My son will major in computer science next year. He has a few options and is stressing about the right choice to make. He can go to hofstra for free tuition and commute 45 min. so no room and board cost either. Hard to beat free college but he won the tuition exchange and is thinking of using it for RIT or Stevens with a cost around $20 grand a year for room and board, meals, etc. The third option is Stonybrook university, not on tuition exchange list, commute 10 min. and pay in-state tuition/fees at $10 grand per year. So he has 3 ways to go about this and is open to all options but so unsure of what to do. Is going to hofstra for free worth it? He wants to make sure that he can get as good of a job graduating with a degree from Hofstra as Stonybrook or RIT or Stevens. Any and all advice is welcomed!
I would save the commute and go to Stony Brook.
We are considering how job opportunites are affected if he gets a comp sci degree at Hofstra vs Stonybrook vs Stevens vs RIT? Hate to be redundant but it breaks down like this-
Hofstra= free, 45 min commute
Stonybrook=$10 grand/year, 10 min commute, possible financial aid to help
Stevens= $20 grand, no commute
RIT= $20 grand, no commute
The better computer science schools will all cost him in student loans, but he wants a good paying job when he graduates. He doesn’t care about living home or away or the commute.
Tuition exchange is a great deal. Is there no parental contribution for room and board?
Unfortunately, we work paycheck to paycheck so he would have student loans if he goes anywhere but Hofstra.
Is the difference between these schools worth the money?
I don’t know enough about the comparative CS departments to make that judgment. Hopefully others with expertise in that area can comment.