UChicago vs. UCLA -- Computer Science & Engineering

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Hey all, </p>

<p>Perhaps you can offer me some outside opinions and advice. </p>

<p>I got rejected from my top choice, so from here, things get more complicated. </p>

<p>I'm interested in computer science or engineering (EE or MechE), perhaps with biological sciences as a double major. </p>

<p>Here's how I'm looking at things</p>

<p>UCLA: never visited, ranked higher in CS/EECS, big city, HAS a school of engineering, greater success rate if transferring to berkeley?</p>

<p>Chicago: have visited, small but well equipped CS department (w/ world-renowned math dept associated), lower CS ranking, big city, no school of engineering, more 'prestigious', smaller school</p>

<p>Chicago has more knowns for me, my sister went there, I've been there a few times, I like the city. It's also got reliably excellent biological sciences/pre-med.
LA is more mysterious but also looks good on paper for CS and for having an engineering school as an option. </p>

<p>Any thoughts?</p>

2

<p>Cost of attendance at each?</p>

<p>UCLA has all of your majors, but changing into an engineering or CS major requires a competitive admissions process: <a href=“http://www.seasoasa.ucla.edu/undergraduates/change-of-majord”>http://www.seasoasa.ucla.edu/undergraduates/change-of-majord&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Chicago does not have engineering, but does have CS with the usual expected course offerings: <a href=“Computer Science < University of Chicago Catalog”>http://collegecatalog.uchicago.edu/thecollege/computerscience/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Did you get admitted to any other schools where your possible majors are offered?</p>

3

<p>At these, cost is not an object-- I got lucky.</p>

<p>The competitive admissions progress is a risk… I’ll have to look into that more, but I’m more than willing to do the work to get the prereqs out of the way. </p>

<p>Chicago does have a full CS program… </p>

<p>@ucbalumnus I was also admitted to UW and CWRU. </p>

4

<p>If you want to go for engineering, definitely UCLA . and if you choose CS, still go to UCLA :wink:
way better future prospects.</p>

5

<p>@saad1191 Thanks much for the advice, may I ask how you mean? lol
Even with the change I might not get into the engineering school (I was accepted for biology)?</p>

6

<p>Which UW?</p>

<p>If Wisconsin, getting in the CS major does not appear to be especially difficult:
<a href=“http://www.cs.wisc.edu/academics/undergraduate-programs/cs-major-requirements”>http://www.cs.wisc.edu/academics/undergraduate-programs/cs-major-requirements&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>To enter engineering, there are some baseline requirements, but a higher (unspecified) GPA may be needed, depending on the major:
<a href=“http://www.engr.wisc.edu/future/futureundergraduate-transfer-descriptions.html”>http://www.engr.wisc.edu/future/futureundergraduate-transfer-descriptions.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

7

<p>@ucbalumnus Uuuuuh nope, sorry, should have been more specific-- I meant W as in Washington. Accepted for CS. </p>

8

<p>As a direct admit to CS at University of Washington, that is a very good place to go if you want to do CS (it is very competitive to get into the CS major if you are not a direct admit).</p>

<p>However, changing into EE or ME requires a competitive admission process:
<a href=“http://www.washington.edu/uaa/advising/majors-and-minors/list-of-undergraduate-majors/”>http://www.washington.edu/uaa/advising/majors-and-minors/list-of-undergraduate-majors/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>It looks like Washington > UCLA because you are already assured of being in a major of interest, while it is likely difficult to get into any of your majors of interest at UCLA. It looks like Washington > Chicago because if you do want to switch to EE or ME, at least those options exist (though it is not assured that you can get into them).</p>

<p>CWRU is also feasable, since it offers all of your majors of interest and does not appear to have any admission barriers around them (but check to be sure). Indeed, if you are undecided between your majors of interest and want to be able to freely choose between them, CWRU appears to be the best for that (although curricular divergence means that you would not want to delay the choice beyond the third semester or so).</p>

9

<p>@ucbalumnus That’s solid advice, thank you. I’ve seen you in all sorts of threads and you’re truly an amazing resource.</p>

<p>My greatest conflict is as to whether it’s worth it to go with somewhere I know I can definitely do CS (Chicago) even if it means no engr opportunities over somewhere with a better reputation for CS/engr where there are barriers (UCLA (or Washington)). </p>

<p>It’s true about CWRU, I’m into the School of Engineering, so I could do any of those majors without issue, but it’s also VERY close to where I live, and I’m looking to branch out a tad, silly as that may be. </p>

<p>Washington was lower on my list because of money, oddly enough, but you make a good point regarding being in the CS major. Still haven’t heard back about Honors yet either. </p>

10

<p>Here is the matrix of choices you have, for schools and whether you can do the major. * means that the major exists, but you need to go through a competitive admission process to get into the major.



School          CS      EE      ME
CWRU            yes     yes     yes
Washington      yes     *       *
Chicago         yes     no      no
UCLA            *       *       *

</p>

<p>If you are pretty sure about CS, then any of the first three will do. If you are likely to want to do EE or ME, then it looks like CWRU gives you the best opportunity for those majors (but verify with them to make sure that there are no admission barriers to those majors there).</p>

11

<p>Washington is FANTASTIC for CS. Two of the big five tech companies (Microsoft and Amazon) are headquartered in the state; the other big three (Apple, Google, and Facebook) are headquartered in California. If you’re saying it’s low on your list due to money (i.e. as in it’s harder to afford) then I wouldn’t go there if UCLA and Chicago are cheaper options however.</p>

12

<p>What is the net price of each school, and how much debt is involved at each school?</p>

13

<p>It isn’t like you are picking a grad school. Look at the requirement for the major at each. Look at the units you will be taking outside your major. Review graduation requirements. </p>