Hello all, Can you please help. A close family member got into UC Merced for computer science and engineering and into University of the Pacific Stockton for computer science and is having a really tough time deciding. He definitely has to decide by the end of the month. He is waitlisted at UC Santa Cruz and is waiting on a decision from Cal Poly Pomona. For now, he has two options, UC Merced or UOP.
You see, UOP is better known for pharmacy and dentistry but not computer science. It is also more expensive. On the other hand, UC Merced is a fairly new school so not sure how good the computer science program is.
Is the computer science program at UCM as good as the other UC schools?
Which of the schools do you recommend and why? Which of the schools is better ranked for the programs?
What are his chances of getting a job after either school?
Thanks in advance.
It is a beautiful campus but, i think it is really tough to justify the tuition at UOP
UCM is very solid academically. The campus and student population has changed so significantly in the past 5 years that many peoples opinion of the school is quite dated. For me, it would be the clear winner. among these two.
Given the high cost of attending UOP, unless you have been admitted to the pharmacy program as a freshman, UC Merced is the better choice. UC Merced is more established than you think. It has opened around 2005/06 and has existed for > 10 years. It is still part of the University of California system, which admits the top 9% of high school students. There are plans for a medical school at UC Merced, which will only enhance the image of the school. I believe when the campus first opened, it modeled after UC Berkeley (i.e., semester system, etc.).
Thanks for your helpful response. Are you able to compare the computer science programs at both schools? Do UCM graduates have any difficulty with getting jobs or getting into grad schools? I will appreciate any insight. Thanks.
@NCalRent and @UCBUSCalum, thanks so much for responding. Your responses are very helpful. UC Merced does sound like the better option. Cost of attending UOP is definitely a concern for my family member.
I do have additional questions for you if you don’t mind:
- Are you able to compare the computer science/computer engineering programs in both schools? Which one is ranked higher? Where does one go to find this information?
- Do you have any information about how students from UC Merced have done after graduation? Is it easy for them to secure jobs or admissions into grad schools?
Looking forward to hearing from you. Thanks.
i don’t have the context to do a compare/contrast on any of their individual programs. To get that answer, I’d suggest you look at the curriculum on their website and visit the departments, and perhaps sit in on a class or two. Talking to existing students is also invaluable.
The answer to # 2 is pretty easy to answer by also vising the on campus career center and checking out who recruits and hires. You can also look at Linkedin - to see where UCM grads work. One caveat - UCMs shorter history will skew that picture a little - the simply aren’t any UCM grads that are 20 years into their career.
I don’t know of any comparison on computer science/computer engineering for either school. UOP has been around for a long time and it is more known for pharmacy, dental and law. They are not in the top or rankings for computer engineering/computer science. Given that, most students if they had choices would rather attend a UC or USC (which has similar costs) than UOP for most majors. This is not knock against UOP, but it is the facts of life.
UC Merced is relatively new (about 10 to 12 years of existence) and UC Merced rides on the coattail of the more established UC’s. UC’s generally have a great reputation for the sciences, STEM, computer science and engineering. They also have a great reputation for non STEM majors. This not to say that you will be guaranteed success after graduation from UC Merced. You need to do well there (at least have a good GPA) for employment opportunities and possible graduate school. Best wishes.
Also, you might want read or search some of the postings in this site on UC Merced or UOP.
Thanks so much for all the comments and insights @NCalRent and @UCBUSCalum! You have been very helpful and it Is much appreciated. He is definitely leaning towards UC Merced. Best Regards.