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Choosing a College

MagicMagic
edited February 2010 in Suggestions
It's been ages since I've actually engaged in any conversation on the forum, but I figured I could use some help here.

I've been accepted into 4 of the 5 colleges I applied to. Those schools are:
Georgia Tech
University of Florida
Drexel University
Florida State University
I'm still waiting for Carnegie Mellon's decision.

Now, I'm a resident of Florida and going to school in-state would be absolutely free. The problem is that I'm very poor and want to major in Computer Science. Because of my fiscal situation, I've got to pick the best school for CS for the best money. I've looked into all of these schools and if money weren't an problem, I'd go to CMU with Ga Tech as a close second. I've looked into the CS program at UF and it looks rather legitimate. They offer a BS in CS and the curriculum is solid as far as I can tell. I'm just not sure how a potential employer would view a degree from there.

Should I go to a techy school and graduate with significant debt or stay at home and graduate with excess money and a degree from a not traditionally tech-oriented school?
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Comments

  • Dr. TimoDr. Timo
    edited February 2010
    Should I go to a techy school and graduate with significant debt or stay at home and graduate with excess money and a degree from a not traditionally tech-oriented school?
    How good are you? And what's your goal. Assuming you want a job, it will not matter what school you attended if you're good. And by good I mean that you contribute to a OSS project, write a game engine, start an internet startup (cheesy but will get you props), etc. etc.

    If you want to do actual computer science then being at a good school matters much more, but only in the sense that you will have more direct and easier access to good teachers / research groups.

    EDIT: let me rephrase my answer: It only matters if you want to do science, but you should still go to a tech university, if not for the fact that even I know Florida is not the most hip place to be, then because you'll likely meet more interesting or at least more like-minded people there. And that's what University is really about!
    Post edited by Dr. Timo on
  • AndrewAndrew
    edited February 2010
    I'm a CS major at Georgia Tech; do you have any specific questions?
    Post edited by Andrew on
  • TheWhaleSharkTheWhaleShark
    edited February 2010
    then because you'll likely meet more interesting or at least more like-minded people there. And that's what University is really about!
    This. College is about these things, in order of importance:

    1. Learning to operate independently and function in the workplace
    2. Meeting like-minded individuals for networking and fun
    3. The name of the school you attend
    4. The degree you get
    5. What you actually learn

    The whole point of the undergraduate experience is learning to how to prioritize work and set achievable goals. That's really the education that you're getting.

    EDIT: If you're wicked poor, can't you get grants, scholarships, and other sorts of funding that won't drive you into crazy-ass debt?

    Also, don't forget about the relatively recent federal loan forgiveness plan, and its associated income-based repayment option. College is more affordable than you might think.
    Post edited by TheWhaleShark on
  • MagicMagic
    edited February 2010
    EDIT: If you're wicked poor, can't you get grants, scholarships, and other sorts of funding that won't drive you into crazy-ass debt?
    You're right. I won't know the whole financial picture until the financial aid application process is over. I've got scholarships and I'm likely to get lots of aid based on my federal student aid application, but I still think paying for a college out of state is going to provide significant obstacles.

    To its credit, the University of Florida gives its CS degrees out of the college of engineering, which is revered, i guess. The school is also gigantic (40,000 undergrads.) So, if I were to go there, I think I would be able to find my niche. And, if rankings matter, is the 15th best public school based on some arbitrary report.
    Post edited by Magic on
  • IkatonoIkatono
    So, highschool class o' '12, where are you going to college? I'm heading to RIT.
  • George PatchesGeorge Patches
    edited April 2012
    Holy fuck it's been almost a decade since I graduated high school. @_@
    Post edited by George Patches on
  • Anthony HemanAnthony Heman
    Holy fuck it's been almost a decade since I graduated high school. @_@
    We are old people. What's the cutoff for dieing young? I always thought I'd do that. Apparently not.
  • NeitoNeito
    Holy fuck it's been almost a decade since I graduated high school. @_@
    I graduated in '03, and am now for the first time going to live on-campus at a college.
  • GregGreg
    Holy fuck it's been almost a decade since I graduated high school. @_@
    We are old people. What's the cutoff for dieing young? I always thought I'd do that. Apparently not.
    I'm gonna say 35. Between that and 70, you're just cheating yourself out of a longer life.
  • NuriNuri
    Holy fuck it's been almost a decade since I graduated high school. @_@
    Oh fuck. I'm class of 2002.

