Cal Poly SLO (admitted for computer science)
USC (admitted for computer science)
UCSD (admitted but as undeclared)
UCSC (admitted for computer science)
Right now I’m a high school senior and I am considering these colleges in pursuit of a Computer Science major. After college, I would like to stay in California and find a job as a Software Engineer at a company like Google, Apple, Microsoft, or an aerospace company. What will be the best program for getting to this point disregarding the cost of attendance?
I am from LA and I have already landed internships for this summer and last summer at Northrop Grumman.
if cost is irrelevant, USC.
@bluebayou any particular reasons as to why?
I would eliminate UCSD since you do have a direct admit into CS.
Are costs an issue? How do the costs compare between schools?
The rest of the schools academically will offer what you need for your undergrad degree.
I would first compare their CS curriculum’s and see if there are any major differences in the program and which school may offer more electives in some area of particular interest.
You will spending 4 years at one of these schools, so how do you feel about the locations and social scene?
Finally, what kind of resources are available such the Career counseling, job recruiting etc… Check out the career center for each school.
@Gumbymom Costs aren’t really an issue, but if I don’t go to USC then I can save $100,000 that could be put towards investing in a house or anything else. In terms of the social scene, I’d prefer to move away from home cause I feel like I’ll meet more people from living on campus. USC I’d probably stay at home cause of how nearby it is, but for the rest, I will need to move out.
$100K is a huge difference. If you don’t mind a small town vibe, I would pick Cal Poly SLO over UCSC. SLO’s CS program is well regarded by top employers and their graduates are well represented in these companies.
@Gumbymom thanks for the advice!
SLO is an excellent option and good connections with those companies. Also UCSD is amazing, but I would contact them, and understand what needs to be done to get into the CS department. I don’t think I would quite eliminate UCSC given the close proximity to SV, and their contacts. USC is good, but not worth 100k. Always good to venture a little bit away. If you can do EECS at UCSD, I would strongly consider. You have great options, Congrats.
@clubtennisletsgo: Undeclared to CS at UCSD is done by lottery after you complete the required courses and have a minimum GPA. I really do not think it is worth the risk since OP has 3 very good schools as a direct admit.
I’d pick Cal Poly head to head cost the same over USC. They are HIGHLY regarded in CA for engineering, CS and SE. My son’s SE roommate had multiple great internships, multiple offers before graduation and started at well over 6 figures at a company you named. At $100k difference, Poly is a no brainer. Put that in a broad basket of stocks and get average historical returns over your next 40 years and that $100k turns into $1.5M inflation adjusted. That’s the opportunity cost of choosing USC over CP. I don’t see any reason to pick USC over Cal Poly unless you just can’t stand the idea of leaving the city. Unlike the unsubstantiated prior USC rec, here’s the top 5 employers for CS grads according to LinkedIn…USC: Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Facebook, Amazon Web Services…Cal Poly: Amazon, Google, Apple, Microsoft, Workday. There’s no appreciable difference. Enjoy idyllic SLO and the hundred grand earning you money before you set foot on campus. Congrats!
I’m with everyone else. CalPoly SLO is a terrific school in one of the most beautiful locations in California, with a terrific town nearby. You can’t go wrong–it’s a slam dunk.
@Gumbymom - thanks for the insight. My spouse is also faculty at UC and stated similarly that GPA requirement for ME is 3.95! Outrageous. He mentioned that it is a big problem, as people get stuck and that brings down morale.
Cal Poly SLO all the way.
Cal poly slo or ucsc, both of them will be great choices. Btw, my friend got a job at apple by just getting a bachelors degree from computer science at ucsc
Nobody gets a job at Apple just because they got a CS degree from a particular college. They still have to make it through interviews.
@SageM5862: Just saw your post and if I were in your shoes, I think I’d definitely pick Cal Poly SLO due to factors of ROI, CS enrollment certainty, program peer effects and relationships, UG resources dedication and job prospects. Again, even w/o cost consideration, I’d still pick Cal Poly SLO for UG education and save some $$ for graduate program in case I want to pursue one later.
Here are links for your reference:
https://www.cnbc.com/2017/06/28/the-30-colleges-with-the-most-alums-at-top-tech-companies.html
https://www.wired.com/2014/05/alumni-network-2/
Good luck!
Also given the uncertainty of 2nd wave of pandemic, I am really reluctant to pay that $ for a possible online-education even just for a couple of semesters.
-Just my two cents.