<p>Hi all, </p>
<p>As it stands, I've been attending Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University for the past two years studying Aerospace Engineering. It's a great school for what it specializes in, but I think that my interests may lie in the Computer Sciences - with my recent internship more or less confirming this. I've been accepted into the University of Florida to pursue a computer science major; however, I am worried that this may be the wrong choice. ERAU is not a good choice for CS degrees whatsoever. </p>
<p>I'm aware of all of the rankings and what not, and am mostly concerned over the cost and return on investment. I am a Florida resident; however, I'm pretty much set on wanting to move outside the state of Florida once I am done with schooling. If I attend UF, I'll be able to go to school from home since I live nearby, and pay a fraction of the price; whereas at ERAU I'll be paying significantly more on top of living expenses. </p>
<p>Here are some of the doubts that I have right now: </p>
<p>1.) I'm not sure of UF's national recognition, especially in computer science, and am afraid that if I choose this route I will be regionally bound in job opportunities.</p>
<p>2.) ERAU may have a potentially higher return on investment and more job opportunities due to the connections I have made/will make, including recognition for its /highly specialized/ field.</p>
<p>3.) ERAU costs more than 4x the amount I would pay at UF - meaning higher debt - of which I could use for further education later on.</p>
<p>4.) ERAU is not very flexible with their curriculum; however, their hands on experience is unparalleled. </p>
<p>If you have any commentary or thoughts about similar personal experiences, or just an opinion, that would be much appreciated.</p>
<p>Thanks in advance.</p>
<p>I’m usually the first one to defend E-R (Riddle grad myself - Prescott), but it sounds like UF might be the better choice in your particular case. E-R really is an excellent school, but if you are looking for national recognition, it simply can’t match UF. UF is an internationally recognized research university, with an endowment over $1B. </p>
<p>That said, both schools have their strengths and weaknesses, and neither school is really “better” than the other. I’ve taken a look at both UF and E-R’s CS curriculum and I can’t say I’m swayed either way… both are rigorous (and both are accredited). The focus areas are different between the two programs, but that’s a preference thing. The big difference will be in the amount, and level of research opportunities available to you, as well as on-site recruitment, where UF will have an advantage. E-R will have an edge in offering smaller class sizes, a closer relationship with professors, and potentially easier access to undergrad research due to the fact that there aren’t as many grad students competing with undergrads for the same work.</p>
<p>So as you can see, both schools have their advantages and disadvantages. Aside from academics, UF is a very large public university, and the campus community won’t feel anywhere near as “tight knit” as E-R’s. There will no doubt be pockets of like-minded students, but the overall cohesion and unity can’t match Riddle simply because they are so big and so diverse. It will, however, offer more academic diversity, have a bigger name on the national level, and is, as you already pointed out, much cheaper than E-R.</p>
<p>It really comes down to what you are able to afford, and whether or not national recognition/prestige is a big concern to you. E-R is not a computer science school… their core strengths are Aerospace/Mechanical Engineering and Aero Science. That’s not to say they have a lousy CS program, but rather they won’t have as many resources available to you when it comes to recruitment. </p>
<p>Best of luck with your decision! And it’s always nice to see a fellow E-R’r on here too. :)</p>
<p>A lot of what you’ve said were my sentiments exactly, and were factors I definitely kept in mind. I’ve been accepted to transfer through UF, and it looks like that’s where my path will be headed. </p>
<p>I want to both apologize for taking such a long time to respond and thank you for taking your time to provide your own input. </p>