<p>There's a bit of a backstory to this, but please bear with me...or just skip to the list at the bottom and help me decide.</p>
<p>In August I told my parents that I would rather study computer engineering than go into medicine like they wanted me to. Back then I wasn't sure about studying computer engineering since I felt lost and hadn't had any idea of what to do other than medicine. I latched onto the idea of studying computer engineering but didn't know if it was actually the best decision to make. So when my parents told me that I wouldn't be able to get a job in computers (my father works as a software engineer and believes it's a bad time to be one) and that they wouldn't pay a cent for college unless I studied medicine, I agreed to apply to accelerated medical programs and colleges that were good in biomedical engineering. I've been accepted to some mid-tier accelerated medical programs, and they were happy. I was pretty miserable for months, though, since I felt aimless, lacked control over my future, and felt a lot of anxiety about suffering through medical school and residency for years. About a month ago I decided to major in computer science and I felt very relieved that I could study something that I enjoy (I'm taking AP Computer Science and feel more talented in it than in any other subject except math) and then start working and being independent at just 22. Unfortunately, I'm in a bit of a pickle. I have yet to tell my parents, but that's not the main problem. I didn't apply to good computer science schools; I applied to good biomedical engineering schools and schools with med programs. There are some options, but not at CMU, Berkeley, and UIUC, which I would have applied to if I'd made my decision four months ago. Also, I may very well need to take loans for everything not covered by scholarships since my parents might not pay anything. Here are my options:</p>
<ol>
<li>NJIT (full ride)</li>
<li>TCNJ (full ride)</li>
<li>Georgia Tech (no Presidential scholarship and not sure what other aid I might get yet - I have a high EFC and am out of state)</li>
<li>Penn State (out of state)</li>
<li>Drexel University (full tuition with National Merit Scholarship)</li>
<li>Miami University ($23,700 in scholarships)</li>
<li>Rensselaer Polytechnic (not sure yet, but I am a Rensselaer Medalist, so I'll get something)</li>
</ol>
<p>I'll also have $1000 per year from my father's company's National Merit scholarship.</p>
<p>You did not apply to Rutgers, since it appears you may be a NJ resident?</p>
<p>If you don’t want to be dragged down by loans and don’t want to fight with your parents about money over the next four years, go to one of your full ride schools (TCNJ or NJIT, or one of the other schools if it gives you a full ride or close to it). Both TCNJ and NJIT are ABET accredited in computer science and computer engineering, so their degree programs meet a reasonably high minimum standard, although you may have to be more aggressive at finding companies to apply to for internships and first job at graduation, than if you were at a more high profile school for CS.</p>
<p>It may be difficult, but you can still do pre-med alongside a computer science major. However, computer science courses with programming and chemistry/biology courses with labs can be very time consuming. But it can be an option if you need to do pre-med (or at least a token effort) to keep the family peace.</p>
<p>Odd comment your father made about it being a bad time to be a software engineer. I’m an IT director and just this afternoon our CIO told me he read an article that demand for IT folks (including software engineers) will be high through at least 2020. Obviously once you have some experience your prospects are even better than as a new graduate, but jobs are out there. As usbalumnus commented, as long at your CS program is ABET certified their standards should be sufficient.</p>
<p>I’m not sure what his reasoning was, exactly. It was mostly anecdotal. He still has his job, anyway. Is the advantage provided by going to Georgia Tech or Rensselaer not worth the extra cost?</p>
<p>The problem is that the “extra cost” is not just money, but fights with your father about your choice of course work (wanting you to do pre-med and not do computer science) where he would be able to use the money that they are contributing as leverage against you.</p>
<p>It would not be a good idea to take out loans to cover the full cost of RPI or GT out-of-state, and you probably could not get more than the relatively small Stafford loan limit without your parents co-signing them anyway.</p>
<p>I do think that Ga Tech and RPI could offer a couple more choices coming out of school, but your success based more on what you do after that first job. I don’t know what the breakeven point may be, but I would be willing to say if you had to borrow $20,000 a year (just to pick a nice round number), I find it hard to believe it would be worth it.</p>
<p>Of the schools you listed with a full ride, my inclination would be to say that Drexel is the best choice.</p>
<p>I had parents who wished they chose another direction in life. Is this the case with yours?</p>
<p>OP listed Drexel with full tuition, but TCNJ and NJIT with full ride. That seems to be a significant difference, and a student would be hard pressed to borrow the full non-tuition costs when parents are unwilling to contribute or co-sign a loan. However, co-op jobs (integral in Drexel’s curriculum, but generally doable at other schools) may provide some income to pay some of the costs.</p>
<p>Don’t choose a school on the strength of a single major or program. The odds that you’ll stick to that program and then graduate directly into a relevant field and remain there are actually fairly small. Moreover, most people (including many recruiters and HR types) aren’t intimately familiar with the strengths and weaknesses of individual programs or departments, and tend to make generalized assumptions based on the school’s overall academic reputation.</p>
<p>For example: I’m in cybersecurity (with an emphasis on mobile platforms) now. I began my (first) college career with some vague idea about going into “international business.” That lasted scarcely a year, after which I went through English (first degree), two years of a very short lived career in marketing, Geophysics, Physics, and finally Computer Science (with a math minor). Anecdotal or not, I’m scarcely alone.</p>
<p>I would consider:</p>
<p>1.) Cost/value (as costs skyrocket while the value of a bachelors degree plummets, there’s no sense in taking on massive debt to go to ANY school)
2.) Overall fit and feel (the happier you are, the better you’ll do)
3.) General academic reputation</p>
<p>I goofed on the TCNJ information. The financial aid is actually $10,000 per year, so the total expense (tuition, fees, room, and board) for me would be about $14,700/year including the National Merit scholarship.</p>
<p>My son is trying to chose between the following three colleges. He will likely study computer science in some way – likely a major, but also maybe as a minor – in which case, I am not sure what he will major in at this point. So far, he loves computer science, is kind of a creative type, but also likes programming. He does not love math, but can get through it. So I am not sure that I see him as a programmer.</p>
<p>Here are the schools:</p>
<p>Rutgers (New Brunswick) - (computer science major is part of the liberal arts school - SAS)
University of Massachusetts - (not as highly rated as a school, but CS program rated well)
Binghamton University </p>
<p>What do you know about any of these programs? What should he consider when making this decision? Where might you go if you had these choices? </p>
<p>All schools cost approximately the same thing when one factors in merit aid received. </p>
<p>You should make a new thread; people will get confused.</p>
<p>I don’t know much about any of those schools (although I have heard some good things about Rutgers CS), but As far as math goes, it’s really not that critical in order to do well in CS and get a good job. There are some classes and career paths that will require some or a lot of math, but there are just as many that require none at all.</p>
<p>Respectable CS degree programs will typically require calculus, linear algebra, discrete math, and a CS theory course that is like a math course. Some additional math may be helpful in some specialties (e.g. abstract algebra and number theory for cryptography).</p>