<p>Being a female in computer science is an advantage, not a disadvantage. I don’t know much about computer science programs, but I will give you a bit of general advice. Don’t refuse to apply to a school because of the costs. Most people do not pay sticker price, and with your background, I think you can expect a decent amount of aid and/or scholarships. One school I know that’s really good for computer science is the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Obviously it’s not driving distance for you and they aren’t very generous with aid, but I think you have a decent shot at getting a good deal from them. Might as well try. Computer Science is in the College of Engineering there and students are widely recruited. Even Yahoo is on campus.</p>
<p>EDIT: I really hope others with strong CS backgrounds will comment on this thread and give their advice; this is a great question and OP is obviously very motivated.</p>