<p>Hello CC, I am a 19 year old community college student at Mass Bay. My high school grades were not the greatest, so I'm looking to advance my education through the transfer programs available in community college. I'd like to major in the STEM fields; my primary interests for pursuing my bachelor's degree are CS, perhaps even ECE. I'm wondering which schools are actually known for being really good undergraduate courses for CS or any STEM majors. I'm aware of Northeastern, Amherst, Harvard, MIT, WP being a few on the list. I'd like to hear from people with hands on knowledge. Additionally I should say that I would like to strive for a scholarship or a full grant to participate in college because my family lacks the sufficient funds to put me through the process, so any information on how exactly I can execute these motions would be greatly appreciated. Let me know when I should move this question to another thread or post in a different sub forum. Thank you in advance :)</p>
<p>There are some details I’ve left out. My highlighting subject is English, I’m unsure when I will be able to use this asset in an effort to gain academic support. I’m wondering how difficult it is to be accepted into whichever schools do draw my attention, whether it be so simple as asking the school personally what they do require from transfer students or be it a difficult process (i.e. how does a CC student gain acceptance from an institution such as Harvard, MIT, Yale, Stanford, Berkley…)</p>
<p>Assuming that you are a resident of Massachusetts, University of Massachusetts - Amherst is an obvious school to look into, with a well respected CS major. However, you should check its net price calculator and scholarship availability to see how affordability stacks up for you.</p>
<p>Amherst College has a rather small and limited CS department, but its consortium arrangement may give you access to the larger CS department at University of Massachusetts - Amherst.</p>
<p>Northeastern is co-op oriented; this may be a plus or minus for you, and you need to check how they handle transfer students with respect to co-ops.</p>
<p>Regarding transfer difficulty, check each school’s web site. Public universities are often more transfer friendly, at least to same-state community college students. Super-selective private universities often take few (e.g. Stanford) or no (e.g. Princeton) transfers, though Columbia and Cornell take more than most. USC (Trojans) is another private school that takes significant numbers of transfers.</p>
<p>You need to check each school’s net price calculator and merit scholarships for affordability in your situation. The super-selective schools have only need-based aid, not merit scholarships.</p>
<p>UMass-Lowel is good also. While UMass-Amherst is the biggest and flagship UMass school, not many folks in CS-hiring positions would know where UMass’ main campus is located.</p>
<p>In other words, I doubt one of these “beltway bandits” in the DC/MD/VA area would care between Amherst and Lowell.</p>
<p>Hey alumnus, thank you for replying. I am indeed a resident of Massachusetts.You say attending a coop may be positive or negative, could you explain the downside to this?</p>
<p>Some students prefer to do co-op jobs (taking quarters or semesters off school to do so), while others prefer to finish school as soon as possible.</p>
<p>At Northeastern, the number of co-ops you can complete depends on when you transfer; you would do 1 or 2 (vs. 3 for the normal program): [Transfer</a> - Cooperative Education](<a href=“http://www.northeastern.edu/coop/students/transfer/]Transfer”>http://www.northeastern.edu/coop/students/transfer/)</p>
<p>In my totally unbiased opinion as a Northeastern student, I think getting the experience of co-op is really great, and it can be very beneficial when entering the job market after graduation. That said, I do not know what sort of aid is offered to transfers. Like any school, I do not think that it is worth going into massive debt for the sake of one aspect like co-op.</p>
<p>Note that many schools offer optional formal co-ops (check their career center web sites), and even many that do not have generous withdrawal and readmission policies that allow you to take a semester or quarter off to work in a co-op-like job.</p>
