Hi guys,
My son has been accepted to these universities, for computer science. We live in the Boston suburbs. UMass tuition would be the lowest for us, as in-state. UW Madison has the highest ranking here, but would it justify $21K/year more (though we still can afford) and 4 years living far from home? NEU is the most expensive one. We hardly can get any merit scholarship, but they have a well-known co-op program.
I would think the quality of research is recognizable in graduate programs only. Undergraduate curriculums everywhere are pretty much the same. So our criteria is a school with more hard-working students and a school where internship and job hunting are supported most.
Could you let us know your advice for selection? Thank you.
Can’t think of a reason to pick UW Madison over UMass for CS. Even using rankings, the two are not that far apart.
Northeastern, only if you think the co-op program or the flexibility to change majors easily or if CS+X majors interest him. Even then it is a hard sell with the huge price differential.
Get placement data for all three just for due diligence.
Both UMass and UWisc have very strong CS programs. If you’re looking at rankings, they’re not meaningfully apart as @sfogooner said. Take a look at this aggregated list.
If I were in your place and choosing among those 3 I would go with UMass.
You can do co-ops at UMass too. I don’t see a case for NEU at all.
UMass all the way, if the price matters at all (which it sounds like it does). If NEU wasn’t so much more costly, the co-op model might make it worth it. If your kid hustles, he can get internships and co-ops no matter where he goes.
He should hit the ground running by joining CS-related club(s) and working with the career center to get ready to attend the fall and spring career fairs. Personal interactions with employers are the most fruitful. He can also apply online for as many internships as he wants – mine decided to apply right after 1st semester grades came in so he could list his GPA.
Getting something as a first-year isn’t easy, but it does happen for a few. And he’ll be ahead of his peers for the next year’s round (he’ll be more competitive for a position each year). He’ll get better the more he polishes his resume and interview skills, and will eventually get offers as long as he is proactive.
Programmer here. Nope…it’s not worth paying double the tuition for a ridiculously employable degree like CS. After about 3 years experience, employers don’t even ask where they went to school. Credentials are built entirely from on the job experience. For me, I went to a less prestigious school. I’ve interviewed for high powered jobs at Google, Amazon, and several fortune 500 companies in my last job search. They’re overrated in my opinion. You can’t go wrong with UMass. It’s a well recruited school.
I have worked with literally tons of software engineers who got their degrees at U.Mass Amherst. Most of them are very good. At one point a while back in a different thread I mentioned a computer-related problem that stumped two MIT graduates, and then was solved by a U.Mass graduate. This particular U.Mass graduate would be a great engineer (and a very nice person) regardless of which university he had attended, but he is doing very well with a degree from U.Mass.
I think that all three of these schools are very good overall and excellent for CS. Given this choice I would save $$ and travel time and go with U.Mass.
Also, none of these schools are an “easy admit” for computer science. Your son is doing very well. Ice cream might be in order!
ALso Northeastern’s four year graduation rate is only 18%, so if your kiddo is eager to get on with things, UMass or Madison are better choices.
I would love for my alma mater (UW) to claim another bright, talented student like you. But, as great as my school is, I wouldn’t pay $21,000 more annually (plus travel cost…) for it. Even if it is affordable for your family, use that ~$90k for something else. UMass CS has a strong reputation.
Plus… if you want to, you may enrich your experience by heading on over to Holyoke, Amherst College, Hampshire, and/or Smith to take some classes at those fine schools.
I definitely understand the appeal of Northeastern, and I don’t think the <20% 4-year grad rate is necessarily a concern, given that the co-op model means that most students take 4.5-5 years to graduate, but the additional time is comprised of paid co-op placements. But for a full-pay family receiving minimal merit (which was also my kid’s situation when considering the school), I think it’s hard to justify compared to the extremely well-regarded CS program at UMass. Likewise, I don’t think there’s a meaningful difference in reputation between UMass and UW-Madison, especially at a cost differential that could fund a master’s degree if desired! UMass in-state is definitely the one to beat here. Congrats - none of these are easy admits for CS!
Where did you see that 18% 4 year graduation rate? Most students at Northeastern are in the 4 year/2 coop period model. The 5 year option is available if students want it. Twenty years ago, the 18% 4 year graduation was correct perhaps.
Here: Northeastern University Graduation Rate & Retention Rate
Some places have it listed as 0% - Northeastern University
If you read that carefully it refers to students entering in 2011. And I think that is understated. Third party sites are not reliable for Northeastern, or any college.
