Which college between SBU vs PSU vs ASU vs UTD is better for CS undergraduate degree. Have following acceptances so far:
UTD (in state) - CS - COA = $120K
SBU - CS - 11K per year scholarship - COA = $150K
ASU - Computer Engineering - 14.5K per year scholarship - - COA = $145K
PSU - CS Intent - no scholarship so far - COA = $210K
Looking for a college with good academics, internship / placement opportunities and, cost vis-a-vis overall education. Would appreciate any advice on the final selection.
What is wrong with your instate option? I would also rule out Penn State. As stated its what you do on campus not the name of the school per se. Be active on campus. Internships and Job offers like active students.
Neither ASU nor PSU are really better for CS than UTD, and they’re more expensive, so drop them. SBU has an edge, but will cost 120,000 more, which is really not worth it, since both are ABET accredited and have good reputations.
Unless you can get SBU to substantially increase your scholarship amount, UTD looks like the best options, hands down.
I agree: toss PSU. No reason to pay a lot more money for a not-objectively-superior program that does not give you direct-admit to the major. Travel from TX would be a pain, too. Simply not your best option on any front. If it’s the “rah rah” campus culture, as tsbna suggests, you still have ASU.
As for the other three, UTD’s reputation for CS is excellent. I wouldn’t pay more for either of the others based on academic strength and/or employment potential alone. All three are fine schools, but IMHO SBU or ASU would have to win on more than just the criteria you’ve specified, because UTD holds its own in those respects and is also cheaper for you.
What do you like about SBU, that’s keeping it in the running? Like UTD, it’s a strong STEM school with a large commuter population but also plenty of campus life for those who choose to partake. I see them as being about as similar as two such geographically-dissimilar schools could be. Do you want to be in the NYC metro area? (Understanding that getting into the city from SBU is not quick or easy.) IMHO you’d need to identify a reason that you like SBU 30K better, other than academics and career potential, which are comparable.
ASU has quite a different vibe from the other two (more school spirit, sports, etc.), plus CE is different from CS. What are your preferences, in terms of campus culture and CE vs. CS?
Are you admitted to Barrett Honors at ASU? Honors College at UTD? Honors at SBU?
Congrats on great options! You said “so far” - what else is still pending?
Thanks a lot for the responses. I also got admitted to ASU honors program (Barrett) as well. I am waiting for UT Austin, Purdue, GA Tech. Wondering how much weightage should I give to prestige and is it worth paying that much to Penn State.
You should give weight to fit. Prestige is useless if you don’t like the environment.
Wait for all your decisions. Sure if you eliminate some now it helps later.
Cost is a personal thing. Some think it’s not worth more. Others think it is.
Will you make more (equated to cost of living areas) for certain schools - maybe yes, maybe no - and if so is it worth paying more up front if there’s no guarantee ?
Only you can decide.
Both mine shot down prestige. My kid had merit at Purdue but chose Bama. My daughter turned down W&L for Charleston
Barrett is well known. All Honors are not the same. What’s in Barrett that makes it a good fit for you ? Does it elevate the ASU experience to something you can’t get elsewhere ? Did you include it in the cost ? Yea it has a cost.
Why go to Penn State?
Awesome place to watch football - and they have a dairy on campus. For the academics vs. the others…nah.
As I already said, I don’t think PSU carries any more weight in the CS world than your other excellent choices. Between the additional cost and not having direct-admit to the major, it would be the first one I’d vote off the acceptance island, lol, but it’s up to you whether it has some particular draw for you.