UMich [$75k] vs UIUC [$65k] vs UCSD [$72k] vs Purdue [$46k] for Computer Engineering [international student]

College Search & Lists
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My son, an international student got into University of Michigan, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, University of California, San Diego and Purdue University for Computer Engineering.
Being international student, Cost of attendance will be around 75K (UMich), 72K (UCSD), 65K (UIUC), 46K (Purdue)

Seeking advice on below.

  1. He has made up his mind to not attend Purdue. If to choose between UMich, UIUC and UCSD, which one do you suggest? Considering ranking, and reputation etc., we are leaning towards UMich and UIUC. His goal is to work in the industry after college. Total cost will be a little higher for UMich and UCSD but we are fine as it won’t be a significant difference considering long term. Just sharing that he has done IB diploma and can transfer 30 credits to college which may help him finish undergraduate earlier.
  2. He may consider doing integrated masters. Wondering if it will be worth doing integrated masters from the perspective of working in the industry either way.

Thank you very much in advance.

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They are both great schools. As is Purdue (I’m curious why that was eliminated).

So you may want to look at other factors to help pick one over the other. Ann Arbor (where UMich is located) and Urbana-Champaign are quite different, for example.

If you mean in the US, he will need a sponsoring employer beyond the years he can work on his visa’s practical training. There is no guarantee he’ll get one, especially if there’s an economic downturn. So make sure he has options back at home too after his graduation.

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Any reason he doesn’t want to attend Purdue given that it’s the cheapest and has probably the best engineering department along with UIUC?

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Thanks for your reply. Somehow, the feedback he got from his known makes him think like that.

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I can’t speak for your country - so I don’t know how much the names impact, including Purdue - but since you’ve eliminated.

My guess would be Michigan is the highest reputed around the world - known frankly for its football team than anything academic. Go Blue is known world wide.

I would step back - you have two remaining schools in cold areas - and UCSD. Funny, my son was in San Diego last night for a concert (where I grew up) and he sent me pictures - and he told me, this is the most beautiful city he’s ever seen!!

I was like yep - it’s known as America’s finest city for a reason.

Now I haven’t walked the UCSD campus forever, but it’s North of the city, East of La Jolla in what we called growing up the UTC area. Lots around - but the campus, if I recall, lots of trees, nature.

UIUC and Michigan are more traditional - and UIUC is polarizing. Some love. Some think it’s miserable. Both will be cold but UM colder in Winter as UIUC is a bit South.

UM is in Ann Arbor, generally considered a much better city than Urban Champaign. And if you’re flying in, it’s an easy hop from Detroit’s Airport - which has international flights. UIUC also has a small airport nearby but many would fly to Chicago.

UIUC and Michigan will have more sports, school spirit than UCSD, etc. Purdue too (Boiler Up) although you’ve eliminated it - but I do worry about why you did - as it sounds like you’ve not been to any - and are making a decision based on rank, etc. - your choice of course - but Purdue is known as an academic and fantastic institution - I’d think world wide. And it’s a much nicer (just my opinion - no doubt others share a different one) campus environment than UIUC, a more pleasant place to spend four years.

There’s more at play here in my mind - because the student has to spend four years, day after day after day.

But if you’re looking simply at rank, reputation internationally and I don’t know your country at all - but if someone made that statement to me and gave me the four schools, I’d say UM. It matters for where you live because it’s likely that’s where the student will end up in the long term.

Good luck.

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Actually, Michigan ranks very highly academically in over two dozen majors. It’s a top notch school.

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I understand - I’m just noting that - its football prowess is one of the reason its name is so well known - vs. say a UCSD. I can’t speak to the country OP is from - but when I was abroad last summer - no matter where you go - you see Michigan hats and you hear Go Blue. On planes. In cafes.

The “brand” is strong.

It’s academics highly reputed of course as all schools they listed are- but I think that, just like in the US, its sports rep brings it to be even better known - and if the OP is looking at reputation in its country - that is an added bonus to UM (if it applies there). Or it might be one of the reasons UM is so well known in other countries - vs. other top qualities institution.

