UMich [OOS] vs UCSB [in-state] for CS?

Compare College Acceptances
1

I know technically this is a bit early, but I kind of lost hope for the remaining decisions I have (Ivies, Berkeley, Rice, USC). I just got a rejection from UCLA and checked Berkeley portal astrology and it’s not looking good… Anyway, I got into these schools:

Purdue - Computer Engineering

University of Michigan - Computer Engineering/Computer Science

Cal Poly SLO - Computer Science

UCSB - Computer Science

University of Waterloo - Computer Engineering

UCSC - Computer Science

UCR - Computer Science

Waitlists: UCSD and UCI for CS

My top two choices from here are UMich and UCSB. I’m wondering which one is better out of these choices (or if you think another option from the list would be good too).

UMich, having one of the top CS/CE programs obviously has the prestige, rankings, and alumni network. I’ve also heard that the social life is great and that it’s a nice college town. I really like the school overall. However, I received basically no financial aid and I don’t like the cold…

On the other hand, UCSB is not as prestigious, but the tuition would be way less. Plus, I really like beaches/the outdoors/SoCal weather. However, my main priority really is academics and the connections I would have to land jobs in top companies in the future. Plus, although I don’t like to admit it, prestige is pretty important to me.

Any guidance would be much appreciated. Of course, if I get off the UCSD waitlist (which I heard is unlikely) I would probably go there. Technically I’m still waiting for USC and Rice (I’m just gonna assume Berkeley is a rejection although I would definitely choose it in a heartbeat if I got in), but I want to be realistic here. I’m pretty sad because I’ve always aimed for Berkeley and LA (the top schools in-state), but now I have to start thinking outside of that.

2

Why worry about Ivies ? These are potentially better.

Have you asked for the career outcomes from each department ? Don’t assume the bigger name assures a better outcome.

I know a UT Chatt grad who just got big money from Oracle in Nashville. A poster reports their N Georgia grad got in at google. My Poli Sci Arizona nephew does CS at a big 7. Had to pass a boatload of tests.

Ask each for salary and location info.

Are you parents desiring to pay for UM ? Don’t forget, the last two years cost $4k more.

If you truly believe UM > UCSB, why not split down the middle with Purdue. You get near UM prestige at the UCSB price. The only issue there is you got into engineering it sounds like - and there are no majors there. You decide after FYE.

Good luck.

3

In our case, D came in with enough AP credits and pre-orientation test scores to graduate a year early from Michigan. Along the way, she graduated a semester early, but with two minors in subjects she enjoyed. School spirit is HUGE!

My younger D attends SLO and for $30K “all-in,” it’s a tremendous deal IMO for a great school with great outcomes.

Having said all that, if you don’t like the cold, then A2 should be OUT! :rofl:

1 Like
4

I wondered about SLO.

These schools should tout outcomes by major and they make it so difficult.

5

UMich has advance selection for CS. So it is either CE or CS which should make the comparison different with UCSB. I agree with other posters that if ranking that does not matter then SLO should be in the mix.

6

It’s a data point of one, but D has had no problem getting research (at SLO), internships and jobs related to her major. She does intend to take gap year and then apply to grad school.

And I’d say the same about Michigan too.

7

I agree with other posters, CPSLO is very well regarded. The CS major at SLO is also a difficult and highly desirable admit! SLO doesn’t show up on the same rankings as UCB and UCLA because it doesn’t have a PhD program. However, it has great outcomes and it’s not uncommon for students to choose SLO over one or both of those two schools. I wouldn’t rule it out without serious consideration.

4 Likes
8

If It’s between UCSB v UMich, I would:

First find out job placement and percentage as well as location and place of employment along with ROI.

But since that’s not all the variables, I would consider all the factors before making a decision, ranking what’s more important with a higher point value.

For example UMich for prestige, top 10 CS department vs UCSB top 30; School pride and athletics off the charts compared to UCSB (none). School history. A strong alumni network. An opportunity to live and experience another part of the country and to go away to college. To meet new people with a very different background and likely culture. To experience an actual winter and to live in a small college town of Ann Arbor.

