OSU vs. UIUC (Computer Science)

College Search & Selection
#1

<p>These past few months have been very stressful in deciding between these two great schools. I recently was set on Ohio State but after visiting UIUC I am now very confused. I'm hoping someone could give me their honest opinion? </p>

<p>As of right now UIUC is 30k-40k more expensive after 4 years. (Which is funny because I am instate). It's also worth noting that for both schools I am in the college/school of engineering. </p>

<p>Here are some pros of both schools
(hopefully writing these helps me lol...)</p>

<p>UIUC:
-Great Academics and Staff (Top 5 ranking)
-Only 2 hours from home
-I feel as if I "fit" into the campus
-Surrounded by very smart individuals (osu has smart students, but I mean statistically UIUC wins (no offense))
-Great Reputation
-Main focus of the school is engineering (whereas osu is football)</p>

<p>OSU:
-30 - 40k cheaper
-Has very good academics (Ranked 19th)
-Admitted into Honors Program (mans I can have Honors Housing, which is a big plus)
-An abundance of resources
-Great campus in a great city
-Perfect location (close to east coast, Appalachian mtns, but still not too far from home)</p>

<p>...nope still confused between the two, however after writing this I feel as if OSU is the choice for someone obtaining a degree in CS to get a career, whereas UIUC would be more passion-orientated, but still carrying that career component.</p>

<p>Thank you very much for your input!</p>

#2

<p>Is there a college GPA threshold to maintain the presumed merit scholarship you got at tOSU?</p>

#3

<p>Yes, one scholarship worth $12,000 a year requires a GPA of 2.5, while another scholarship worth $6,000 requires a minimum 3.2 GPA.</p>

#4

<p>The choice here is really clear. OSU is a very fine school and the money you save will be your first car or a down payment on a condo. The rest of your life will be much better if you're not paying off that 30-40K for the first ten years. You'll have many more options with jobs, location, commutes, grad school, mortgages, finding and keeping a mate $-) etc.</p>

#5

<p>Looks like even if you lose the $6,000 scholarship, tOSU will be less expensive. Now, if you lose the $12,000 scholarship, then tOSU will be more expensive, but if you get lower than a 2.5 GPA, that might not be the only problem you have in college. (It would be more worrisome if all of the scholarships required something like a 3.5 or higher college GPA to keep.)</p>

<p>Just be aware that frosh year is a transition year, where college work requires more self-motivation with less hand-holding than in high school, and dorm life may be less structured than home life with (tiger?) parents making sure that you do your homework. Students who struggle academically in frosh year are often those who do not handle the transition well.</p>

#6

<p>Bear in mind that UIUC's tuition is set for all 4 years. According to OSU's web site, "Students should plan for 5 to 10% annual increase for all costs." So you may be overestimating the total cost savings if you go to Ohio State. Also, I've noticed that there just aren't a lot of cheerleaders for UIUC here on CC. But it's a great place for computer science/computer engineering, with national recruiting, and there are quite a few local internship opportunities with big name companies located near campus at the research park. So I think the choice here is anything but "clear."</p>

#7

<p>"So I think the choice here is anything but "clear."" - Thank you, that is exactly how I feel. And that is another good point about there being a sort of bias between schools. </p>

<p>I really like both schools, and I would be happy with either one of them. The toughest part is finding out which one gives me an advantage in the future. Unfortunately, no one can tell the future but you can always have a statistical edge :)</p>

#8

Can the original poster share what their choice ended up being and how they feel about it? Would really appreciate those inputs as my son is in the exact same situation now and trying to think through these decisions.