I’m simply saying - sports adds to or maybe has even helped embed - its overall rep around the world.

But academic strength and quality wise, OP mentioned four fantastic schools. How that translates reputationally to their country - of course, I can’t say. And that, and rank, seem to be what they are making the decision on.

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That doesn’t mean it’s primarily known for sports.

For example UCB is not primarily known for its sports but if you wear Cal stuff, you’ll hear Go Bears.

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yeah - but you don’t see Cal stuff around the world.

I was simply trying to connect to what OP is saying / ranking or perhaps well known in its area.

Sports, in my mind, is always part of that - even here.

But again, we don’t know the country and what is more or less reputed in that country. I assume, based on OPs comment, that of the four, Purdue was the least reputed or lowest ranked - and that’s why it was elimiinated.

Anyway, it’s just a belief I had - I could be in Sitka Alaska, Madrid or Tel Aviv - and I heard Go Blue in all. Interestingly, in similar situations, I also heard Roll Tide (yes, not reputed to same levels).

Just a concept I’ve always believed…

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??!? maybe you don’t! :laughing:

I don’t notice UMich stuff around the world… but I’m also not going to notice it the same way I would notice Cal stuff.

But in any case, the point is that if someone says “Go Bears” in some far off city, it doesn’t exactly mean “hey, isn’t our football team great?”

And I’d guess it might be the same for UMich. An expression of school spirit may be meant to refer to all the great things about that school… not just the football team.

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As a Michigan alum I’m going to reluctantly give a very slight edge to UIUC.

The Computer Engg building and facilities are best of the best. My son almost picked UIUC CompE and we really enjoyed the Illini Day events they put together. Very international student body, big recruiting target for most tech, robust academic offerings, and meaningfully cheaper than UMich. Please note that at UMich upper classmen pay higher tuition so the current COA will go up.

On the other hand, UMich is in the better college town even if the COE buildings are somewhat far away from the main quad. Academics and opportunity wise, both schools are even.

OP- I’m also going to echo @DadOfJerseyGirl here. Visa sponsorship is going to be critical and there is no school specific edge to that randomness. So if you are looking for the best risk-reward mix then I recommend you reevaluate Purdue. UIUC is ranked 4, UMich at 6 and Purdue at 7 for computer engineering.

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I guess what I’m trying to say is - I’d equivalate a Michigan to the Yankees - in worldwide recognition. And I personally think that matters…others may say it’s irrelevant.

It’s just a thought - as noted, I can’t speak to OP’s situation but I’d imagine (but don’t know) that in their country Michigan is reputationally at a higher level.

And we don’t know why Purdue was eliminated, but I’d assume it’s related to this.

How UIUC or UCSD (perhaps just because a UC) are seen - we also don’t know - as we don’t know the country and even if I did, i wouldn’t have any clue the reputational bias of the four schools.

Here, of course ,four people could certainly make four different decisions on these schools - related to cost, weather, campus preference, or otherwise.

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I travel internationally quite often, and (not counting expat Americans), hardly anyone knows or cares about American football. They don’t know that UMich is known for football.

As for the Yankees - that’s what a lot of Brits call us Americans. Most don’t know that it’s also the name of a baseball team.

Point is: Michigan is a very strong engineering powerhouse, right up there with UIUC and Purdue. So OP is spoilt for choice. No wrong decisions academically, no matter which one he picks.

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This I agree with but OP did note this - so they’ve sort of narrowed it down already - but kept UCSD in the game:

“Considering ranking, and reputation etc., we are leaning towards UMich and UIUC.”

They also note this - I don’t have an opinion on this but perhaps you and Tamigochi do? I know you discussed working here but if that didn’t happen - would the Masters degree still be beneficial?

In regards to IB transferring to undergrad credits, I imagine they should speak with each school directly, as they’d all be different. I know Purdue is generous (at least AP wise from @momofboiler1 commentary but not sure how IB works. But what say you ? I think we glazed over that part - so hopefully you have some insight (better than me).

