Probably if you want to use it as a pipeline into a job with Microsoft or Amazon. Probably not otherwise. Both schools are ranked pretty equally in most rankings of CS programs.
It also depends on how meaningful that $8k difference is to the family in question. For some families that difference would be trivial. For others it represents a hardship.
The “worth” of a school to a particular student has to do with a lot more than just how highly rated a particular program is.
I am really inclined towards the entrepreneurial aspect and hence aim to start my own business rather than doing a job asof now, what would be better for that?
$8k would be fine as I am an international student and already spending a lot so if its worth it, it would be fine for my family.
They are both good schools.
If you are an international student who intends to return home then whichever school has the higher profile and better reputation in our own country might give you the best edge.
Might be worth your while to ask around locally of some tech companies and engineers and such and see if one school is better known or has a better reputation where you live. Or has a bigger local alumni network which can be important as well.
Does anyone have any info about whether Community College credits (out of state- CA, especially) earned during HS will count as transfer credits? My daughter has a friend who entered UW-Seattle a few years ago and said that they didn’t accept many of his credits even from a WA community college. I thought I saw something online that said WA and a few other states have tried to simplify transferring credits. Any thoughts on this? Thanks
UW has a lot of information on their web site about credit transfers. You will find all the information there.
Generally speaking the UW itself will sometimes accept transfer credits but individual departments won’t count them towards their departmental requirements. So, for example, you might be able to take Molecular Biology at a community college and get the UW to take the credit, but the department of Molecular Biology may not allow it to be used to meet their departmental prerequisites (because the classes aren’t identical) and you may have to repeat the class at the UW. So the community college credit essentially becomes elective credit that doesn’t count towards your major. That is just an example that I made up off the top of my head but the general principal applies. Just because UW allows a credit to transfer doesn’t mean your major will allow it to be used towards the requirements of that major.
Credit transfers are probably going to be easier for lower level core classes (English 101, History 101, Spanish 101, Calculus 101, etc.) than upper level specialty classes within a major.
The window for incoming freshmen to sign up for housing is coming up I think from May 4th through 11th or something to that effect.
Does anyone know if this is a first-come first-served type of thing like registering for classes? Or if anyone who gets their housing application in during the open period have an equal chance of getting their housing of choice?
In other words, do you need to get it in as soon as the housing portal opens to freshmen? Or do you just need to make sure you don’t miss the deadline?
@Camasite, technically I do not believe housing is first-come, first-served for incoming freshman. That said, I recommend that your daughter try to apply for housing as soon as the portal opens. Last year we had dealt with an access glitch that took days to resolve. And then when we finally resolved it, my daughter and her friends decided to get an apartment nearby instead. 
@Camasite - at the housing session for admitted student preview, they were very clear that you have no advantage of when during the window you sign up for housing, as long as you sign up within the window. They didn’t recommend waiting until the end just in case of a tech issue. It sounds like it is some sort of digital lottery for room sign ups and they will assign you a date and time to select your room later.
For those who have been admitted, do you need to notify admission if you have a Course change for Spring quarter (dual enrollment class dropped- not a CADR or transferrable but was on application)?
was it direct?
My daughter is a direct admit to Foster from OOS. She is really struggling with her decision. Trying to decide between UW Foster, USC Marshall and University of Delaware. Thoughts?
Is your daughter in state for one of the other schools? Has she received substantial scholarships from the other colleges? UW is a very good university, and Foster is a well-regarded program, but I think student fit and finances are important.
We are from the Northeast so OOS for all of them. Very small merit $ from USC so tuition, fees, room & board will be $75k. $5400 from UW so TFRB will be $47k. Very generous merit from UDel so TFRB will be $20k. With the crazy good stock market, I somehow have enough $ saved for any of them so cost is less of an issue. We always said grad school was on them but if she went to UW or UDel there would probably be $ leftover to pay for some/all of grad school but not if she went to USC… We were able to visit last week and she really loved the UW campus and the vibe and feels like the people are more her type. Didn’t love LA as much as she thought she would but really loved the USC campus and I think is a little swayed by the “prestige” of USC but not into the “spoiled children” thing. She likes the ability at USC to also take classes in cinematic arts or the music industry. At UDel she’d come in with so many AP credits that she could triple major in finance, international business and hospitality mgmt and she was accepted into the World Scholars program where she’d study abroad 2nd semester freshman year and again her junior year. At UW she’d study finance and could study abroad but she doesn’t feel like it has the extra opportunities (she didn’t get into honors). If you’ve read this far I really appreciate you listening to my brain dump : )
Even though my daughter is at UW and really likes it (including her classes, the students, and the vibe), I would probably tell your daughter to attend UDel for the additional opportunities, the financial aid, and the ability to come home easily. My daughter started in college on the East Coast but decided she wanted to be back in the PNW. Wishing your daughter and your family the best!
Received a very unexpected surprise today. Son had been licking his wounds this past month from not getting accepted into engineering. However, UW emailed him that he was accepted into the engineering school and had also updated the portal. He had not appealed the decision. His original acceptance letter emphasized that if he wanted to major in engineering, there would be little chance, if any, for him to transfer into the school so he should plan on going elsewhere. So today is some good news for a change in our house!
Congrats! Direct admit for engineering is a game changer! Had he already accepted admission when he was notified of the change? My daughter took UW off her list based on not getting direct admit but she loves the school.
@alohalivin , thanks. Yes, he had already accepted the original offer of admission to arts and science. It’s too bad that they don’t let you know that you are on a “wait list” for engineering because he might have gone a more expensive route. Good luck to your daughter!