So till now I have been accepted to the University of British Columbia, the University of Washington and Purdue University. I want to major in Computer Engineering and might want to minor in Economics. I cannot decide between these three, therefore, any input would be highly appreciated.
I am from India but I have spend 2/3 of my life at International Schools in China and Egypt. I would like to live relatively close to a big city but its not a must and paying for Uni is not an issue.
Thank you!
University of Washington is in Seattle, and has a renowned Computer Engineering department, with access to the tech industry in the area. Purdue has a long, strong tradition in engineering, but its location isn’t as attractive. I don’t know much about UBC, but Vancouver is probably an exciting city, as well.
UBC and UW are both located in big cities, while Purdue is located in a (pretty big) college town. I know that they have shuttles that take students in and out of the city, however, so you shouldn’t have any problem finding the culture that you’re looking for. Even though Purdue is one of the most famous engineering schools in the country (nay, the world) UW-Seattle has the upper hand when it comes to Computer Engineering. No matter what school you decide to attend, you have a bright future ahead of you! I’d say that this decision will most likely come down to cost. Which of the 3 schools is the cheapest?
I’d go with UBC, although UW isn’t a bad option either. It depends on the cost of attendance.
Yep, agreed. UBC is your best option my friend, and it has a slight advantage over UW 
Thank you all for your advice! But I have a few more questions. First of all, how important is the ‘name’ of the University and the location when it comes down to finding internships, taking part in Co-op programs and finally finding a job from the university. Another questions that I had was, I heard that it is easier to get into Canadian universities but it is much harder to stay in. I am not planning to slack of if I go to UBC but I just wanted to know how true this fact is?
Thank you
It is indeed easier to get into Canadian universities, because they have higher acceptance rates. So sometimes, mediocre students and slackers are thrown into the mix. If you’re not a slacker, you should have nothing to worry about.
Don’t worry, ‘names’ aren’t that important, but this might vary. That being said, UBC and UW are equally reputable. So is Purdue, but I prefer UBC. Purdue is saturated with Indians.
Vancouver is a beautiful, cosmopolitan city, but so is Seattle, and if you’re thinking of majoring in computer engineering, UW is the clear choice. Don’t forget that the Seattle area is home to Microsoft, Amazon, and many other tech firms. Vancouver may have lots going on (and in my opinion is a better location geographically—really stunning city), but it really doesn’t compare tech-wise to Seattle. (As for Purdue, a distant third—good for engineering, but the location leaves a lot to be desired compared to the other two.)
To add, UBC has a great co-op program and that school is a dream school for my relatives back in Taiwan. Hoping you go there!!