Daughter pursing CS - accepted to CS for San Diego State U., Penn State U… But only general science at UW-Seattle and Oregon doesn’t have direct admits to CS unless I am mistaken.
Any thoughts on those four schools for CS? I am thinking UW-Seattle is out as unlikely to be able to get into CS as fresh/soph.
I don’t know much about CS at the other 3. Would be OOS for these 3 but instate for UW-Seattle. (although cost can be ignored for the discussion).
My younger son is a SDSU CS graduate and found their CS program challenging but comprehensive. I would check the ABET accreditation of the other programs although not as important for CS vs. other Engineering majors, it does assure that the CS curriculum meets acceptable levels of quality. I would also look at the CS electives if she has specific interests in Game Design, Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Networks etc….
SDSU MyMaps gives a 4 year plan for each major. SDSU can be generous with AP credit which can help your student complete the degree in less than 4 years or will allow her to consider study abroad programs for a semester.
https://cs.sdsu.edu/2021-cs-major-requirements/
CS has become so competitive that I would lean towards a direct admit if she wants that guarantee.
CS is a highly marketable degree so any solid CS program will give her a good outcome.
Best of luck with her decision.
If she is solid in her desire for CS I think you only have two choices - the ones that guarantee her CS major. She should compare curriculum at the two to see if she has a preference
Seems easiest to eliminate UW. Oregon is a less tech y school. OSU is the more techy.
If no direct admit at PSU then no bueno
That leaves sdsu 
If affordable I’d narrow things down to the two schools with a direct admit to CS.
she was direct admit CS at both PSU and SDSU. Thanks for the Oregon vs OSU info.
Oregon has Boyana Norris on faculty, who really knows her stuff. FWIW.
OK - so both. Oregon could be fine but for example, they don’t have an engineering school. Just looking for factors to help you reduce choices.
Penn State is a great name - large school, top sports, supposed great almumni network in the middle of nowhere.
SDSU also huge - but obviously in a city - although not "in the city but just East of it…so beach access, etc. Nicest city in the country btw - and will be a warmer vs. colder climate.
How’s the money work and what’s best for her?
Computer Science is not direct entrance at Penn State. Only a very few majors are (nursing is an exception). Most freshmen are admitted as a pre-major. Students in most majors need to meet the entrance to major requirements, which include certain courses and a set GPA (currently 3.1 for Computer Science). However, as long as a student meets these requirements, they will be admitted into the major
https://bulletins.psu.edu/undergraduate/colleges/engineering/computer-science-bs/#howtogetintext
And hopefully PSU does not further restrict entrance to CS major. Sounds like SDSU is the only direct admit?
Washington will be very difficult to get into the CS major after enrolling.
Penn State has secondary admission to CS based on college GPA as noted by a previous post.
Oregon does not mention any GPA or competitive admission barriers to declaring CS, but you may want to ask the department to be sure.
SDSU direct admission to CS is good.
No other in-state Washington publics applied to?
Not UCSD but SDSU which also admits into a pre-major status but it is not competitive to declare the major with a 2.0 GPA.
I am not concerned regarding Penn State CS program secondary admission requirements - knowing my daughters drive and math/cs experience in HS she should not have problem in the required math/CS/phys classes (she may have some of them already satisifed as AP high courses)
Reminds me of my story - 1988 needed to up my UW-Madison math/CS gpa to 3.3 in order to get into the CS major. I was a little bit under so the best choice was actually to retake 3rd semester calc. Problem was I had gotten a C first time (despite having the easier of the trio of profs - I had spent time focused on a CS course/having fun instead of calc). So for the 2nd try at 3rd sem calc I draw the hardest prof. Week 9 of 15 i’m getting another C, but the CS department announces a lowering of gpa requirements for CS major entry down to 3.1 - so instantly I am in! I go to the dean and try to drop calc but the drop deadline was week 8 - no wiggle room - I end up getting another C. But I went on to graduate with BS in CS and am still working in field 32 years later.
If you meet the entrance to major requirements for Penn State (specific classes, GPA, credit window), you are in the major. period.
I’m going to take another approach. Would your daughter have any interest in Informatics or another CS-adjacent major at UW-Seattle?
Getting into CS later at UW is incredibly hard, but I also find it incredibly hard to give up in-state tuition at a really good university.
Penn State’s financial aid for out-of-state students is usually very disappointing.
All said, I have heard really good things about the Cal State universities, and I think San Diego would be a great place to spend 4 years as a college student in a very different environment than home.
I’m not sure, probably she wouldn’t be overly interested in adjacent majors, but its worth adding to the discussion. Thanks for the idea.
Would there be interest in WSU ? The priority deadline is missed but it doesn’t say you can’t apply still. Just for in-state…if it’s still possible.
I don’t think it is a walk in the park to get into Informatics, either. CS is effectively not possible if you aren’t a direct admit at UW, but informatics, applied math, human centered design and engineering, etc., are all capacity-constrained majors. Often only a minority of applicants are admitted into the major each application season.
For that reason, we looked out of state also. I think SDSU sounds like a good option, if the fit is right.
However, all of these majors are marked as capacity-constrained at http://www.washington.edu/uaa/advising/degree-overview/majors/list-of-undergraduate-majors/ , so it may be that lots of other CS-rejects have the same idea, causing them to be more competitive to get into. Best to investigate how difficult these are to get into before committing to University of Washington.
The other less expensive option is to plan for transfer to some other Washington public as a backup if one cannot get into a desired major after enrolling at University of Washington.
She is accepted at WSU - that was her lowest tier safety school