I am currently a Junior and am interested in computer science. I will most likely major in CS, if I switch, it will be to some type of engineering.
A quick background:
ACT Composite: 32 (taking again next week, hoping to finish around a 34)
UW GPA: 4.0
Weighted: 4.8
White male
I am from Kentucky so basically everywhere will be OOS as there are no top level universities here.
I want to stay on the eastern half of the country (essentially no UC schools, UWash, etc.).
I also prefer midsize to large universities.
What are some schools that are good “reaches,” some that match my basic stats, as well as some where I could get decent scholarship?
You should have good prospects among the [url="<a href=“http://theaitu.org%22%5DAITU%5B/url”>http://theaitu.org"]AITU[/url] schools although some might be too small for you.
I would suggest Alabama as a safety. You’ll get decent scholarship. Right now, you’d already get full tuition with the possibility of more. Virginia Tech is another good safety. UMD is a match. Carnegie Mellon could be a good reach along with Cornell and potentially Hopkins. I don’t know if you’d be interested in UIUC and Purdue but those are also good engineering schools. Best of luck!
I second UAlabama (Tuscaloosa = flagship) for CS and Engineering. For a 32 you get guaranteed honors college, honors housing, full tuition scholarship, and $2,500 stipend.
VTech and UMD should be considered reaches since you’d be competing for scholarships.
We don’t have enough information to determine whether CMU is a reach or out of reach.
Check out Northeastern, Tulane, Emory, Brown (automatic reach), Pitt (if you do get a 34 you should have excellent merit scholarships), UCincinnati (especially if you’re interested in co-ops/Cincinnatus full ride app due by Dec 1st), NCSU, UMass Amherst (Commonwealth College).
@Nattybow2015 @MYOS1634 Thanks for all of the input. I have actually already visited Purdue and UMD. I think I prefer Purdue, but they’re both great! I’ll definitely look into these schools you guys have mentioned.
I know UWisc - Madison has a good CS program, but their website and how one actually gets into the specific colleges and majors confuses me. If anyone knows how it works for UW-Mad. could you briefly explain it? Also, how competitive is it to get into their program?
You’re right, U Wisconsin-Madison has an EXCELLENT CS program.
The issue with UWisconsin Madison is that they don’t have large merit scholarship competitions, and you indicate you need financial aid. Since there’s no FA for OOS students, your sole source of scholarship money will be merit awards. Check that out but it may make UWisconsin unaffordable.
@MYOS1634 My dad actually makes quite a bit of money; however, he has said he only wants to pay roughly 15k a year, the rest I need to make up for in scholarship or loans. Are you saying that UW - Mad doesn’t offer the opportunity for loans?
You, as a student, can only borrow $5,500. It’s no longer like in your dad’s time - due to the financial crisis and the loan bubble, students can’t borrow whatever they want. All universities will offer $5,500 in federal loans to go toward your first year. Other loans, called Parent PLUS loans, are taken by parents. If your father has the money, it’d make better financial sense for him to use it, rather than to borrow it at 7% interest!!
Don’t listen to Tulane or Emory. Tulane doesn’t have CS and only biomedical and chemical engineering.Emory has a really bad CS department and no engineering.
If you’re looking into Purdue, you might as well look into University of Illinois–Urbana Champaign (UIUC). It’s a great CS/Enginnering school. Also think about another reach-ish school, the University of Michigan.
https://tulane.edu/sse/cs/
and Tulane offers a lot of merit aid.
@TheDidactic: OP said he needed financial aid/scholarhips. Does UIUC offer a lot of merit? I believe UMichigan is 55K right now, and OOS applicants don’t get their need covered even though they’re trying to change that.
NC State is a match for CS if you apply early (by 10/15). You may also have a good shot at the Park Scholarship, which includes 100% of costs to attend other than travel.
Maryland has a great CS program and the Banner Key program for merit aid.
If your parent’s can only contribute $15,000 annually, then you can only afford $20,500 with the loan you are able to take yourself each year. Your in state option will be the only one affordable without merit aid. Moreover, as long as the CS program is accredited by ABET, the school’s prestige is less important.
@MYOS1634 Hmm, I forgot about that aspect. Thank you for bringing it up. Looking at UIUC, they don’t really have a cut-and-dry list of scholarships. It seems like something they come up with themselves. I think the most they offer in the College of Engineering is 15K a year. That’s not really a lot…Also Michigan doesn’t seem too generous now that I’m looking.
I definitely echo the sentiment for Alabama.
@albclemom They can afford to pay more; however, that’s as much as they want to pay. I’m sure they’ll be willing to cough up a few extra thousand as my dad says the academics and education is more important than the money. What exactly is ABET?
ABET is a non-profit and non-governmental accrediting agency for academic programs in the disciplines of applied science, computing, engineering, and engineering technology. ABET is a recognized accreditor in the United States (U.S.) by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.
ABET accreditation provides assurance that a college or university program meets the quality standards established by the profession for which the program prepares its students. ABET accredits post-secondary programs housed in degree-granting institutions which have been recognized by national or regional institutional accreditation agencies or national education authorities worldwide.
www.abet.org
On their website you can search for computer science programs that have been accredited. The accreditation levels the playing field - regardless of the ranking of the institution by USNWR, etc, the program will not be accredited if it does not meet minimum standards deemed necessary by ABET.
This forum is littered with the complaints of children whose parents can afford to pay more but have chosen not to; these parents have sometimes provided conflicting information to their children such as “we would be willing to pay a few thousand more for a better school” but who, in the end, choose not to do so. Please pick at least one school you would be willing to attend that is within the budget you have been told.
@albclemom I have chosen schools; as of now I have U of Cinci, which might be instate tuition, but I would potentially get full tuition scholarship or more. As well as OSU depending on the scholarship I get, a 34 gives potential for a full ride. And what looks to be Univ. of Alabama which I already have full tuition for. I could also look at NC State.
The reason I mention is that my dad said he would rather pay more for a place such as Purdue or UIUC than go to a not-as-esteemed place such as U of Cinci.
U of Cincinnati has been accredited in Computer Science since 2003; its accreditation in Electrical Engineering dates back to 1936. It is one of the best schools in the country for cooperative education, though Northeastern University gets far more attention in this regard. OSU is a great school, much higher ranked overall than Purdue. UIUC (my alma mater) is the standout of the group, but you would be paying a lot more than for an in-state school.
There is lots of advice on CC regarding the importance of coursework, accreditation and internships with regard to CS - more important than prestige. Apply to a range of schools, but go where you will graduate with the most opportunities to have worked in your field while in college.
In a worldwide ranking for technology and engineering Purdue ranks #45 to OSU’s #64
http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/world-university-rankings/2014-15/subject-ranking/subject/engineering-and-IT
Overall, USNews ranks OSU #54 compared to Purdue at #62.
Forbes ranks Purdue at #119 but OSU at #155.
In short, I don’t see a major difference in rankings between OSU and Purdue.
Stand corrected and agreed - so with OSU being in-state tuition, there really is no justification for the additional tuition you would have to pay to attend Purdue.