Location vs. Prestiege (computer science, UVA, costs, schools)

[Screen]

I'm majoring in computer science and plan on going into software engineering. I plan on working in the bay area and I was wondering would it be better to go to San Jose State or stay here in VA and go to UVA? Would location to Silicon Valley be worth it?

[Pitt Chick]

How do the tuition costs compare?

[Weichert]

Why not Va Tech?

[toobusytoday]

Are you saying that you are a HS senior and planning to major in CS? If that's the case then apply to UVA and San Jose State, see where you get in and what the bottom line cost is and than decide. I agree about applying to VT BTW.

[Screen]

I'm in community college right now, going to transfer after getting my associate's. Cost is not a problem. I'll keep VT in mind too.

[MrRational]

Originally Posted by Screen

I'm in community college right now, going to transfer after getting my associate's.

Then your choices are limited by/to schools that will accept the most of your CC credits.

[rational1]

> Cost is not a problem.

Then you are truly fortunate. And transfer credits won't be an issue either.

At San Jose you will be able to network with some in the valley; however keep in mind that top people will go to Berkeley or Stanford.

[nybbler]

Personally I wouldn't believe that hoo-hah about SJSU being the programmer pipeline for Silicon Valley. The actual schools which could back up that claim are Stanford and IIT. It's a nice campus with nice weather though.

[OdysseusNY]

i wouldn't bother going to SJ state just to pay out of state tuition rates

are those two schools the only two you've considered?

in general choose prestige over location, as silicon valley companies have no problem whatsoever relocating a candidate if that candidate is good. demand for good candidates is incredibly high in SV. so focus on becoming a good candidate - choose a high quality CS program over either prestige or location (although quality and prestige are well linked in this field)