Is it really worth it attending a UC vs. a CSU? (San Jose: student loans, find a job)

[LostinCal]

Like the title says, is the prestige worth it? What if it's between attending a CSU and having to take out no student loans vs. a UC and having to take out a lot?

[Shawn_Estrada]

CSU is a hands on learning teach more real world skills. They lack PHd programs as well as some master degree programs. Think teachers, engineers, accountants, etc. UC is a theory based system (flagship) that focuses on theoretical/grant funding studies.

Depending on your end game of degree type/job at the end of schooling, you really need to choose a school based on major versus uc/csu, but as i tell most undergrads/grads, don't go broke for a degree.

Good luck.

[LostinCal]

I want a degree in computer engineering. Any good CSUs for that?

[Shawn_Estrada]

right off the bat San Jose State and Cal Poly SLO but others you will need to do your own homework. That's what google is for.

[roadwarrior101]

I would say that the general rule of thumb is to go to the best college that you are accepted to. While Cal Poly does have an engineering program that rivals some of the top UCs, in general, UCs are more selective and more highly regarded than CSUs.

If you have the grades and can afford it, go with a UC.

[TimC2462]

Originally Posted by LostinCal

I want a degree in computer engineering. Any good CSUs for that?

MtnSurfer responded with a list of rankings in the other thread you started. Notice that there are no CSU's listed among the top rankings for computer science.

[Ceece]

BEST is always subjective. It completely depends on your goal. One of my kids focused very early on one particular CSU because it was the ONLY school (UC or CSU) to offer the major she was interested in. Knowing exactly what you want makes decisions easier.

[BRinSM]

depends on which schools you are accepted to. if you get into UCLA, UCSD, or Berkeley then it's worth the extra cash to go those schools IMHO. if you only get into UCR and CPSLO, i'd go with SLO. other than that, it's really on you. i graduated from CSU Fullerton and i'm doing as well, if not better, than friends of mine who attended different UCs (including UCLA).

[MtnSurfer]

I think a big thing to look at beyond the obvious ranking is how well the school is connected with local businesses. This is important for internships and part-time work while in the program. And these can lead to the valuable experience I spoke of earlier. They can also lead to full-time employment later after you graduate if you did good work while interning. We do make offers to some of our interns depending on how well they did and the needs at the time.

Obviously schools like Stanford or UC Berkeley are going to be well connected with local companies. But San Jose state is no slouch either and is right in the heart of the action. So I would say its a pretty good option to look at as well. Plus you'll save a lot of money going to a state school. But that is where you'll need to narrow it down to the schools you can get into and are interested in. Then go and visit to job placement center. Talk with folks there about paid internship opportunties with local companies. Talk with students if possible. Find out what the employment rate is of their recent CS grads if at all possible. Ultimately that is your goal - to land a good job doing what you studied to do, unless of course you want to go into teaching. My sister-in-law just graduated from UCSD in business and can't find a job right now.

While no school can guarantee you a job upon graduation, you have the potential for a better running start with some. But most of it will still depend on you, regardless of the school. What did you do while in school (e.g. partied, learned to break dance, snowboard, etc...), and not just school projects? For example you might say I worked on a state-of-the-art embedded widget for the space shuttle for our senior project. It was really cool! Then a manager will say wonderful, but how does that help us build our web application for our upcoming project? Next.

Derek

[CAVA1990]

I've always been a huge Pac 8/10/12 sports fan so going to a UC made more sense for me.

Go Bears!