I will be a sophomore at UW Madison this fall and I was just offered transfer admission into GaTech. I’ve been accepted into Computer Engineering for both, if I stayed at Madison I’d double major in CS. Ignoring all other factors besides prestige, salary, projected jobs, and how easy it is to get a job (location, big company like Google), what do you think about the prospect of transferring? I am having a very very hard time. I’ve tons of forum reading on reddit and CC but I am looking for any more answers I can get. The reason I say ignore other factors is because to be honest, they do play a large role but I won’t go into detail. I’m only asking about how much better GaTech is than Madison in the factors I listed, or if it even is ‘better’, or at least better enough to warrant a transfer. I also posted this to the transfer forum but I decided to post here as well to get more specific GaTech answers.
@kwilson13
I think the rank and reputation of Madison and GT in CS is close but Georgia Tech is slightly better name recognition across the entire US .
Atlanta is clearly a high tech city with great business options too. Madison is just not the best place for high tech. Wisconsin is more of a “cheese head” “motorcycle” feel, (pardon me, if someone feels insulted by this.including OP) Georgia Tech offers GTRI right on campus, a research institute where you can get part time work, summer work or do a masters degree. its really good for CE. Really top. And I think Georgia Tech is very well connected to Washington DC, and the west coast. DC jobs tend to be government related and those jobs are coveted and hard to land. GT will give you an edge if you want to work in government high tech, Navy, Army labs, NSA , there is a virtual pipeline from Georgia Tech to the NSA in Maryland. The NSA is a group of 20,000 mathematicians and computer scientists and engineers.
Madison is more of a party school. GT a tad more serious, with good parties and Greek life. I think you can goof off and do OK at Madison, but you tell me ! At GT you will have less time to goof off. (if you want As and Bs)
I think the educations are very close though in content, probably more grade inflation at Madison.
You may meet some really cool people at GT and expand your horizons, so that may be reason to move.
Do you have a lot of friends at Madison? Are you happy there?
@kwilson13 Be very careful that GT will accept all your credits. It may take four MORE years at GT, if you are not careful to plan and if your Madison credits do not all transfer. Job fairs and entrepreneurship are outstanding at GT.
Study abroad is a bargain, too at GT. YOu will pay in state tuition if you study overseas for a semester.
@kwilson13 Are you transferring to Tech?
No, I’ve decided to stay at Madison .