However UCSB has UMich beat in terms of cost, likely $40,000 less a year, not including $500 airfare. That’s $160,000+ for four years. Horribly cold weather compared to Santa Barbara weather probably the best in the world. Beach, sun, water at UCSB. So close to Isla Vista, two hours from LA, Orange County. While Michigan is near Detroit. West Coast vs Midwest. Also where do you want to live? Although UMich is national and UCSB more So. Cal, presumably there’s a stronger socal network with UCSB. Also I hear/read the CS Department is smaller at Santa Barbara but a close knit group. 600 students at UCSB v 3400 at UMich.

If I were you, I would consider ALL the variables and determine if you can afford the cost. If you can and prestige matters more than anything along with the oppto go to a first class college, go for it. UMich. But, if money is tight, and you care more about the sun and sand rather than sports and school pride, UCSB makes sense.

Good luck in your decision and congratulations on many fine schools to choose from!

1 Like
9

My first reaction is that you have been accepted to seven very good universities (if I have counted correctly). Congratulations! Of course having seven very good acceptances does bring up the difficult question of which school to attend.

I agree with this. Given your list of acceptances, if I had the same list and were in-state I would consider SLO very highly and might very likely end up there.

It might be a good idea to at least think about how much you like very cold weather. I only visited U.Michigan once (for a meeting years ago). I happened to visit during a very cold week, where the temperature did not get up to zero Fahrenheit even once. We did not get out much because it was so cold (and the participants included someone from Wisconsin and someone from Montreal and someone local, so at least three of us were used to cold weather).

Waterloo is also very good and well known for CS. However, I am guessing that as an international student it is probably expensive (and the winter’s will not be much different compared to Michigan).

Academically I do not think that you can go wrong at any of these schools. “Prestige” generally does not matter much, if at all, in computer science or in high tech in general. What you can do will matter, but you can learn CS well at any of these seven very good universities.

I can see that this is a tough choice.

1 Like
10

Given recent job trends, I would be cautious about spending too much on a CS degree in the expectation of a high paying “prestige” job.

1 Like
11

Along the lines of the above poster, if you believe like Anthropic CEO (Anthropic CEO Predicts AI Will Take Over Coding in 12 Months | Entrepreneur) that coding will be taken over by AI, then purdue is a better option. You get to wait another year (FYE), before you pick a major. In comparison major changes are harder at other schools.

1 Like
12

You don’t OFFICIALLY declare a major at Michigan until your 2nd semester of your sophomore year.

“Advanced selection” is required upon being admitted to CS at Michigan, which the OP has already been admitted, but one relatively easily choose another major within the CoE or switch over to LSA. OTOH, Ross Business School would be difficult, but not impossible.

Pretty much the same thing at Cal Poly SLO. Switching majors to the Business School (or Construction Management, ARCH, LARCH) would be difficult, but within the CoE (or other colleges), switching majors can be done with good grades, though Software Engineering could be difficult.

1 Like
13

while i know your top 2 are sb and umich, i agree with other commenters in that purdue is a stellar option, and slo is very underrated for their computer programs, for lack of a better word. i would wait to decide anything though, as you still have a fighting chance with all of your reaches if i can deduce anything from these amazing acceptances. so yes, my top advice would be to wait and see where else you get in (if anywhere), then i would do thorough research and TOUR AS MANY AS YOU CAN. see where is the best fit for you financially, socially, climate-wise, etc. a lot of these schools you’ve already been accepted to would give you the same level of amazing education for your intended path of study, and it really comes down to where you LOVE the most.

14

I would ask, do they want engineering (Purdue) or CS - the others. Perhaps that’s why ?

But Purdue has the Michigan rep at the UC price.

15

Programmer here. You’re better off choosing any in-state school. There’s no benefit to paying triple the tuition and potentially racking up piles of debt to go OOS, especially for a degree as ridiculously employable as CS.

2 Likes
16

I am not sure that holds true in the current environment. If OP is willing to splurge for UMich OOS I woud also recommend a closer look at Waterloo. They are an outstanding school with a phenomenal Co-Op program that no other school on the list can match.

1 Like
17

OP, where did you commit finally?

18

I decided to commit to UCSB! Still waiting for UCSD waitlist but I think I’m happy with my decision.

9 Likes