  1. Just sharing that he has done IB diploma and can transfer 30 credits to college which may help him finish undergraduate earlier.
  2. He may consider doing integrated masters. Wondering if it will be worth doing integrated masters from the perspective of working in the industry either way

Thanks

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Agree with Dad. But for an international, where prestige matters much more than in the US, Michigan gets my nod.

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Agree, almost nobody knows, plays or watches
American Football outside of the US…

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Poor OP, just came here to ask a question about CE programs and ended up in a football conversation! :slight_smile:

If your concern is prestige - either because your student may return to their home country where the name might really matter, or just in general in the US - than University of Michigan and UIUC are going to be essentially equivalent among people who know. (Purdue would be close in the US - I assume not as close outside the US - but you’ve removed it anyway.)

Echoing and enhancing @DadOfJerseyGirl’s point - the variance in experience your student might have at either school (location, size, campus life, etc.) is much, much greater than the variance in academic opportunity and reputation. I’m hoping you get to visit both schools (at least) or talk to students who are there. I’d strongly recommend finding out what you can so your student can see where they might feel most at home across the two schools, and not worry about reputation or rankings outside of that.

On the Masters Degree - in general, a Computer Engineering student who graduates from a school like these and remains in the US does not need a Masters Degree to work in industry, and it is unlikely to pencil out in the near term financially (if ever). That doesn’t mean your student shouldn’t pursue it - they may find that an extra year or so expands their knowledge, skill set, and maturity, and might set them up for success in some way you can’t predict now - but I would consider that a highly individual decision, rather than something that would give them a leg up in employability in the US. I can’t speak to its importance in your home country.

Good luck!

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In the end, I came to Michigan…I was just noting that many are known due to sports- and lots of international folks have Yankees caps…lots!! And that brings notoriety.

Thanks for answer the OPs question on the Masters.

In regards to the credits (they are hoping to transfer 30), any ideas? I suggested reaching out to each school - they’d be the ones that can tell you what can and cannot transfer. Not sure if there’s a better answer.

Thanks

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UMich is a bit more well known internationally but UIUC and Purdue have the same reputation.

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As some of the CS experts have mentioned above, there is slight difference in terms of subject ranking among your options, but all of them will no doubt give your student excellent education in Computer Engineering. Congratulations to your student and your family!

When choosing a college in US, one of the factors that international students often overlook is weather. I’m not sure what kind of weather your student will be coming from, but Michigan is very cold, UIUC slightly better, and San Diego is said to have one of the best weather in US. If you are coming from a warmer place, please look up the temperature and days of sunlight for Michigan, and make sure you are OK to deal with such weather.

The other factor that international students sometimes did not notice is the urban/suburban/rural setting of the school. Michigan is in one of the best college towns in US, which should give your student a very unique experience. UIUC is more “rural”, about two hours from Chicago. San Diego is a big city and its downtown can be reached by public transportation from UCSD. So if you are coming from a big city, make sure you understand the environment of the school before your student commits four years there.

But I totally understand for international students, ranking can trump everything else. I assume you are familiar with the US News university ranking so won’t repeat. In QS World University Ranking, UMich #33, UCSD #62, UIUC #64 and Purdue #99. Of course, depending on your country, the perceived reputation may vary to some extent.

Regarding the IB credits, I’d suggest you look into the AP/IB credit policy and distribution/major requirements at each of your schools. Every school has different policy, some are generous and some will require you to retake a course even if you have covered the subject in IB. So you really need to dig into the details to determine how many courses you can waive and therefore the time shortened.

Lastly wrt employment, a BS degree in computer engineering is definitely employable, subject to employer sponsorship. If your student can complete an integrated BS/MS in 4 years or 4 and a half, great. It’s also totally fine if he/she works for three years after undergrad under the OPT+STEM extension, and go back to get his/her master degree later.

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