UTD vs A&M

State Forums
1

Hey everyone, I’ve been accepted to UTD’s computer science program with the AES scholarship, and I’ve also been accepted to A&M’s Engineering school. I’m waiting to hear back from a majority of OOS colleges, but chances are due to my family’s financial limitations I’ll remain in-state. I’m wondering if its worth it to go to A&M, pay an extra ~12k, and not have my Comp Sci major guaranteed due to how their engineering school works (everyone begins general engineering freshman year, if you get a 3.5 you have priority choice of major but if not its much more difficult), but end up with a more ‘valuable’ degree, allegedly, as it has a better rep, or spend literally no money attending UTD for one of its top majors? I’m looking to pursue a master’s degree in computer science and that leads me to be pretty worried about my undergrad’s weight, but I also need to keep the financial side of things in mind in order to afford a good graduate program.

if that’s too long to read, here’s a shortened version:
pros of UTD: full tuition + 1k stipend, solid school for major
cons of UTD: satellite school, less weight/value to degree = reputation not as strong
vs.
pros of A&M: good rep in engineering, solid school for major
cons of A&M: little/no scholarship, no guarantee that i’ll get my desired major

For those wondering, I’m waiting on UCI, UCSD, UNC-Chapel Hill, among others, the UC schools being my dream destinations, but unfortunately extremely pricey. Only heard back from two other schools, received 10k per year from Iowa, and got rejected from UT-Austin’s Comp Sci, which was expected as I’m in-state+not top 7%+applying for one of their most competitive majors.

Also, very new to the site so I wasn’t exactly quite sure where to put this - apologies if it fits better in another section!

2

Go to UTD. CS program is very good.

3

I vote for UTD too!

4

UTD will not disadvantage you in the graduate school application process at all. In fact, since you would be considered a top student there, it could be an advantage in many ways. You can point to your scholarship, and also hopefully make top grades there. You can go to a more prestigious place for grad school, and also save up funds for that as well.

5

Another vote for UTD.

Not sure why mommyrocks thinks OP would be a top student there as the only stat we know is that his/her rank wasn’t strong enough to get into UT. I know multiple McDermott Scholars there. Top notch in every way who could have gone to any number of the most selective schools. Being in the top 5% of the class is a requirement.

6

@Youdon’tsay By no means am I saying I’d be a ‘top student’ there, but despite my inability to get into the top 7% at my public school (which is in Austin, by the way), I still was in the top 10%, and my test scores are a bit above average (2020 superscored SAT, 31 composite ACT), so I think I’d have a decent chance at doing well at a college like UTD.

7

Absolutely! I wasn’t commenting on anything you said. I was referring to a poster who indicated that you would be a top student there while having next to no information about you. :wink: Knowing you have a 2020, we now know that you are right at the 75th percentile as compared to this year’s freshman class so, yeah, you are right in there and likely would do well. For CS, it’s a great school. Congrats!

8

My prayer is my D21 gets NMF in TX and goes to UTD

9

Any more advice?