UIUC vs USC vs UCSD vs UCSB; Computer Engineering

College Search & Selection
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<p>Hello, everyone. I am having a really difficult time deciding where I will want to spend my next four years at college. I am planning on studying computer engineering at UIUC, USC, UCSD, or UCSB. I have not yet been accepted into USC, but for the sake of caparison I have included it. </p>

<p>After doing my research I am formed the following opinions about the previously mentioned schools:</p>

<p>UIUC- Superior engineering and computer science, terrible weather, and, from what other people make it sound like, literally smack dab in the middle of a corn field. I have also heard that UIUC is known for some pretty wild parties, which I am okay with.</p>

<p>USC- Great engineering program (but for some reason not as good as UCLA?), beautiful weather, great alumni network, and, again due to other people's exaggerations, is surrounded by an area that is comparable to the seedy areas of Detroit.</p>

<p>UCSD- Another great engineering school (slightly better than UCSB), on the ocean, beautiful weather, more of a commuter school where kids leave on the weekends, not as great of a social scene, and the women are sub par.</p>

<p>UCSB- Despite constant drunken raging, still a good engineering school (but not as good as the others), beautiful women everywhere, cool college town, on the ocean.</p>

<p>If anybody could provide some insight or suggestions regarding these schools I would be very grateful. Again, I am really having a hard time deciding where I will get the best education/have a good time. Although I do prefer the warm, I have lived in an area where the winters are pretty insanely cold and I could live with it. I do think the beach is better than the cold. With that being said, my number one desire is going somewhere that will yield the best education and job prospects or possibly best chances of going to a good grad school. I do not live in California or Illinois so I will be paying Out-of-State tuition and the cost of all of these schools is similar.</p>

<p>Thank you so much in advance.</p>

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<p>UIUC, keeping your piggish characterizations out of my state. :O) </p>

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<p>@BrownParent
I would really appreciate something with more rationale than that</p>

4

<p>Bump</p>

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<p>congratulations on being admitted to all these schools (here’s hoping for usc). However USC’s costs will be higher than the others, and you haven’t said how you’re footing these bills. Back before you started I would have warned you that a degree in engineering is pretty much the same everywhere in the US and that you should therefore make cost a major consideration, but you have obviated the need for me to say that :D/ I think it’s obvious that you should rule out UIUC, given what you’ve told us about winter. I would rule out USC because of the cost, so it comes down to how close to the beach you want to be and how many beautiful people you can stand to have in your neighborhood. I would choose UCSB in a heartbeat. You’re going to work long, hard hours in the engineering buildings and if you can have the benefits of SB just outside your door, no cars, no buses, just flip-flops…</p>

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<p>Would you like to work in the midwest or in southern California? There will be some local bias in recruiting.</p>

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<p>really, ucb? among schools this well known for CSE? that is, in addition to any one person’s possible alma mater biases? doesn’t that work the other way, too: the umich alum at a midwestern firm who won’t higher a UIUC alum but might want to diversify her work force with a UCI alum?</p>

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<p>Despite constant drunken raging? Wow, I knew UCSB students could multi task, but possibly it isn’t constant?</p>

<p>UCSB is a great experience. Their Computer Engineering is excellent, but you have others on that list as well, so at what level is the precise ranking compelling? Only you know that.</p>

<p>And SC is in Watts however, I wouldn’t compare it precisely to the seedy areas of Detroit because it is also near downtown (particularly the Staples Center area and Coliseum) and right by the Museum District, so not a good area, but a lot of things to do are nearby, with a lot of event centers and broad well lit streets (and security guards) breaking up the Watts part. Campus is beautiful. (I couldn’t get my sons to consider it, however.)</p>

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<p>Have they completed that rail line that runs past USC to downtown? That would make it easier to get down town.</p>

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<p>Yes, the Metro train USC to downtown is complete <a href=“http://www.metro.net/about/art/locations/uscexpo-park/”>http://www.metro.net/about/art/locations/uscexpo-park/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>USC is not in Watts. It’s literally several miles from Watts.</p>

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<p>

</p>

<p>Regional bias occurs because:</p>

<p>a. It is more convenient for employers to recruit locally than travel across the country to visit universities. It is also more convenient to set up interviews with candidates who are local. Even if airplane trips are involved, short trips that can make a recruiting trip a day trip instead of a multiday trip can be favored. Smaller companies are less likely to have recruiting resources and recruiting needs to recruit at distant universities.</p>

