Institutional aid for OOS students at most public universities = $0.
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I understand, but she liked UIUC and wanted to give it a try anyways.
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Where do you find out about uw major placement stat? my son is also deciding between uiuc, uw, and purdue too.
If someone gets accepted into their second choice major ece is it possible to change it to cs which was their first major? If not right away would it be a possibility later on?
Chances of changing into CS is basically zero. However, if you are admitted to CompE there is absolutely no need to even pursue that major change. You can basically focus on the CS end of the curriculum and have access to all the same opportunities.
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Thank you. I know a student that really wants to attend uiuc but has this dilemma. After hearing your answer it seems not that big of a deal. Thanks.
Chances of switching into CS are ABSOLUTELY ZERO… as this is no longer permitted by UIUC.
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Exactly. As of Fall 2022, there will be no on-campus CS transfers allowed.
For students admitted to the University of Illinois as Freshmen, Fall 2022 and thereafter, the Computer Science Major in the Grainger College of Engineering is CLOSED to on-campus transfer (ICT/IDT).
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So is it better to go somewhere else where you are accepted as a cs major, such as Purdue or Madison? The ECE major and program are amazing at UIUC also. My son went there as a Bio major but he had many friends in CS. He said it’s the most difficult one to get into but it also has many students dropping out because it’s so tough.
If you actually want to major in CS… yeah.
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In general, if one really wants CS, the direct admit is tough to pass up. If take the non-direct admit, make sure you understand the requirements and whether or not it’s competitive admit even if requirements are met.
For UIUC specifically, although CS in Grainger is closed to transfers (so the student would have to choose another school if they want to major in CS), it’s possible to transfer to the CS + X majors, those requirements are also on the page I linked above.
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Thanks. The Ece major is also in Grainget so students will have access to job fairs etc. the first year I think you take the same classes. Some employers do look at courses you have taken. My son did molecular and cellular biology with a minor in information science and ended up getting a job at Microsoft. The student is in state so financially uiuc is a much better deal but I guess they have to think about the fact that changing to cs major is not a possibility. Thanks for your help.
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If finances are a huge concern then it’s not a bad option to stick with ece. Like I said, ece gets heavily recruited by the big tech firms and the curriculum is super flexible. On the flip side, it’s also supposedly a tougher major (4 year graduation at < 60%) than CS and if majoring in CS is super important then Purdue might be better. For CS + X the student might need to take classes in X which they may have no interest in and limit the # of upper division CS courses.
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As others have expressed, transferring into CS Grainger will not be possible for incoming Fall 2022 classes. However, I recall at a prospective student event, the advisor said any student, whether in other Grainger majors or non Grainger majors, can easily get CS minor. I also recall a senior student in CE major, during a virtual event, stating that she will complete a CS minor and have access to all the benefits of CS Grainger majors at job fairs, etc.
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Will definitely share this!!
While the number of CS courses that CS+X majors “have” to take is less than it is for CS majors, there is no restriction on the number of CS courses that CS+X majors “can” take.
Also, starting last semester, UIUC gives the same CS course registration priority for both CS & CS+X majors. Other than the student’s genuine interest in the “+X” field of study, there seems to be no downside to CS+X.
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Not sure where some of you are getting your info. Any UIUC student can attend most career fairs, even those in different schools/majors. If this is an important part of the decision for a given student, call the career center to discuss.
Here is one link that communicates this concept:
Do CS + X students get the same internship and employment opportunities as students majoring only in CS or the X? Yes! As an Illinois student, you’re welcome at all campus career fairs, including those hosted by Engineering Career Services and the College of LAS.
ETA one more link:
Illinois hosts several career fairs throughout the year. All career fairs on our campus are open to all enrolled students.
https://www.careercenter.illinois.edu/instructable/career-fair-preparation
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Yes maybe the information I got from someone about job fairs is incorrect then. Thanks for this.
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But, apparently, can’t as easily actually get into popular upper-level courses.
You may be correct. I don’t have direct experience with it since our youngest will be in the incoming class of Fall 2022 in CS Grainger. UIUC appears to try to offer CS minor to interested students: CS Minor | Computer Science | UIUC
Students, who want guarantees that they will have access to upper level CS classes, should consider schools where they have direct admit to CS major, as many on CC often advise.
From the beginning of this process, our youngest felt strongly that he wanted direct admit to CS. I personally thought it will be tough road for him since CS is so competitive. However, he was adamant that he would only look at school where he got direct admit. For sure he got a few rejections, but he also got several acceptances.
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