheaper for out-of-state students. SUNY Stony Brook costs about 21K. They are worth to consider if money is an issue.</p>
<p>Hope this will help :)</p>
<p>Berkeley offers the Regent scholarship to entering Freshmen. That's a $25,000/year scholarship.</p>
<p>RedTape,</p>
<p>I don't think we're saying you have a disdain for Berkeley. Yes, if the OP applied to MIT or Stanford, he/she might get better financial aid as an international student. However, the OP did not apply to Stanford and MIT, so you have to look at the available options.</p>
<p>So far, we have:
CMU at $53k/year
Wisc at $43k/year
UMich at $45k/year
USC at $49k/year
OSU at $25.6k/year</p>
<p>Berkeley at ? $/year. Now, if the OP got some financial aid award to make it $30-35k/year, then I would consider Berkeley...heck, even at $45k/year, it's still the best CS program for the price among his/her options. If Berkeley doesn't come thru, OSU is probably a good option.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Go to a top school in China, work your butt off and come to either MIT, Stanford, CMU or Berkeley for a fantastic graduate program. It's much more sensible economically and will, without a doubt, grant you a future just as bright as if you have dumped that money into 4 years of undergrad here in the US.
[/quote]
I agree that this is also a good option, as you suggest...but the OP doesn't like Chinese universities.</p>
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Berkeley offers the Regent scholarship to entering Freshmen. That's a $25,000/year scholarship.
[/quote]
I believe those scholarships have already been announced.</p>
<p>I think Internationals get the announcement in March.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Wow, you guys are just taking everything I said completely the wrong way. If what I said was disdain for Californians, then .......... then I don't even know what I can say to that because it's completely ridiculous, lol. I'm a Californian myself and what I said was a objective statement of the University of California's mission: to service the citizens of California. I actually think my statement carried a great deal of pride, but somehow you were able to turn that into disdain ......... weirdest thing ever.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Your statement seemed disdainful of the UCs' mission, rather -- "they're not worth it because they're about giving service to Californians." I don't see the logic there.</p>
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[quote]
I said it and I'll say it again, OOS unless with significant aid, it's not worth it to attend ANY public institution that is designed to be providing their service to their state residents.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>And I, along with others, disagree with that.</p>
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I recommended MIT and Stanford strongly over Berkeley because they're a lot more LIKELY to offer SIGNIFICANT aid to him due to their large endowments.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Considering that Stanford is not need-blind to internationals (not sure about MIT), an international is even less likely to get in. Then again, the OP doesn't seem to have need, so he isn't as much at an advantage. But even then, the OP makes too much to get financial aid. So your point is moot.</p>
<p>UCBChemEGrad & kyledavid80:</p>
<p>Yeah I realized the pointlessness of some of the things I was arguing about, which is why I offered my previous post in the thread.</p>
<p>I've seen too many of my family's friends being too narrowly focused when it comes to dealing with the whole process of higher education vs. financial management. Should they have just been a little more open and flexible to options, it would have provided with them with a substantially bigger "bang for the buck", which in the long-run would pay off VERY handsomely for both the student and his/her family. It is because of this reason that I jumped on my words too quickly. After going over the thread again, I realized that I was off-topic.</p>
<p>For all the schools that OP is actually considering, I vote for Berkeley unless it's absolutely set in stone that it's gonna be CS forever and ever.</p>
<p>evi I too suggest going to the CMU specific forum. Alternatively look under "Colleges and Universities" then "CC Top Colleges". There are CMU-SCS students and parents (I'm one) who post now and then.</p>
<p>Apparently you were admitted ED so MIT and Stanford aren't options. Don't judge CMU by the people in Admissions, they have some problems. Bring up the double DHL fee...if it was their error perhaps they'll reimburse you (they should).</p>
<p>Regarding your question, no one can answer regarding the $ except you and your family. CMU is expensive but similar to most good private US schools. As you see, some publics are also expensive for out of state, so you're really concerned with the difference between the two, which is not huge depending on your finances ($10,000 a year can indeed be huge). I agree, wait and see if Berkeley comes up with $$.</p>
<p>Son had financial aid but even half, our part, is a lot for most people. I can't compare to other schools, but CMU's program was top-notch, pushed son to his limits (in a good way). Overall I can't argue MIT and Stanford are more prestigious but I might take issue with the statement MIT and Stanford will take you farther in life. Besides the oh wow factor I'd be interested in any statistics to back that up.</p>
<p>Btw son graduated 2 1/2 yrs ago and has job he loves making great salary and bonus so I guess it was worth the money we spent. But that's just one person. Try the CMU forum.</p>