<p>b. Many students do prefer to seek employment in their local or regional areas, so yield may be better.</p>

<p>c. Most employers care little about regional diversity, because it is neither something they have to worry about from an EOE standpoint nor something that people tend to have a hair trigger over compared to things like race, religion, etc…</p>

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<p>I agree with @BrownParent - your opinions in the original post are all stereotypical. And women find it offensive, to be honest with you.</p>

<p>Now as far as programs go, UCSD is a great option, considering the caliber of school, weather and tuition. UIUC has a well known CS program as well. I am not sure interns there are confined to the mid-west as the school is quite well known and I am sure all the big companies recruit there.</p>

<p>UCSD is not necessarily a commuter school…perhaps you have it confused with Irvine…(again that is also heresay on my part)…Go visit if you can.</p>

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<p>UCSD is definitely not a commuter school- the majority of freshmen live on-campus. It is a very short walk to the beach and there is always a lot going on during weekends. It would be tough to find a more perfect location than La Jolla. It sounds like you might be leaning towards the weather in SO Calif. Definitely visit both UCSB and UCSD before deciding. </p>

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<p>^^ucb: i see; you’re using a broader definition of bias. By bias I meant an inherent prejudice of Midwestern firms against soCal programs or its inverse. Surely wherever you go to school will limit who comes to recruit you, and you will see more recruiters from the school’s region than from any other.</p>

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<p>I apologize to anyone who was offended by the comments in the OP; they were simply summaries and most likely exaggerations that I have found elsewhere. I included them because I wanted people’s insight regarding the truth of some of the stereotypes.</p>

<p>As far as price goes, my parents are footing the bill. They had promised to pay tuition depending on my success in secondary school. I have worked my butt off and am going to be graduating as Valedictorian of my class this June. Price is not as issue.</p>

<p>I really appreciate everyone’s input, it has been very helpful! I am very glad to hear about the new rail at USC; I had been wondering about how difficult it was to find transportation that goes around LA from USC. </p>

<p>@takeitallin I’m glad somebody is able to provide some positive insight about the social scene at UCSD. Most of what I have read beforehand was unfortunately very negative and that is one thing that made me favor UCSB over UCSD a little.</p>

<p>As long as I know that all of the schools have comparable engineering programs, I will most likely plan a trip over spring break to visit all of them.</p>

<p>Is it significantly more difficult to obtain a job on the west coast after graduating form UIUC? What about getting a job on the west coast after attending grad school in the midwest or on the east coast? Is there a difference between undergrad and grad?</p>

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<p>For big companies that recruit everywhere, there is probably not too much difference. But the smaller companies have smaller recruiting needs and budgets, and are likely to mainly recruit locally and regionally for convenience.</p>

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<p>^^ucb: i see; you’re using a broader definition of bias. By bias I meant an inherent prejudice of Midwestern firms against soCal programs or its inverse. Surely wherever you go to school will limit who comes to recruit you, and you will see more recruiters from the school’s region than from any other.</p>

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<p>hey, congratulations on Valedictorian. that’s great! </p>

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<p>Am a Californian, UCSB alum, father-in-law was engineer/professor at USC, husband consulting engineer and have a son heading east for aerospace engineering (UIUC one of the choices). Now he, on the other hand, is adamant about getting out of So Cal for college. :slight_smile:
But I understand…and assume you are from colder climes seeking the sunshine and ocean. UCSB is beautiful but for me, was a major distraction from my studies.
It does appear you are set on being in California…so seems pointless to address the upside of UIUC (i.e. superior to the engineering schools you are looking at in So Cal ). </p>

<p>However USC, UCSB and UCSD are all good schools. And yes, they are also all party schools although UCSB is heads above the rest in that department. All 3 have strong student communities.
You’ll get an excellent education at all 3 campuses if you fully take advantage of what they have to offer. </p>

<p>Your questions:
Is it significantly more difficult to obtain a job on the west coast after graduating form UIUC?
Approx 10% of UIUC grads are working in the San Francisco Bay area
As someone already pointed out, there is some local bias in recruiting but as my engineer husband says: “I always look at the graduate’s credentials first. But you may need to reach out to firms/companies and make yourself known”</p>

<p>Transportation?
The car is king in So California.
USC: public transportation is still very mediocre, in spite of improvements with rail
UCSB: bus transportation is good, campus is isolated although I rarely left the campus and Isla Vista area
UCSD: more of a city school like USC, same transportation issues if not in the immediate area</p>

<p>best of luck.
let us know how your spring break trip goes.</p>