I am currently trying to find which college I want to go to but I’m having some trouble. I want to study Computer Science and I like Pace because off the location and the networking and I’ve heard that they have a pretty good Comp sci program but I’m worried about how reputable it is in and outside NYC. I like Rochester and am also considering it but my worry is networking XD. I want to live in NYC after graduating but I really want to know which school will 1) Have a better computer science program 2) Have good internship opportunities and 3) Will most likely get me a job in NYC at a reasonable salary? Any advice will be appreciated! 
How much will it cost to go to each school?
My gut tells me that in CS what you can do on the job will overtake the name of your school pretty quickly. But I’ll let others on this forum comment on that further.
If you save money going to U of R then you can use the extra funds to get started in NYC later. A school like U of R will have recruiting opportunities in general, but you would need to ask Career Services about their CS recruiting. Maybe ask for a list of on-campus recruiters and recruiting events. That may give you an indication. Also ask them about their alumni connections to CS in NYC. Networking through alumni is a way to get jobs.
If your main concern about going to NYC is to find inexpensive CS training and then network from there into a great job in NYC, then you may want to consider CUNY schools. There are several. CUNY offers rock-bottom prices for education in the City and virtually identical networking opportunities as more expensive institutions. CUNY is a system of schools within NYC. The CUNY system has several schools offering different CS opportunities.
You can follow the link below to search for CS degree programs. Search for “computer science” and it will generate a list of CUNY schools that offer CS. Each school of CUNY has its own feel, from Hogwarts-like on its own campus to very modern and NYU like, set in the middle of Manhattan. You may want to see if any of these schools appeal to you – http://www2.cuny.edu/admissions/undergraduate/explore/programs/
Also be aware of the Macaulay Honors Program, which attracts Ivy-level students. The deadline for applying is quite early as it seems to want to skim off those students before they get accepted elsewhere. Macaulay offers free tuition plus a stipend. http://www.macaulay.cuny.edu/
You should run the Net Price Calculator for each school, but here’s a general guide–
Pace average undergraduate debt is $35K – http://www.collegedata.com/cs/data/college/college_pg01_tmpl.jhtml?schoolId=50
U of Rochester undergraduate debt is $30K – http://www.collegedata.com/cs/data/college/college_pg01_tmpl.jhtml?schoolId=117
CUNY City College undergraduate debt is $16K – http://www.collegedata.com/cs/data/college/college_pg01_tmpl.jhtml?schoolId=405
Your results WILL vary, because of your stats (they must be high or you wouldn’t be considering U of Rochester). Pace may offer you significant merit money. They offered merit to 21% of students who had no need.
If your stats are that high, then consider the Macaulay program. best of luck
Thank you!
I always tell people to check out school’s career center and their placement records. Look at where most graduates end up working - location, industry, starting salary. Rochester is a good STEM school, but their CS department is relatively small with fairly good placement.
In my opinion, I don’t think reputation matters as much as experiences/network connections. Especially with the major you’re looking at, I think Pace would suit you well. I applied and considered it pretty highly on my list. I understand there’s not a lot of prestige there, as I was concerned about that as well, but I do think the experiences you’ll get from NYC jobs and internships will make it worth it. Plus, you’ll likely get generous aid (anywhere in NYC is still expensive… room and board was about $15k/year) - I got $92k for their highest merit scholarship (I had a 30 ACT and 3.8ish GPA), and admission to the honors program, which I think will give you a little prestige boost as well. Again, I’m totally biased, but I don’t think you should rule out Pace because of reputation.
If you have the academic accomplishments to position yourself for the University of Rochester, then you should be a strong enough student to excel from a variety of environments. However, the selective UR (“most selective,” the highest category, by USNWR standards) should nonetheless be regarded as an excellent opportunity for any student with a range of academic interests.
Pace and U of Rochester are very different schools. U of Rochester is ranked #32, while Pace is at #188. In computer science, U of Rochester is ranked #52 in CS (grad school), Pace is not ranked. Pace is known for its business program not CS (as far as I know).
If affordable URochester is the far better choice.
School reputation including what companies come to interview at the school for jobs for graduates (and how many are employed at or soon after graduation) is extremely important. In my experience (working in business 30+ years) most starting jobs at the major companies are obtained through the recruitment process at colleges as opposed to networking.
I agree that what you can do is much more important than school name here, but I also agree that the difference here is a pretty big gap.
URochester, easily. Pace is actually rather poor from an academic standpoint. Don’t be fooled by its fancy location.
Pace doesn’t have a particularly great rep in NYC. It can’t compete with Columbia and NYU. I would choose Rochester one million times over.