Software engineer

@steve0533 for undergrad, you want to go somewhere where the CS program is ABET accredited. The name of your university will matter if you want to work for one of those top tier companies. Masters programs are generally not reviewed by ABET, so for that you would want to go somewhere where the university is recognized for their CS program (e.g., MIT, Stanford, Berkeley, Carnegie Mellon).

Most people who get CS degrees work as software engineers.

The main difference I’ve seen between CS and Software Engineering is that CS is more theoretical while Software Engineering is more practical and akin to what you’d be doing on the job. Either is fine if you want to write software for a living.

You don’t need a Masters to get a good job in software development. A Bachelors degree and two years of work experience will be just as valuable to prospective employers as someone with a Masters and no work experience.

You also don’t need ABET accreditation for CS. Stanford, Caltech, Carnegie-Mellon, University of Washington and many other CS programs aren’t accredited.

@steve0533,

Since you have decided where you want to work, you should go to the careers sites for those companies and read the information there. The top software engineers at those companies generally either have CS degrees or some specialization in CS. Some positions may require MS degrees. A good deal of emphasis is placed on the interview, so you would probably be best served focusing your efforts on interviewing well. Also, it helps to work on projects that the companies’ value, so it would be a good idea, if you have not already done so, to set up a github account and work on a project. Participating in the hackathons those companies offer is also helpful. You should also apply for internships at those companies, so you can make a good impression on them before seeking full-time work.

Good luck.

@umcoe16 @simba9 @yagottabelieve
I live in the Chicago area and the schools close to me are Northwester, Illinois Institute Of Technology and UIC, UIUC is a little bit far like 3 hours away and the other universities that you mention are outside the state, what do you think about the schools that I mention or would I be better off to go study out of state on the universities that you mentioned?

Any of the schools you mentioned would be fine. In fact, any of the top 1000 schools would be OK. You don’t have to go to a top-rated school for a CS degree.

@simba
Thank you for that information, I am planning to get a masters on CS, would I have a better chance to get hired on the companies that I mentioned before?

Getting a masters is a great acheivement but if you are paying money for it you might want to spend a moment considering how long it might take to make that money back. If you pay 30k/yr for school and forego 60k/yr in income, you would have to make back an additional $180k to break even or 18k/yr for ten years. A masters is better or may be required for certain government or government contracting jobs. Private employers are not likely to want to pay more for the advanced degree unless you get it after you start working for them

At some point you need to come to terms with leaving the Chicago area if you are hoping to work for the companies you listed.

Get your BA 1st then go back for you master after you work in the field for a few years. After a few year of experience in the field, you would have a better idea where your career is heading and where you would like it to go. That way you can customize your grad school experience to meet your needs.

@boneh3ad
What school outside of Chicago do you recommend?

We’ve been over this so many times and everyone here has been giving you advice on both the Chicago schools and others. You will do fine at plenty of schools across the country. Just go take a look at their career fair websites and see if those companies that interest you are recruiting there.

@boneh3ad
I don’t think Facebook has interns here in chicago

I’m aware they don’t have a presence in Chicago. That’s why I said you will eventually have to be willing to leave Chicago.

@boneh3ad @10s4life
Thank you for your help

You don’t necessarily have to leave the Chicago area for college, particularly if staying close to home makes it more affordable. Choose the college that has the degree you want and the finances that you can afford. As others have said, work for a bit and then decide if a Masters is the right choice for you. I would echo what @boneh3ad says, be ready to leave the Chicago area, AFTER you graduate.

@xraymancs
Can you actually get a bs in computer science and a masters in chemical engineer? How would that work? Or would it benefit me more getting a computer engineer bachelor and a masters in computer science

@steve0533 OMG don’t worry about the master right now. Just get a BS in computer science.

Just throw out the MS plans for now. Worry about that later. You don’t even know what you would want to study at that level yet.

Hi this is a bit late but if ur looking for a very good software engineering bachelors degree, look into Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. It’s one of the most highly regarded engineering schools in places like Silicon Valley. Their entire engineering program is very rigorous and is designed for the most dedicated students.

I agree, work on your BS first, then by the time you graduate or after you have worked for a few years, you will have a much better idea of what your best course of action might be. Now the question of what major to study IS a relevant issue for you as you decide where to go to college. CS and CHE are very different disciplines and have hugely different requirements. In some ways it is easier for a BS in CHE to transition to a MS in CS than the other way around.

Since you are transferring from a CC, you need to have a clear idea of which major you want as you enter your new school otherwise you will end up taking more time to graduate.