<p>The Case Western merit threads showed some very good awards, as high as $33k I think - that’s pretty darned good! Unfortunately, their CS program is a weak link in an otherwise solid technical program. EE, Computer Architecture, and Computer Engineering majors are all much stronger than CS.</p>
<p>Mommeleh,</p>
<p>The students at SLO are pretty good students. I would guess the top 10 - 20% of the class. Here is a link to the student profile page:</p>
<p>[Prospective</a> Students - Admissions - Cal Poly](<a href=“Cal Poly Admissions”>Cal Poly Admissions)</p>
<p>In science and math, 6,716 applied and 2,834 were admitted. Average GPA was 3.85 (doesn’t say weighted or unweighted). Average math and reading SAT score - 1220. Average ACT was 27.</p>
<p>Exactly, MisterK. But the caliber of the students and the merit aid is hard to dismiss. I’m not sure at what point the absolute CS ranking matters-especially since the rankings are for graduate programs- not undergraduate. ie is 38 that different from 63, for example? You see our dilemma. UW is ranked 7th and tuition would cost less than a quarter of that of some of the lesser ranked schools we are considering.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t rule out WSU if the main issue is that your son is academically in the upper echelon for their accepted students. There is a lot to be said for being “the biggest fish” academically, particularly when it comes time to interview and land those all-important internships. I’m assuming you’ve visited the school but, if you haven’t, I would go do an info session and tour. Cal Poly SLO will be more than the “mid- 20’s”, after you factor in the cost of the classes/units (charged at the OOS rate), housing, books, incidentals, travel expenses, etc. This advice is being given in the event he doesn’t get into the CS program at UW. There’s also the possibility that he will end up changing his major once he starts taking classes in CS and he may decide it isn’t for him.</p>
<p>Thank you, calla. Aside from academically, how would you describe the students (preppy, liberal, friendly, cliquey, etc) Before someone flames me, Yes, i know the students are not all identical, but some schools have a fairly narrow range of personality types.</p>
<p>U. Washington (home state school) - Here’s another option. Attend UW… and stay even if he does not get into CS. Often a CS minor can be added to another major, making a winning combination.</p>
<p>jshain, you probably have a point- especially about job prospects. We have not visited WSU, but I’m just going by what I’ve heard from students who go. We do know of one kid who did not get into engineering at UW and transferred to WSU and really likes it there. His parents (faculty at UW) are quite happy with the opportunities he has been given at WSU. Cal Poly charges by the credit, is that correct? I think we are Ok with mid 20s for tuition alone (ie I know it will cost more for the total).</p>
<p>colorado mom, no cs minor at UW. In fact, there are posts on cc from disenchanted students at UW trying to figure out what else to major in after they have failed to be admitted to the major TWICE. And the CS courses one can take if not in the major are limited. :(</p>
<p>Gotta go make dinner…</p>
<p>Have you thought about Rose-Hulman? I have no idea about scholarships there but you could investigate.</p>
<p>I also wanted to point out that many of these schools will be well above mid-20’s barring extremely exceptional merit aid - mid 40’s would be more typical, assuming normal increases. Here are a few schools that might deliver: Rochester Institute of Technology and Stony Brook.</p>
<p>I like what colorado_mom says - consider the CS minor at UW.</p>
<p>Edit: Oh darn. Now I see that’s not possible …</p>
<p>Come check out Ga Tech and stay here. My DH will tell your DS all about his undergrad experience as a CS major at U Wisconsin. Will knock out two schools at once!! Woohoo!! :)</p>
<p>I believe Cal Poly (presently) charges $248.00 per quarter unit for non CA-residents PLUS registration and tuition fees. With the CA budget woes, you can expect it to increase, if it hasn’t already.</p>
<p>If this works for you financially, I would keep this school in play. It is a larger school with a small town feel. It has great weather and is beach-close. The downtown area of San Luis Obispo is very quaint, on the other side of the 101 freeway from the school but easily accessible. As a native Californian, I have spent lots of time in and around the area and agree that it is a great place to go to college.</p>
<p>
I was just thinking it would be neat if there were some kind of “college tour time share” where eg Mommeleh could send her DS to you, you could forward him to me and send yours to jshain, she could send hers to Hunt, I could send D someplace else, etc. etc. Each parent would get “points” for hosting a kid which they could trade with other parents to get their own kid a stay near the colleges he/she wanted to see.</p>
<p>Do we have to take back the kid we started with, or can we trade for a newer model?</p>
<p>I’d just settle for one who cleans her room, lol.</p>
<p>Note to self: can’t send DS’s to sylvan8798’s house :(</p>
<p>Ah, I see they have a very good sense of humor in Atlanta. 2 points more for Georgia Tech!
Sylvan, I like that idea… very enterprising.
jshain, I am actually going to look further into Cal poly. We are due to have another 4 mos of non-stop rain in seattle. San Luis Obispo could present a nice escape…</p>
<p>Yes, humor is alive and well in Atlanta. And trust me, if you saw what my s’s consider “clean”, you’d laugh your…er… head off.</p>
<p>Actually, my husband is far worse than my son in that regard. The kids eventually move away. The husbands… not so much.</p>
<p>adding on to Jshain’s costs for Cal Poly SLO: better check out 4 yr. grad rates. I personally know 6 soph. boys there…only 1 THINKS he’ll be graduating in 4 years–and he went in with a lot of AP credits. These are not partyier types and all were near the top of their HS class. But their parents are now, woefully, planning on an additional year of school/living expenses.
And CS is one of the most popular majors…impacted, I believe.</p>