<p>I'm currently a senior and have been accepted to both UCSC and SJSU for computer engineering.<br>
I'm just wondering out of these two schools which ones would be a better choice for my major, which school would have an advantage in getting a more better high paying job after college?</p>
<p>romped (are you from Stockton?), both actually have great programs. Have you visited both campuses? What are you doing in terms of housing? SJSU has limited on campus housing options and is considered a commuter school while UCSC has a lot more on campus housing options.</p>
<p>Anyway, back to the programs . . . I think SJSU’s location will give you more exposure to companies involved with your major. UCSC is a little remote. Some businesses recruit at UCSC, but from what I hear the student would have to put in a lot of effort to go around gaining valuable market experience. SJSU will make it a little easier because of the proximity to a lot of company headquarters (being in the capital city of SV), but then competition may be higher as well.</p>
<p>Were you accepted as a compE major to SJSU or undeclared major and you plan to declare that later? The major IS considered impacted, so this may effect your graduation plans.</p>
<p>Personally, if I were willing to be a commuter student (not living on campus), then I would choose SJSU. Their program is well regarded especially in it’s immediate surroundings, allows valuable exposure to your intended field, would attract more professors associated with that field, and downtown SJ actually has some good events and nightlife year round (not sure if that’s even important to you).</p>
<p>Yes @turtlerock I am from Stockton, and was accepted as a compE major. Wow i didn’t even know it was impacted, does this mean it will take longer than 4 years to graduate?</p>
<p>I have yet to visit either campus but plan on doing so very soon, maybe then I’ll get a feel of what is in store for me and than can decide.</p>
<p>I would definitely recommend visiting each campus and seeing about talking to someone from the CompE faculty if you can. Ask questions about local opportunities in the field, honor societies/clubs support of the major, and things like that. Academics-wise you can ask some current students if they feel if the school’s curriculum has adequately prepared them for entering the market within the CompE field so so forth. Compare notes from both and it may help you decide which will be more advantageous to you.</p>
<p>Impaction does insinuate that some classes may be hard to come by, and if those classes are required for you to graduate, then yes, it would take longer than 4 years to gain your degree. This is also another good question to ask current student and faculty while on student visits: How often are major required classes offered? How full do those classes get and how quickly do they become full? How long does it typically take for a student to graduate from this school in this major?</p>
<p>I guesstimated you are from Stockton by the 209 in your username. Which HS are you graduating from, if you don’t mind?</p>
<p>From Cesar Chavez, its an alright school i guess</p>
<p>oh wow, that’s the new one.</p>
<p>I’d choose SC and I disagree you’d have better job options from SJ. SC is a UC and considerably more selective. Employers know that. SC is quickly becoming on par with the mid tier UCs whereas SJ is not a top CSU.</p>
<p>While UCSC is further from Silicon Valley than SJSU, it is still within a relatively short drive, so that a company recruiting locally will likely have UCSC as well as SJSU on its list.</p>
<p>You may want to contact each school’s career center to see if they will tell you what employers recruit computer science and engineering majors from each school.</p>
<p>Is net cost after financial aid similar, or different enough that you need to consider it a factor? Also, are you admitted declared in the major at both schools?</p>
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<p>Romped, I would look at it like this: UCSC may be a more prestigious(ly) tiered school because it has UC standing and the academic achievements to get in may be a little more strict, but many decent jobs out there like (and often require) experience in the field. I personally feel the only way you’d get this at UCSC is via hands on research/projects in collaboration with professors, but I’d bet those are hard to come by, competitive, and mostly reserved for upperclassmen. There isn’t as much of a market for your interest in SC because it is secluded and separated from SV via a long mountainous highway (17). It’s not practical for many companies to be in close enough proximity to the school. What you can do is look up job postings for an example place where you would like to work and see what type of requirements they look for. Do more postings require work experience over education? Do most postings let education be substituted with experience and vice-versa?</p>
<p>Yes, I have heard the Big4 come in to recruit for example (not related to your major, but this is an example), but they bring those recruited into San Jose since E&Y and PwC have office in Downtown SJ. I’m sure other companies recruit from UCSC, but they would most likely be for positions in SJ or somewhere else in SV - not too practical during the school year because you will have to travel a decent distance to them. I suppose after graduation it wouldn’t matter as you can just pick up and go, but then agian I’ll bring up job postings/offers that prefer or even require some sort of experience before hand. So in short, yes UCSC may look better on paper, there are less students (so classes may be easier to get and competition may be less), they probably have better on campus research facilities, but SJSU has a solid program (that local employers WILL also know, it’s only in their backyard for crying out loud). So if you plan to stay in the Bay Area after graduation, then SJSU’s reputation won’t be an issue. Otherwise, the UC name will stick more.</p>
<p>Either way, I’m not trying to sway you either direction. Both are great for your major, but I will end with this: What do you think would look better on a job application? A) UCSC grad with some CompE school club/society involvement and a couple unrelated internships and little or no hands-on experience – or – B) An SJSU grad with school club involvement, an Adobe (their office is also just a couple blocks from SJSU’s campus - I see it everyday from my building) internship during one year/quarter/summer, and an nVidia summer internship another year (nVidia isn’t as close to SJSU, but it’s right on the outskirts of Santa Clara, so a few miles drive - about 5 if memory serves me correctly), and other misc (possibly unrelated anyway) in between?</p>
<p>I’m not saying EVERY SJSU student will get these types of positions. It’s a bigger school (student body-wise) and would be adverse to competition, but at least those types of things are plentiful in the surrounding area of SJSU. SC is a smaller city and thus has a smaller population and less businesses.</p>
<p>Personally, I’d choose UCSC as well, but that’s for a completely different major and I have completely different career aspirations.</p>
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<p>Oh yeah, didn’t even ask. UCSC’s tuition and fees are about double SJSU’s (obviously because of the UC-CSU difference. I’m sure you’ve checked though. Which would be the cheapest for you?</p>