I have an offer of admission from UW-Seattle that I already accepted but due to my high scores in the leaving examinations of my country I expect to be admitted to some of the best colleges in my country which mostly follow cutoff based merit admissions. I am fixated on computer science but, the colleges in my country will not offer me engineering degrees but science degrees.
UW-
Pros-
Overall Experience
Engineering department
Seattle Connections
Probably easier Masters Admissions
Cons-
No Direct Admission to CS
Cost (I’m talking 60 times what i would spend if I decided to stay back)
Public uni
Indian Uni’s( If you know St Stephens and Hansraj. Yes I will probably get in me- 97.3% cutoff 92, 95 for comp sci)
Pros-
Cost( Saving up for masters)
Really prestigious big names
Program is good and similar to that in engineering
Cons-
I might not like the more theory based approach, no engineering department
Masters Admission will be tougher
I can apply to US uni’s as a freshman again( People who did it told me) specifically CMU I am still waitlisted but I think i’ve given up hope on it.
I will be doing a masters in Computer Science either way from a uni in the United States, does it matter where I did my Bachelors from? Thanks for reading this long post.
If you are going to do master’s, you should try to get through your undergrad as cheaply as possible(unless your family is filthy rich). The UW is very expensive for foreign students. It’ll cost you at least $45k a year for 4 years, and you might not even get into the CS department as competition is very keen. You’re better off staying back in India then do your master’s overseas. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella did his undergrad in India, then his master’s in the US, same with Pepsi CEO Indira Nooyi.
Since you’re going to do your master’s, stay in India and do your undergrad as cheaply as possible. 60 times more? Is that an exaggeration or a reality? Either way, stay in your own country and apply to the US for your masters. Terminal degree matters most anyways.
How badly do you want to attend a US college and can your parents afford UW Seattle easily?
It sounds like you’re a top student so you should have no problem clearing the CS entrance hurdle, and entrance to US grad programs are easier if you have a degree from the US, BUT the cost differential would only justify it if you’re sure you want to go to the US AND (biggie) your parents can afford this amount without breaking a sweat (and of course without a loan).
Indian programs are excellent. Very technical, competitive, and specialized. It’ll be quite a different experience in the US - first, you’ll have general education requirements (may be a plus or a minus!), second the general lifestyle will be very different, and finally the outlook on education (philosophy of teaching/learning) is very different too.
However, if you attend a university in India, you CANNOT apply to a US university as a freshman again, only as a transfer.
@MYOS1634 Yes my parents are ready for the costs, I am not really keen on going to the UW but, I do like it better than the idea of these 2 uni’s, my only lifeline right now is Singapore, NUS and NTU if I get into either I will never look back but that again is quite a big IF.
What’re your scores? Btw even I’m contemplating the thought of staying back and trying for better universities. 
What’re your scores? Btw even I’m contemplating the thought of staying back and trying for better universities.
If (and it’s a big if) money is no object, then coming to UW-Seattle would be the best option for several reasons:
- Undergraduate years are highly formative (everywhere) and being part of the US undergraduate cultural experience will be life-changing for you. It will also make it much easier to integrate later if you are doing grad work here or staying on for work. (Not that you can’t integrate if you come later - but it will be harder. You will probably spend more time in the Indian grad student ghetto with all the other Indian students coming for masters and Phds. Not a bad place to be - but different.)
- The culture at UW-Seattle, in particular, is particularly good for comp sci. There are excellent research and internship opportunities and a culture of entrepreneurship (with the infrastructure to support it) that you will not find at even top Indian tech colleges.
- Breadth of education: As an undergrad in the US, you will most likely not only have the opportunity, but be required, to take courses outside of your future concentration. This opportunity to explore is a gift that can be (at the risk of over-using the word) life-changing.
- Will you be living at home if you go to college in India? You might view that as a plus, but most of us, given the choice, would probably prefer to spread our wings a bit. That’s hard to do in India for lots of reasons that I don’t need to enumerate for you. Much, much easier in Seattle.
But - it is very, very expensive. If money matters, then you will certainly be able to get an excellent education at the schools you mention and should have no problem applying for a masters in the US if you can pay for it and have the grades. Your schools/programs will be known to top US comp sci grad programs as they admit many students from India.
If you can afford, then go. I only heard of IIT from India.
@KrishSC I said in the post 97.3%
@n’smom Thanks for all the advice I am personally leaning towards India but my parents and Sis think UW and I kinda see their point now.