Hey everyone- I was admitted to both schools (I am awaiting other results, but I figured I would compare these two schools). At UMich I would do Computer Science with Financial Mathematics or Economics (possibly Ross Preferred Admission or applying Sophomore Year). At Illinois I would do Mathematics and Computer Science. I am not exactly sure where I will be headed career-wise after college- working at a dream tech firm (Google, Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft, etc.), Management Consulting, or Investment Banking come to mind. Between these schools, I would like you to compare them on the following points:
How they will prepare me and set me up for a great career (internships, etc.)?
Both will be plenty rigorous in CS. Both will set you up well for opportunities in CS. Ross would be better for IB (though GS and prop trading shops in Chicago hire quants & programmers from UIUC). UMich seems to have a better alumni network (Ross definitely would).
Academic sincerity? The CS majors in both schools would definitely care; they’d wash out if they didn’t.
U of Illinois seems to have excellent academics across the board, but its got all the charisma of a SUNY. Thousands of Illinois students flock to every other Big 10,school, Notre Dame, and Big East Catholic schools in order to avoid Urbana. That doesn’t make it bad.
This is key. You will probably be full pay at both. That’s $50K at UIUC and $55K at UMich, each year. ~1/2 your parents income. They’re really willing to pay that?
The $$$ situation is a conversation that I am having with my parents right now. I will wait until I get all my admissions officers and aid packages before I make we make a decision. For now, what I am concerned about are those five points.
@moooop You just appear ignorant in your denigration of UIUC by regurgitating something you read on online. Exactly which SUNY are you comparing to UIUC?
There are tens of thousands of high school graduates in IL (Chicago and suburbs) every year. With about 5000 IL students entering UIUC as freshmen, they cannot all attend UIUC and they are not all from Catholic high schools looking to attend a Catholic university.
UIUC is generally the top destination by volume when looking at the colleges that students at top public high schools in Chicagoland ended up enrolling and it is by far the first choice for IL high school engineering majors that were admitted over any other B1G.
Plus UIUC has the Bardeen engineering quad (named for a long time UIUC professor who is the only two time Nobel laureate in physics and also co-inventor of the solid state transistor) that is “across the street” (which I know is a big criteria for you concerning college campuses and attending the cinema) from the main quad (and not two miles away by bus like at UM).
@yikesyikesyikes: that’s the point, though. You won’t get a financial aid package. You’ll have a federal loan for $5,500 and that’s it, most likely - and if you get something, it’ll be very little. Essentially, your parents will have to pay 45,00à to 50,000 dollars every year, one half to one third of their total income, which is undoable unless you have a college fund.
What are your other solutions?
@intparent, for CS, job opportunities, academic rigor, and the quality of the students in the major, UIUC will be at least as good as UMich if not better.
…that is “across the street” (which I know is a big criteria for you concerning college campuses and attending the cinema) from the main quad (and not two miles away by bus like at UM)…"
I always laugh at poster who make it sound like the North Campus at Michigan is located in a different time zone. The central campus of Michigan is rather compact and the “commute” between the two areas is about 10 minutes at most by a bus system that runs frequently.
How they will prepare me and set me up for a great career (internships, etc.)?
Depends on the college and/or industry. If you are enrolled in their colleges of Engineering or Arts and Sciences, for internships/jobs in Tech, both are excellent, but I give the slight edge to UIUC. For internships/jobs in Banking or Consulting, I give the slight edge to Michigan. UIUC does not have a business program that can match Ross. If you are serious about a career in Consulting or Finance and can get into Ross, go for it. There are very few programs/universities that are as good as Ross where placement in those industries is concerned, and UIUC is not one of them.
Social Life/Dynamic
Both universities have great campus environments. For a kid from the East Coast, Michigan will have far more students from the Tristate area, but I don’t think that will add much to the experience. Ann Arbor is nicer than UC.
Academic Rigor
There shouldn’t be a difference between Michigan and UIUC. Both are excellent in your chosen fields of study.
Academic sincerity among student body
Can this be measured? I do not think either university is known for having overly competitive/cut throat students.
Alumni Network
Michigan has a stronger alumni network, particularly in non-tech related industries and outside of the Midwest, but the benefits of an alumni network is often overstated.