UMass, all the way. Very highly ranked for Comp Sci. Cheap. Nice campus. Good dorms. Fantastic food. Close enough to drive easily. 5 college consortium, short walk to Amherst college and town of Amherst.
If you can find anything different, please add. It will be useful.
Northeastern’s own most recent common data set shows the class that entered in 2016 had a 0% 4-year graduation rate - 89% graduated more than 4 but 5 years or less after enrollment and 91.2% graduated within 6 years. Common Data Set | University Decision Support at Northeastern University
And this is an easy way to compare different schools graduation rates: Retention and Graduation Rates – College Transitions
UMass 4 year is 76% and 6 year is 83%
UWisc-Madison 4 year is 72% six year is 89%
So basically no one graduates from NEU in four years, but a higher percentage overall graduate than the other two schools (public schools are almost always lower for many factors)
IMO, as the parent of a co-op student, the 4 year graduation is meaningless in that context. They still spend, and we pay for, only 8 semesters (4 years) of university. It’s just spread out over the course of 5 years.
It would be better if the CDS had a mechanism for denoting that information but that doesn’t seem to be the case. Parents who are considering co-op mandatory schools need to be mindful of that when making comparisons.
Yes, for sure the Co-Ops are the reason students don’t graduate in 4. And other schools require co-ops to graduate would be an apples-to-apples comparison.
For some people, the extra year they may not have planned for could shift their life timelines.
Hi everyone,
I wanted to express my gratitude for all of your input and support as we navigate through the decision-making process regarding our son’s university options.
After much deliberation, we’ve decided to arrange visits for him at both UW Madison and UMass. It will be his first time visiting UW Madison and his second visit to UMass.
One aspect that has caught our attention is the notable disparity in rankings between the two universities, particularly in Computer Science. UW Madison undergraduate is ranked #22 by US News, while UMass is ranked #40 overall. However, when it comes specifically to AI, UMass is ranked #22 and UW Madison is #23. This suggests that UMass might have a particularly strong program in AI and machine learning, possibly due to the exceptional work of its professors over the years.
Will companies go more to higher-ranking colleges like UW for job interviews?
Additionally, we’ve heard concerns about the funding and class sizes at both institutions, as is often the case with public universities. It seems that professors are heavily involved in research, which can sometimes detract from their availability for teaching. This reliance on teaching assistants and the resulting large class sizes may be more pronounced at UW-Madison due to its larger student population.
Another factor worth considering is the graduation rate. We’ve heard anecdotes about students attempting double majors and facing challenges due to faculty shortages and course availability. Important courses are preferably given to senior students, so sophomore and junior ones cannot speed up their studies to have time for the second major. This could potentially impact the time it takes for students to complete their degrees, especially if they need to prioritize certain courses.
On a separate note, we’ve also been considering Northeastern University, which offers a different academic environment as a private institution. While it may come with a higher price tag, it seems to offer unique advantages such as its renowned co-op program. The longer duration of these internships, ranging from 4 to 6 months, could provide more substantial learning opportunities and potentially lead to full-time employment for students. Some students got full employment after the co-op and did not return to continue the studies.
As we continue to weigh our options, we would greatly appreciate any additional insights or perspectives you may have. Your input has been invaluable throughout this process, and we’re grateful for your support.
Thank you all once again.
There is a lot of high tech in Massachusetts. Recruiters will show up at U.Mass partly because it is not too far away, partly because it is known to have a very good CS program, and partly because some of the hiring managers will be U.Mass graduates.
Northeastern is also very good. I think that you can get good internship options at any of these three schools (U.Mass, U.Wisconsin, or Northeastern U.).
Some interesting opinions from a new graduate in UMich CS:
- it depends on what he wants in future career and his learning style
Is he sure to stay with CS? If so then UMass is good. But these days many young guys change when in college. If he wants to do business, for example, as a minor or second major, then UW-Madison has better program.
Does he learn more from Friends or Teachers? Many hands-on programming skills the smart students learn from friends and internship, as professors and TAs/RAs usually weak on such technical skills but focus to theoretical research.
Some times the ratio of students/faculty is good but professors are bad at teaching.
- Does he want to socialize? In big schools introvert students usually don’t know each other well.
- In Northeastern there can be problems to build long relationship with classmates. He himself and other students come and go for a semester of Co-Op, there always new students when he returns.