<p>There are some schools like Framingham State ([Framingham</a> State University - Computer Science - Department of Computer Science](<a href=“http://www.framingham.edu/computer-science/index.html]Framingham”>http://www.framingham.edu/computer-science/index.html)) that offer co-ops. I’d rather go to a school which has a greater reputation to attract the better companies or employers (I’m not sure, the term may be an ‘accredited school’)</p>
<p>University of Massachusetts - Amherst has optional co-ops:
[UMass</a> Amherst - Careers Services: The Co-op Process](<a href=“http://www.umass.edu/careers/internships/coopprocess/]UMass”>The Co-op Process | Career Development & Professional Connections | UMass Amherst)</p>
<p>So does University of Massachusetts - Lowell:
[Career</a> & Co-op Center](<a href=“http://www.uml.edu/student-services/Career-Services/For-Students/default.aspx]Career”>http://www.uml.edu/student-services/Career-Services/For-Students/default.aspx)</p>
<p>So does Worchester Polytechnic Institute:
[Career</a> Development Center - Co-op](<a href=“http://www.wpi.edu/Admin/CDC/co-op7914.html]Career”>http://www.wpi.edu/Admin/CDC/co-op7914.html)</p>
<p>University of Massachusetts - Amherst has optional co-ops:
[UMass</a> Amherst - Careers Services: The Co-op Process](<a href=“http://www.umass.edu/careers/internships/coopprocess/]UMass”>The Co-op Process | Career Development & Professional Connections | UMass Amherst)</p>
<p>So does University of Massachusetts - Lowell:
[Career</a> & Co-op Center](<a href=“http://www.uml.edu/student-services/Career-Services/For-Students/default.aspx]Career”>http://www.uml.edu/student-services/Career-Services/For-Students/default.aspx)</p>
<p>So does Worchester Polytechnic Institute:
[Career</a> Development Center - Co-op](<a href=“http://www.wpi.edu/Admin/CDC/co-op7914.html]Career”>http://www.wpi.edu/Admin/CDC/co-op7914.html)</p>
<p>MIT Lincoln Lab hires co-op students, from MIT and other schools:
[MIT</a> Lincoln Laboratory: Student Programs](<a href=“http://www.ll.mit.edu/college/studentprograms.html]MIT”>http://www.ll.mit.edu/college/studentprograms.html)</p>
<p>Would you know the process of pursuing cs in fields such as automobile software? Perhaps just an undergrad cs course or something more specific. I’m curious to know where cs could take me, I’m sure there are limitless possibilities</p>
<p>Surely you can do some googling and read about jobs for CS majors. Yes it is extensive. But you can go many directions with a basic CS degree. You will often specialize on the job. Automobile software is not something you will likely find a class in. You would likely be a software engineer specializing in embedded systems. When you start a CS program, you start very general with things everyone needs to know, centering around math and how computing works. In your upper division classes you will have some room for taking electives in the areas that you are interested in.</p>
<p>English isn’t really a good transfer major for someone looking to major in CS as you need a lot of prerequisites and basic courses before you could start as a Jr in CS.</p>
<p>Look at college websites to read about transfer requirements. You can also search and find transfer admit rates.</p>
<p>Some of the colleges you mention are ridiculously selective and take few transfers. To get in from a CC you would have to be an exceptional student, a true star at your CC and likely involved extensively in extracurricular community involvement as well. They are also extremely costly, though they give lots of aid. There is almost always a portion that the family must pay, and this may or may not be within your means. Read about financial aid in the financial aid forum, there are posts pinned to the top. </p>
<p>All the schools discussed here are regionally accredited. Although accredited isn’t much indication of great quality it is essential. I don’t think that is the word you are looking for. </p>
<p>CS majors enjoy a pretty good job outlook and state schools are often considered as good or better than private schools in the job market. UMass Amherst is particularly a good one.</p>
<p>Take advantage of advising at your college. They will know what you need to take to target transferring to a 4 year. Read about articulation agreements. Here is an agreement with your CC and UMass Lowell that outlines the requirements you would need in order to transfer as a CS major.
