Disclaimer: I’m an incoming freshman majoring in CS at UCI, so I might be a little biased and not fully knowledgeable in what the program has to offer.
From what I’ve researched online, UCI CS ranks pretty well (Usually ranks at the top 20-30 range) and is the only college in the UC system that has a dedicated department for CS (called ICS - Information and Computer Sciences). People say this means they get more dedicated funding and programs just for CS and any related courses (don’t have any evidence to back this up).
As for internship/job opportunities, from what I hear UCI has been pretty good for that. Apparently, a lot of UCI grads get hired at Amazon (there’s even a Youtuber who made videos about his life at UCI and how he got a job at Amazon after) and Google (there’s a large Google office building down the street from the university - not sure if that affects hiring). Other tech companies like Microsoft and Meta have also offered internship opportunities in years past.
This is from the ICS presentation given during Celebrate UCI (informational event held on campus to teach incoming students about housing, campus activities, majors, etc):
ok so do you think it is “worth” going oos due to the numerous opportunites. also does having a uci cs degree make it “easier” to get internships? thanks for the info!!
I can’t really say if it’s worth it or not to go here, simply due to difference in the situation. UCI was one of the best schools I got into, and since I’m in-state, it makes sense for me to go here since I can pay less and have a great CS education. As OOS, you’ll obviously be paying more, so if there’s a cheaper option that’s comparable in ranking and quality of life and education, it might be a better idea to go there. But you should consult someone like @Gumbymom or someone who knows more than me, since I’m not even a UCI student yet.
It’s much more complicated to answer your second question. There’s a lot of discussion and disagreement about whether the school you go to matters or not for CS internships/jobs. So this is my take on it: yes, going to UCI cs can make it easier to get internships. This is because major CS companies (all of the ones in the picture I sent in my previous comment) want to come to career fairs at UCI. This allows students to network with recruiters and share their resumes, which gives them a leg up in the recruiting process. Rather than a bot scanning your resume for certain keywords and filtering you out, your resume will be read by an actual recruiter instead and you get an actual chance at an interview. With companies like Amazon and Google coming here, it’s definitely beneficial to go to UCI as you get a higher chance of securing internships there and at other major CS companies.
If anyone here has experience with CS career fairs or the CS industry, please feel free to correct me, as I’m still new to the CS industry.
If the student and family can easily afford the costs of UCI as an OOS student and do not need to take on a significant amount of debt, then it may be worth it depending upon the other school choices.
For this decision, only the student and their family can make. UCI will not hand you internships or a job. It is up to the student to seek out these opportunities and make it happen which can be said for any school they attend.
I personally as a parent would not spend that kind of money for any Undergrad degree and I happen to be a full pay parent. The best gift any parent can give a student is a debt free education.
Good luck with her decision and please note that asking for a friend is a CC TOS violation. If your friend wants more information or opinions, they need to make their own account.
I’m probably in the same position that you are in knowledge wise, but I would presume that after the 6/1 deadline more waitlists will come out. Though I could be wrong.
