I’m an international student from India. Major - computer science
I am accepted or expecting a yes from the following colleges:
UMass Amherst- Accepted with 14k chancellor’s award per year(Now - 160k for 4 years)
Purdue - Expecting a yes (190k approx for 4 years)
U wisconsin madison - Accepted ( 220k for 4 years approx)
UT Austin - Expecting a yes ( 210k for 4 years approx)
Finances do matter for me in making my decision.
Are UT Austin or U Wisconsin madison worth the extra money compared to UMass Amherst?
“worth the extra money” is a relative term. If you are very wealthy and money is no issue, then Texas and Wisconsin might be worth it. If not, the differences among those programs won’t have any major impact on you. UMASS has three great majors: Business, Computer Science, and Nursing.
The other questions you should be asking are, at each school:
a. Do you have direct admission to the CS major?
b. If not, what are the criteria (e.g. GPA at the university) to be admitted to the CS major?
I have direct admission into CS program of Umass
And at wisconsin i just have to take one course in the first semester to get cs
If i get accepted to ut austin I’ll most likely get cs(Some of my friends told me)
@ucbalumnus
I’m not rich and money does come into play in my decision. @ljberkow
CS at UMass is excellent and if you have direct admission to the CS program then it’s a no brainer. 
how is umass compared to uwisconsin and ut austin?(keeping the cost factor aside) @MYOS1634 @ucbalumnus @ljberkow
UMass CS v. U Wisconsin cs are equal.
After that, we’re talking about two cool towns in cold climates.
UT is Texas so hot and humid, fun city.
according to you which is the best univ out of all the ones which i mentioned to go to?(keeping the cost factor aside) @MYOS1634
They’re all the same, the main difference is cold (MA, WI) v. hot&humid (TX), basically. All three are liberal, all three are in cool towns/cities, all three have lots of things to do, all three have good relations with industry…
Did you get into the Honors College at any of the three?
Nope @MYOS1634
I will point out one more factor to consider, which is the size of the city. UT Austin is in the heart of Austin, a major city of over two million people, while the other choices are located in much smaller cities. There is a major airport located in Austin as well, to simplify travel there and back home. You would have tons of opportunities for possible internships locally or a variety of activities, and you would have access to all kinds of resources that big cities have. UT Austin Computer Science program is a top 10 program based in the Gates-Dell Complex that opened in 2013 (see https://news.utexas.edu/2013/03/06/for-wed-gates-computer-science-complex-and-dell-hall-begin-new-era-of-computing-education-and-research). UT also has the Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC) which is one of the best supercomputing centers in the country. If you could afford UT and were sure of getting into the CS program, that is probably the best option on your list. But finances often do dictate choices, and that is okay too, so it would be perfectly fine to choose U Mass for that reason. My daughter got into Cornell, but she chose another university that offered her big scholarships because finances were an issue. We all have to make decisions that fit the reality of our situation. For U Mass, you would be flying in and out of Boston likely, and get to know that city in addition to Amherst. In the summers you could do internships anywhere in the country or world, so you won’t be entirely limited by your location of study. If finances are the main consideration at this point, then you already have your answer of where to go.
Thanks a lot @mommyrocks
UMass is well regarded for the CS program. It is in a five college consortium so you can take classes elsewhere if you choose although I think its usually the LAC students that go to the University for classes unavailable to them in the smaller schools. UT Austin is an additional $50,000. You have to ask yourself, all other things being equal is being in a hot climate vs. cold climate desirable? Is easier access to the airport a selling point? And probably most importantly, are you sure you’ll get into the CS program at UT Austin?
The climate in texas would be ideal for me as I live in India. Where as it would take some time for me to adjust to the climate in mass or wisconsin.
I’ll most likely get cs if i get accepted to ut austin.
And getting cs at wisconsin is easy.
Some of my friends here in India are like it is worth the money to attend either ut austin or uw madison coz of better alumni and better peer group. How far is it true? And is it actually worth 50k?
And overall ut austin and uw madison are ranked way better than umass amherst.
@NEPatsGirl
UMass is your least expensive option, and money is a factor for you. CS at UMass is highly regarded, and aside from CS there is a great deal to like about the university. UMass offers the option to take classes at four other colleges as well as your own. Decisions are hard, but UMass is a great choice.
UMass should be a no brainer, seriously.
“CS at UMass is excellent”
“UMass should be a no brainer, seriously.”
Exactly. We hire a LOT of CS majors from UMass Amherst. The CS program there is indeed excellent. Get yourself a good winter coat and a good pair of boots (both will be available locally) and you will do very well there. It is also in a location that at least to me is very attractive.
Congratulations on your acceptances and best wishes!
Amherst for sure – beautiful town, gave you the most money, and pretty good program of the 4 schools.
UT weather is not hot and humid. Hot early in the fall semester and maybe late int eh Spring. Never really humid.
UT CS department is very highly ranked, and Austin is really becoming a hot spot for hi-tech jobs (the number of moving vans heading east from California to Austin each year is pretty amazing).
it all depends on the money
Austin. Warmer winters and great town with serious tech infrastructure. Low taxes. Never have to leave.