I got into Purdue and UC Irvine for CS. UCI gave director’s scholarship of 10k per year for 2 years( renewable). Which one would be a better choice for WA resident ?
How much does cost matter?
Other preferences?
No admission to CS at Washington public universities or other schools?
Personally, I’d rather be in SoCal vs Indiana. I’m sure both would give you an excellent education.
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I am inclined more towards UCI too because of this reason as both are almost the same ranking wise but being close to home, and being in West Coast where have more opportunities for job and internships matter more to me. Though Purdue has good Engineering programs no doubt and ranks higher too.
Not very high difference in cost as both are OOS and I got Scholarship too. Got in UW Bothell, WASU, UW Seattle prescience ( waitlisted for CS). UW Seattle will be the fist choice if I get CS there, but will have to commit somewhere till May 1st.
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California or Indiana will make little difference in close to home although UCI is close to an airport.
You will have equal access to internships at both. That’s up to you. Where the college is has a negligible impact on internships as many find from handshake and indeed. I would venture to say though that Purdue is a more national school and UCI regional.
Both solid choices but not sure I agree with your logic. UCI may be the right fit tho. And if so then great.
Glad you got some top admissions.
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It takes a whole day for my friend who went to Purdue last year, to commute back to Seattle and vice versa. 3 hours bus to Chicago and then 4 hours flight. Though from UCI it would be easier and can come back home even for a long weekend, though from purdue that is not possible., that is what I perceive. Southern California is better weather-wise and I guess have better student life than Indiana.
It’s an hour to Indy - and how often do you go?
I noted UCI is not far from SNA. But you are going to college for four years, day after day.
I would argue Purdue is more of a traditional school and UCI - doesn’t feel as school like - given it’s location and immediate surroundings.
I’m not pushing you one way or another - just saying not sure I agreed with the logic you presented.
If you feel UCI is right, it’s a fine school.
What preferences in student life do you have?
UCI has a reputation on these forums of having a lot of “suitcase” students who live on campus during the week, but go home for weekends.
UCI is near parts of Orange County where there are very wealthy people who like to flash their wealth (it is relatively easy to see Rolls Royce and Bentley cars in nearby Newport Beach, for example). However, UCI undergraduates are not particularly wealthy; 39% are on Pell grants (versus 14% at Purdue).
Ethnic diversity is greatly different, if that matters to you. Purdue is predominantly (63%) White, while UCI is 37% Asian, 26% Hispanic or Latino, and 13% White.
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Curious. UCI COA is $64k. Purdue low 40s. Even with $10k off for two years, cost isn’t similar. UCI will also cost far more off campus. It’s ok to choose UCI but they don’t, to me, appear similar in cost.
Also UCI is on a quarter system. So it will be faster paced and end in mid June. Purdue is a semester. Most internships that list dates start in mid May. My daughter’s bf has this issue now at U of Denver but the internship is giving him calendar flexibility at the beginning. I think it means they’re shortening it 3 weeks.
Obviously UCI kids get employed. But that’s two more things to think about.
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I live in West coast so will prefer internships here. here all schools are on quarter system so internships also start in July mostly.
Before deciding I strongly urge to visit both these universities and meet people who have graduated from these places. It may change your perception. I don’t want to influence your decision based on my own prejudices. Having said that I would like to add you can’t get beat Irvine’s weather and overall location. Keep in mind, UCI 10 years ago and UCI of today has huge difference. Not sure I can say that for Purdue.
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Yes weather and location are prime reasons to lean towards UCI. So you say UCI has progressed a lot in 10 years but cannot say that about Purdue ?
Big names get kids placed nationally. We are in the southeast at a low ranked school. No issues with California placements.
If your family can afford the UC - they are not as inexpensive - then congrats. You made your call.
Great choice. Best of luck. Glad it’s not UW Bothell - not that there’s anything wrong with that :).
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Now that coming close to decision, Wish to hear from students who have both choices and which one are they choosing over the other and why ?
Irvine is easy to fly to. There are tons of cheap flights between SEA and LAX, and SNA is close to UCI that a Uber ride is less than $20.
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In terms of education and reputation ? Will UCI be a good choice ? Would you choose Irvine over Purdue ?
Not sure if the person who just wrote is a student - you know all this.
Purdue is a bigger name nationally - and UCI is somewhat suitcase. It used to be for sure and others on here have repeated that it is today.
All that said, why not contact each school and ask to speak to a student in the major. They all have this opportunity - and you can pepper them with questions.
Both are fine schools but different environments - very different.
Have you visited both?
UCI has better weather and easier airport access. That seems important to you.
Purdue will have a more nationally known name - but it won’t matter- both will do just fine in the job market.
For UCI in the last job report for CS - which I linked below - it’s impressive but not Purdue impressive - as I noted it wouldn’t be.
77% are working, 17.3% continuing education and 5.8% still looking. Interestign they show how they found jobs - most kids - 28.7% via linkedin. This doesn’t surprise me - it’s why I say where you go won’t matter. My kid got his 5 offers (and more if he kept looking) mainly via indeed. That’s how it is today.
UCI places nationally but 56% in the west - vs. 4% in the south. By state it was CA with 87 and then Washington with 12. No other state had more than 2 placements. Average salary was $93K with the median at $90K. It doesn’t note if that includes signing bonuses or performance bonuses, etc. But given they are placing locally, that $$ while nice - is - well in high COL areas.
The top four grad school destinations were USC, UCSD, CMU and Columbia. What people are studying it doesn’t say.
Purdue might be a little older data - but more are employed, less showed in school and less looking. They placed 38% out west - hence i was saying it’s more a nationally known name - whereas UCI is, as I noted, more regional. The UCs - outside the top two - may be high ranked but aren’t known.
If you look at just the West, their average and median salaries are about $20K higher than UCI - $110-ish (a few years ago). But again, they might calculate it differently - i.e include sign on bonuses or performance bonsues. You’d have to ask.
Ultimately, you need to decide what’s best for you - you can ask and you’ll continue to get the same responses - yes, you can go home on a weekend, etc. from Irvine easier than Indiana.
Good luck.
University of California Irvine FDS Career Outcomes 2021 | Tableau Public
Placement - Department of Computer Science - Purdue University
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I am looking for someone who has got into both and is choosing one over the other for CS, not sure if I will find someone so specific and will he\she read my post and reply 
Yes, i don’t expect to find it - hence i at least fed you outcome data. So you can see.
In the end, only your opinion matters - even if others tell you what they’d say.
Why someone picks a school is personal - it’s location, money, weather, what not.
That may or may not work for you.
It’s clear in your messaging, you’d prefer Irvine and there’s nothing wrong with that. Their grads appear to do fine. If I were a student, I’d pick Purdue - but yet my kid chose Alabama over Purdue - and they don’t have either of these school’s reps - and he got a job at a higher salary than Purdue.
So I think it’s the kid more than the school - and you’ll do great at either.
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