@“aunt bea” My husband works in CS at a large international company in Massachusetts. There is no shortage of international employees. The company has branches in the UK also. I see no harm in applying to an American university and seeing the final financial numbers and educational opportunities (hands on). I bet a place like UMass Amherst ends up at 38-40k a year. That is what I’ve seen from other internationals on here.
And maybe I should not mention this but the British students that I have known have ended up marrying American girls. They seem happily employed with cute kids/nice families. Conversely, some of the American students I know who have attended European (or Australian) universities have married Europeans (Australians) and sometimes stayed there. It is that time in your life that you’re pairing up.
No, there is no harm in applying @gearmom. The OP, however needs to be aware that if he/she invests that amount of money into an education, expecting to be employed in the US-because he/she studies in the US, that his envisioned employment may not happen.
My dd also works for a large international company in CS, in California. She also recruits new candidates. They are not sponsoring any international candidates and have that notice posted on their website.
@“aunt bea” You’re absolutely right that there is no guarantee. But I also think this is a time to take some risks rather than always wishing that you had tried. Just being in a different country is a great growth/learning experience. You naturally put down social roots/ networking sometimes when you attend college. Being British would be a plus for OP in the social scene IMO. I’m not familiar with the West Coast CS employment scene which seems more closed. Maybe OP should focus on East Coast then.
UIUC Computer Science would certainly be an excellent program to look into, although it might be just as selective as the other top-ranked CS schools since it’s an impacted major.
@gearmom: Yes, but the OP could grow in the US either through a Masters program (some of which are funded) or study-abroad, one which will be cheaper and one which will be stupendously cheaper.
Again, unless there is some aspect of the American undergrad curriculum/experience that is a key driver (which the OP has not stated is the case) and a top UK uni is available for a small fraction of the price of being a full-pay International undergrad in the US, I don’t see why the OP wouldn’t aim for the best UK uni possible foremost.
As per OP
<<I want to study in the US because it is easier to find a job in there once you are already in the education system I heard, and the US looks like an amazing place to live<<
And then adds U of Arizona.
So I assume this is just a bit of a fantasy. My kids would think going to lets say, Birmingham uni (great eng dept) in the UK, to be something novel too, but would I suggest that? Nah. Grass might look greener, but unless top schools are in play, I doubt it.
Is that $200K budget already in US dollars in an account somewhere or are you converting? If the money is in pounds sterling, recent volatility in British currency market will make it very difficult to figure the true cost over four years.
Enrolling in the best UK CS program available with an eye to pursuing a masters or PhD at a US or Canadian program might be a better path.
@PurpleTitan What would the cost be in the UK? I personally think the hands-on American style CS education is much more valuable than the more theoretical British one. That is not going to be easy stepping into an American grad program in CS if you do not have considerable project based experience.
OP is asking for suggestions. OP is financially able to pay. Rather than second guessing his entire thought process, I’m simply answering the asked question. I think it was good for you to point out the educational style differences. That would make a difference to me. For 200k, I think he could be darn close to affording a five BS/MS in Computer Engineering or CS at a place like UMass Amherst. Rather than shutting down the topic, I think pointing out the top 3 or 4 options in the US so that OP can further investigate respects his question. Especially since this option is affordable. Obviously he needs to weigh this with his at home options.
Can’t add this link but to provide more info on the suggested college UMass Amherst. I read it was in the top twenty five for computer science in America. You absolutely have to submit an application early October/November if you are going to give it a try with best financial offer. Be the first applicant from the UK. Also give your UK options a fair shake. Look at the 5 year BS/MS program at UMass for best value. As many have pointed out, there would not be guarantees for future US employment. https://www.umass.edu/newsoffice/article/amherst-ranked-top-college-town-north-america
The main advantage to coming to the US for school in the hopes of being able to stay is that it would be easier to find a local company that would sponsor you for a visa. But it’s still a lottery. Just because a company applies to sponsor you doesn’t mean you’ll get a visa.
As of now, there are a higher number of visas allocated to people with Masters degrees from US universities. Better chances, but still no guarantees.
Degrees at home rates cost @ 11500 USD tuition per year. COL varies on location where there may or may not be campus housing. Add about 15000 USD for that outside of london. Some students can and do commute. 4 yrs means a masters, otherwise 3 years might get out out into the workplace. That nice extra year in the US is a potential 50K USD indulgence for an international.Even US kids try to get rid of fluff with APs. My US (not comp) eng kid still doesn’t graduate early with many AP/IB credits. And a 5 yr BS/MS? That Is well over the 200K
@gearmom: UK kids pay roughly what Americans would pay for in-state publics at all UK unis. Including world-class ones like Oxbridge/LSE/Imperial. And yes, undergrad at an English uni is 3 years.
