UIUC and other CS schools?

College Search & Selection
#1

<p>So I'm looking at CS colleges around the Midwest and I come across UIUC. Seems to be a pretty good school with some very accomplished alumni (Wikipedia mentions AMD, YouTube, and Netscape!). But... it's also pretty cheap , especially when compared to my OTHER choice, Rose-Hulman. Now I realize that Rose is a private school, and that it's almost certainly a "better" school than UIUC, but I'm really concerned that I won't get in. So, I need a safety school, and I'm looking at UIUC to fill the slot. But, I'm worried that, if I don't get into Rose-Hulman, I'll be getting the short end of the stick and a really crappy education from UIUC...</p>

<p>But then I look at UIUC again, and it doesn't seem so bad. In other words, I'm just not sure what to think of UIUC. Is it really that great of a school for a CS major? Or am I better off looking at some other colleges for a safety?</p>

<p>And speaking of other colleges, any ideas? Most preferably in the Midwest... I live in Illinois about an hours drive from Terre Haute, Indiana, so I know there's not much around here besides the two that I've mentioned. Nevertheless, I'm looking for some schools that I don't have to fly to, and that I have a reasonable chance of getting into. By "reasonable" I mean reach or better, nothing Ivy league for me. (I could do the work, just wouldn't get in)</p>

<p>Well, I guess I'll post my (meager) stats... Now, as this isn't the "What's my chances?" forum, I'm not expecting any chances at these schools. Just a few semi-reasonable college ideas would be nice!</p>

<p>GPA: 3.55 (Unweighted)
Class Ranking: 9th (A-, but NOT impressive, about 30 others in my class)
ACT Composite: 30
Science: 31
Reading: 32
English: 31
Math: 25(!)</p>

<p>Extra-Curricular: Not much, I was in HS Band 3 yrs, FBLA 2 yrs, and Scholastic Bowl 3 yrs (4 if you count this yr, though the season is after I would send my transcript)</p>

<p>Yes, I know that my math score probably kills me. It's especially annoying considering that I'm "good" at math (Near the top grades every year. I also find it infinitely interesting, whereas my classmates couldn't care less). But, oh well. =/</p>

<p>Oh, and sorry if I seem kind of morose about the whole thing. I'm just a bit worried about not getting into a good college and being one of those lame, Office Space-esque programmers who hate their jobs. Yeaahhh...</p>

#2

<p>Dang dude, you need to take a valium or something. Your post makes me nervous just reading it.</p>

<p>But anyway, here are a few suggestions for ya: Wisconsin, Milwaukee School of Engineering, and Purdue. All strong in CS and engineering, within reasonable driving distance, and not too terribly difficult for admissions, particularly if you boost your ACT as expected. Maybe also consider Mich. St., Iowa St. or Minnesota as well.</p>

<p>And yes, UIUC is top-notch in CS, definitely in the top 5 CS schools overall.</p>

#3

<p>Just thought of two more: Illinois Institute of Technology and Case Western.</p>

#4

<p>What makes you so sure that UIUC CS is a safety for you? Your stats are low for Engineering, especially your math score.</p>

<p>UIUC selectivity for 2006 admitted freshman:
Engineering: mid-50% ACT 30-32; SAT 1310-1450; HS Class Rank 88%-97%</p>

#5

<p>Thanks for the list, I'm having a good look at all of those.</p>

<p>Oh, and I only meant safety in the sense of "if I didn't get into Rose". I guess I shouldn't have been so hopeful?</p>

#6

<p>my grandma went to UIUC. except she calls it: "University of Illinois Champlaign (sp) Urbana" :p</p>

#7

<p>Yikes, get that math score up. Computer Science involves a lot of math (at many universities, CS and math are one department).</p>

<p>As far as admission to Rose goes, test scores are not all important. What's important is your transcript and especially your grades in your math and science classes and taking the hardest math and science classes that you can. A bad test score is not going to overshadow good grades, nor will a great test score make up for shoddy math and science grades, at least at Rose. Your ACT score is above the minimum (24), so you certainly have a chance, again, if you have mostly A's in your math and science classes, and you've taken the most challenging courses possible, you stand a good chance of admission here, depending on your extracurriculars and some other factors.</p>

<p>Definitely encourage you to take it again or try taking the SAT.</p>

#8

<p>UIUC isn't really a safety for you. Your rank is about top 30% (since you mentioned there are only 30 people in your graduating class, and you rank #9), and your test score for math section is below average of the engineering college. Especially, CS is one of the hardest majors to get into.</p>

#9

<p>The governing board of the National Science Foundation approved a $208-million plan on Wednesday to build the world's most powerful supercomputer at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.</p>

<p>The decision, announced by the National Science Board at the end of a two-day meeting, ends the contest for a uniquely prestigious award in the field of supercomputing. Research institutions across the country had coveted the chance to operate the speedy machine, which will be able to perform more than one quadrillion operations per second -- a "petaflop," in supercomputing terms.</p>

#10