University of Washington vs. University of Illinois

fatpig554 · 06-16-2008, 11:37 PM

Hi, I posted this in the wrong section. Sorry for posting it again, but I guess its a better idea to put this here where I can get more relevant information:

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Hey guys, fatpig554 here. I got into University of Washington and University of Illinois, Computer Engineering majors. I was wondering, do you guys think that U. of Illinois is much better than UW?

I'm a washington resident so UW will be a lot cheaper. But if University of Illinois is a dramatically better school, then paying through it is not entirely unfeasable. Any suggestions would be very helpful. Thanks!

-Fatpig554

xjis · 06-16-2008, 11:44 PM

i always wondered about UW primarily because Microsoft is in Redmond
... and i bet they hire alot of locals...

fatpig554 · 06-18-2008, 06:24 PM

Bump. Hi guys, sorry ,but I really would like some insights on this because this is a very big decision for me. I really need your help!

aibarr · 06-18-2008, 08:26 PM

I've heard that UW is excellent for comp sci and comp eng and whatnot, and from what I've heard, Microsoft does indeed recruit at UW. I know Illinois is quite good, and I know that many companies recruit there.

Someone else might know better than I do, though.

GShine_1989 · 06-18-2008, 08:31 PM

No, I would suggest going to UW. UW is in the top 20 for CompE and UIUC is somewhere around #5. The difference is there but it's not worth anywhere close to $15,000/year. This is coming from an electrical engineering major at UIUC. And if you decide you like the software side of CompE more than hardware, you'll be in luck because the difference between the two schools in Comp Sci is minimal.

iceburns288 · 06-18-2008, 08:33 PM

Microsoft hires more employees from UI than any other university, if that helps. Article: Bill Gates Speaks to UI Students | News | Computer Science | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

I am a CompE major at UI. I decided to go there because I believe it to be superior to the vast majority of engineering schools in America in terms of not only academic quality but also a balanced environment in which to live. However, that was a personal decision because I really like the atmosphere here as well as the academic rigor.
Whether that will be worth the difference in cost to you, I cannot answer. Personally, I was willing to pay much more than my other schools of choice because I wanted to have the best experience I could possibly have, regardless of cost (monetarily and otherwise). However, your priorities may differ.

In the end, I still recommend UI, but I admittedly know nothing of UW.

fatpig554 · 06-18-2008, 08:53 PM

Thanks guys, I really appreciate it. If anyone else has suggestions, especially about UW's academic reputation in comparison with Illinois', i'd love to hear it!

RacinReaver · 06-18-2008, 10:05 PM

Are you planning on graduate school at all? If so, your undergrad won't matter nearly as much, since what employers will care about is where your MS/PhD came from.

easternboarder · 06-19-2008, 11:56 PM

If I could describe my undergraduate experience in ECE at Illinois thus far in one word, it would be rigorous. I cannot speak about other programs, but I could not be more pleased with the quality of the faculty and resources in the ECE department.

With that said, I've come to realize that the fact that I am in a highly ranked program that is also widely regarded in academic circles means little to many in the 'outside world.' My co-workers and managers alike at a reputable defense company at which I'm interning this summer seemed to care little about how 'prestigious' Illinois' engineering program is. What is giving ECE at Illinois' prestige and what has helped me to succeed in my job so far in particular is the technical understanding that the engineering program at Illinois seems to have knack for cultivating in students.

Again, I can't speak for the University of Washington (which as far as I know is a great school all-around). But I can say that if you come to Illinois with initiative and persistence (among many other things) you will find it rewarding.

fatpig554 · 06-20-2008, 01:54 PM

Yeah, I'm definitely planning graduate school as well, so thats a good point, I'll just try to get someplace with a great academic reputation for graduate school. Although that seems very unlikely that I would get admitted anywhere better since to my knowledge grad. school is much more selective, right?

RacinReaver · 06-20-2008, 02:13 PM

It depends on the program. Most of my friends from undergrad and myself moved up to "more selective" colleges for grad school than we were in in undergrad. In my case I actually got into a school I was rejected from for undergrad.

aibarr · 06-20-2008, 02:15 PM

Quote:

to my knowledge grad. school is much more selective, right?

Yes and no. Automatons with little to no interest in anything outside their area of expertise would probably not get into selective colleges due to the whole not-well-rounded thing, but to grad programs, that's not necessarily a disadvantage.

So to get into grad school, you have to be really stand-out at your field of study, but they don't particularly care if you've taken twelve years of clarinet lessons and are captain of your local lacrosse team.