We typically tell American kids that being full-pay at an OOS public when they have in-state publics that are as good or better quality that it’s their choice if they can afford it, but to go in with their eyes open: they aren’t getting anything extra for the extra cost.
Various American undergrad experiences/options are sufficiently different from the various British ones that those are valid considerations, but the OP doesn’t seem interested in those differences, so paying up for them doesn’t make a lot of sense in my mind.
Especially when study-abroad and Masters in the US (plenty taking a ton of Internationals, so they don’t seem to care if you went to an American undergrad or not) are also options.
@Sybylla As I remember UMass financial aid numbers, there was significant merit aid. Our OOS cost was 28k. Even international merit aid packages have been significant as I remember, 12-16k. So OP’s final cost could certainly be around 30k a year. Not everyone finishes on time but people do do that. So OP could be looking at 160k for a BS/MS from our example UMass. He should certainly throw his hat in the ring.
I’m in engineering, have you ever worked with someone who has a theory based technical education? Unless @PurpleTitan is incorrect on that overview, we are talking apples and oranges. The usefulness and preparation that you receive from a project based, hands-on experience puts you miles ahead. There is no way that three year program is as rigorous as our four year hands-on one. You can’t wing it in a technical field. Your preparation shows and you’re constantly being judged on your performance. America does a really good job preparing students for computer based fields which is why people come here.
@gearmom: If you are in engineering, you are not in CS. I was a CS major, and I have seen a ton of Internationals get a CS master’s here and do well. Also, while the UK CS education tends to be very theory-based (compared to CS at most schools in the US), they most definitely could cover as much material in 3 years as Americans do in 4. In fact, the good ones cover more. That’s because in an English uni, if you study CS, ALL your classes are CS classes (in a Scottish uni, it would work out to roughly 3/4th of your classes over 4 years being CS classes). In the US, most CS majors would typically take half or less of their classes in CS. That’s why, if you look at the 4th year Edinburgh CS curriculum (I think they call it “Informatics” instead of CS), you will see that it’s essentially the same as a year of CS at the master’s level at a good American uni.
Now, there are still good reasons to consider an American uni for undergrad. Besides stuff like a LAC environment or flexibility of major/classes or paying up for a world-class reputation, a school like WPI is small and very hands-on and project-oriented, which would be quite different from a UK uni (who would have some project-oriented CS classes, but not as much as WPI). And the OP may be able to get scholarships to WPI.
But paying up to get taught by grad students or incomprehensible profs in giant lecture classes at a giant uni that isn’t among the elite when the OP likely would be able to find schools where they can get more individual attention in the UK for cheaper and are actually known in the country where they actually have permission to work: I would say that does not make a lot of sense.
Also great students in the UK have access to higher level apprenticeships (at degree level, not vocational, there are several routes) in a way much like the co op schools might have hands on experience, but this is for top A level scores.
@Sybylla I suggested UMass 5 year BS/MS program. UMass is 24th for sure (I’m going out tonight so not going to research this more) at the grad level behind Brown and Yale in US. I don’t remember OP asking about rankings. In fact he did not seem to be rank obsessed looking at Arizona.
@PurpleTitan I’m basing the opinion on your assessment that the British system is more theoretical. From personal experience, I and DH do not find that to be a positive thing. My husband is a top tech guy for CS / cybersecurity at an international company in the Boston area and preparedness is a huge issue. We looked carefully at colleges throughout NE for a school for our computer oriented kid. I think your assessment which seems to cast a school like that as being taught by grad students and incomprehensible professors as grossly unfair and inaccurate. We’ve spent time actually getting to know the program and discuss the school with actual graduates from those schools. Talented graduates that we respect in the CS I might add.
OP simply asked for American suggestions. He could have a myriad of reasons for wanting to come here. Are we going to be chasing him around when it comes time to purchase a car too? He should only spend X on Y. They have the money for his education. He suggested Arizona. I put out an affordable option in UMass where I am confident that he could get a solid education in a great town in a place in America where there could be tech opportunities. And the international companies in the Boston area have oodles of UMass graduates which could possibly help him get the foot in the door to an American company. I’m simply answering OP’s question.