<a href=“http://www.uml.edu/docs/Mass%20Bay%20Community%20College%20Computer%20Science%20Articulation%20agr_tcm18-6175.PDF[/url]”>http://www.uml.edu/docs/Mass%20Bay%20Community%20College%20Computer%20Science%20Articulation%20agr_tcm18-6175.PDF</a></p>
<p>In all it sounds like you have a lot of basic knowledge gaps and need to do some reading.</p>
<p>You could be right. Many times I go through forums or articles, then I may contribute to the communities while forgetting to write down specific details in my posts. I should add that I have acknowledged more than the few schools listed within this thread, written down personal lists of over a dozen colleges which I should look into within Ma… My mind is open. Still I won’t deny I am closer to ground zero academically. </p>
<p>One of my high school teachers told me to only take general courses at CC (i.e <a href=“http://www.massbay.edu/uploadedFiles/Second_Level_Pages/Academics/Curriculum-Sheet-STEM-General-Studies-AS.pdf[/url]”>http://www.massbay.edu/uploadedFiles/Second_Level_Pages/Academics/Curriculum-Sheet-STEM-General-Studies-AS.pdf</a>) because that is what colleges will want to see, this UMASS Lowell pdf indicates specificity… perhaps I’ve misunderstood. You are right, some schools are really exclusive - financially or selectively. Accredited is not the term I mean to use, rather than saying I’d like attending a school with a highly regarded undergrad course, curriculum or praised in general. That being said, I know I should not break my back for Harvard when Lowell will give me all the same benefits as a worker upon graduation (this is hypothetic), then again it may be worth it, which I would strive for upon knowing so. Additionally I’ve thought about possible military enrollment or ROTC to help me out with college funding. </p>
<p>What I am missing is the knowledge of knowing how to control my finances or be the smartest person when handling my money, because I don’t necessarily want to spend my time running in circles or burdening myself without reason (you know, some people work so hard through school, gain their degree, then they are still working at Sears because of a small mistakes… some things they did not do or know to do; life is tricky, or money is exponential). </p>
<p>There are some basic knowledge gaps, the thing is I tend to leave things out so sometimes I’m hearing things twice over or relearning, I’ve done my homework consistently outside of the classroom (which I do continue to do, concurrently). I will def look at the financial aid forum plus I am meeting with my counselor soon. I will clarify that I don’t mean to pursue an English major, instead I am wondering when my writing will become of any use to me in regards to actually getting into a good school or getting financial aid (some people will pay one to continue being good… these things may not always pay off right away)</p>
<p>At CC, you will want to take the courses needed to prepare for transfer in your target major at your target four year school(s). So if you attend CC with a goal of transferring to a four year school as a CS major, you will want to take at CC the lower division CS and math courses as specified by those four year schools’ CS majors.</p>
<p>Should I aim for graduate school or should I just earn my bachelor’s degree then work?</p>
<p>Do both.</p>
<p>Get the B.S. degree, get work experience…then get a M.S./M.Eng. On top of that, you may want to pick up some industry certifications…depending on which CS area you are working in.</p>
<p>One reason to put off graduate school (especially in CS) is because software engineering is HEAVY on what you know and have prior experience. Once you have actual software engineering experience under your belt, your academic credential plays a much less role. </p>
<p>Another reason to go to grad school after obtaining work experience is that having a graduate CS degree without experience will not net you much. For the senior-level software job that requires/prefers a graduate degree:</p>
<p>Graduate degree + experience later = Experience + graduate degree later</p>
<p>Employers are not going to give you “extra” because you receive your Masters at age 22 instead of age 30…if the position calls for 8 years experience and a Masters.</p>
<p>One more reason to go to grad school after obtaining work experience is that at many schools (except for probably the Top-10) will relax the GPA (and maybe even GRE) requirements for graduate school admission. Me personally, I would have not been allowed near the parking lot of U-Wisconsin with my undergrad GPA, but since I had 8 years experience when I applied, that allowed me to get provisional admission, which meant I get 3 grad courses to prove my worth. Well, it is not hard to ace a few CS/Engineering grad courses when you have ACTUALLY DONE PAID WORK in the course topics.</p>
<p>GlobalTraveller</p>
<p>Should I suppose an internship within a school’s co-op program may become useful in terms of gaining experience or putting off graduate school, or will I stand corrected? </p>
<p>Which are some industry certifications one should look at, or bother applying to (perhaps culinary may be far-fetched in this instance)?</p>
<p>I am similarly intrigued to know… When things will go accordingly, let’s say a student performs outstandingly academically or in the working field for ample time after graduating once… Will one be able to do something fancy with obtaining a graduate degree? There may be a way to create new opportunity for one whom is active within software, as opposed to obtaining another degree within the Computer Science or Engineering field. Realistically I am describing infrastructure, whether or not pursuing more will actually open new doors for someone or be worth the input</p>