I’m currently a high school senior in NJ and was wondering which university is better for an undergrad computer science degree. Is University of Toronto worth leaving Ameirca for? I never really heard about it until recently and it seems like a really good school. However, Rutgers is completely in comfort zone. The tuition seems to be about the same for both schools. Would you rather go to an average school in the US or a top tier international school if you plan on returning to America post university?
University of Toronto is a great school and probably the strongest of your choices. With that said Rutgers would have somewhat better name recognition when you come back to the US for work. I would think that Rutgers would be the much cheaper option since you are in-state vs. International for UofT. I am originally from Canada and went to school and live in the US but my kids have Canadian citizenship and I would highly recommend UofT, McGill, and UBC to them. Good luck.
U of T will be more expensive than Rutgers for you. Cost of attendance at Rutgers is about $31K while computer science at U of T has a cost of about $46K CAD for the 2nd years tuition alone (about 36K USD) for international students. International tuition is increasing at a rate of 5-11%/year. Room and board in residence (guaranteed for first year only) is about $14K CAD/year. The cost of living off campus is very expensive.
They’re both good schools.
Academically they’re around the same
Do you want to live in a Large City or A Small City/Large Suburb?
Toronto is a better city overall, where as New Brunswick provides a small city with a college town-esque feel & Piscataway provides a more suburban experience
I personally like Toronto much more than the New Brunswick/Piscataway Combination, however I would not pay $20K more for UToronto, therefore I’d say Rutgers.
However, you said that costs would be around the same, therefore it’s just a matter of personal preference.
Look into TCNJ also, and look at other schools.
UT is excellent, but the grading scale is grueling. Lots of students fail. You have to be ready for a more “hands off” approach, and a higher likelihood you’ll struggle. However, if you survive, you receive a great education.
@MYOS1634 Would you say TCNJ’s computer science program is better than rutgers’?
If you’re thinking about going to Canada for computer science, you should also look at University of Waterloo, whose CS program is often considered stronger than UofT’s.
I wouldn’t say U Toronto is a “top tier” while Rutgers is “average”…as a fellow NJ resident though, I feel like we always underestimate our state schools…unless you’re in the UC system or Texas or maybe North Carolina…but that’s a different story entirely.
Rutgers will have better job placement within the US (U Toronto career fairs and connections are probably mostly Canadian based) and name recognition. It will also probably be cheaper since you are in-state vs international like @bouders said.
And Rutgers has a pretty good computer science program…it’s not AS good as their pharmacy or engineering programs, but it’s still very commendable. I wouldn’t say the TCNJ computer science program is anything to scoff at either…I think you should look at Stevens and engineering schools such as RPI, WPI for computer science as well. Engineering schools typically have good computer science programs, though this is not a strict rule, per say.
Rutgers is a pretty good school, honestly. But not as good as Toronto.
In Canada, the big reference for CS is Waterloo, but it’s VERY hard to get into.
Apply to a range of schools - it’s not Rugers or UT. Make sure you have two safeties you can afford and would like, a handful of matches, and then only work on the reaches.