  • WindUpBirdWindUpBird
    edited April 2012
    Holy fuck it's been almost a decade since I graduated middle school. @_@ Well, seven years is close enough for "almost," right?
    Post edited by WindUpBird on
  • George PatchesGeorge Patches
    edited April 2012
    Holy fuck it's been almost a decade since I graduated middle school. @_@ Well, seven years is close enough for "almost," right?
    >_<

    Shut up
    Post edited by George Patches on
  • Not nineNot nine
    Holy fuck it's been over a decade since I first had a wank.
  • Snickety-SnakeSnickety-Snake
    So, highschool class o' '12, where are you going to college? I'm heading to RIT.
    Heyoo! Let me when you get started on housing so I can add you as a roommate.
  • NuriNuri
    Holy fuck it's been over a decade since I first had a wank.
    ...only a decade?

  • IkatonoIkatono
    So, highschool class o' '12, where are you going to college? I'm heading to RIT.
    Heyoo! Let me when you get started on housing so I can add you as a roommate.
    Will do.
  • ChurbaChurba
    Holy fuck it's been over a decade since I first had a wank.
    ...only a decade?
    You could say he's a latecomer to the game.
  • RochelleRochelle
    George, would you rather still be in high school or just out of high school?

    I honestly don't care anymore that I'm getting older. For me, it just means I am getting paid more than I was and still having more opportunities to go do things I couldn't do a decade ago.

    Those years after high school were fun, but I think I'm having way more fun now.
  • NuriNuri
    It's more the realization that we have been out of that kind of culture for so long. Your world view really does change drastically as you get farther away from high school.
  • RochelleRochelle
    Yep. I realize it more and more everyday, especially when I see the younger generation interact on the internets or in real life.

    Whenever I hear conversations of teenagers, I think to myself, "I talked like that, didn't I? Wow. I must have sounded really stupid to older people when I was younger."
  • Anthony HemanAnthony Heman
    I was already tired and jaded then. That hasn't exactly changed.
  • NeitoNeito
    I was, up until about 2008 or so, an obnoxious prick. Not actively, but I was annoying to be around.
  • CremlianCremlian
    Hey that's better then some of us, We've been obnoxious pricks well into our late 20's and early 30's :-p
  • Anthony HemanAnthony Heman
    Hey that's better then some of us, We've been obnoxious pricks well into our late 20's and early 30's :-p
    Why ruin a good thing?
  • TheWhaleSharkTheWhaleShark
    Hey that's better then some of us, We've been obnoxious pricks well into our late 20's and early 30's :-p
    Gotta stick with what you know.

  • GregGreg
    I was already tired and jaded then. That hasn't exactly changed.
    I've been getting progressively more tired and jaded since I started middle school. At this point I think I'm out of development, but I might still be in beta.
  • WindUpBirdWindUpBird
    I was already tired and jaded then. That hasn't exactly changed.
    I've been getting progressively more tired and jaded since I started middle school. At this point I think I'm out of development, but I might still be in beta.
    Freshman year of college they'll release a patch that corrects Jaded Cynicism to an Optimistic (If Angry) Young Ideologue.

    High school sucks for everyone cool, guys.
  • Anthony HemanAnthony Heman
    Avoid the patch. It just introduces new "False Hope" bugs into the system.
  • WindUpBirdWindUpBird
    :|

    Pessimism is so fucking boring. How do you expect to accomplish anything worthwhile if your baseline expectation is that everything turns to shit anyway?
  • Anthony HemanAnthony Heman
    You just do whatever needs to be done. Pessimism fuels me to do the greatest of things, because fuck - nobody else seems to be doing it.
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