Paying for Berkeley over UMD for Comp Sci - Worth it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If 100% certain that DC wil, stick with computer science, UMD is a better choice even at same cost. I get Silicon Valley, but there is a shop off Rte 198 that knows a thing or two about computers too.

If any chance the major could change, then Cal.

Umm... yea, but the majority of high tech jobs at the most "fun" and interesting, hip companies are in SV, especially for a recent college grad. If you are a young single person in high tech, you want to work for one any one of the companies in SV. The perks there for a single person is great. You will have tons of fun, and sorry, but MD weather cannot compete with CA weather. Skiing, surfing, sailing, desert down south, forest up north. If it weren't for the cost of living, it would be paradise.

California is a big state that is best compared to the east coast from Boston to DC. I'll give you the weather and natural beauty, but Northern California is insular and boring compared to NYC and the East Coast. Palo Alto (aka"shallow alto") is so boring that most young people now endure a commute from San Francisco. San Francisco is great for gay men, but for others - not so much. So for the outdoorsmen, Cal is hard to beat. For the urban dweller, I'd choose the East Coast.

Um , speak for yourself...

[Anonymous]

My son chose to go to UMCP on a full ride & gave up an admissions offer to Berkeley. Not only are we saving $250,000 or so, but he's having amazing personal, academic, and professional success at Maryland. No regrets on his part (or mine). He plans to go to grad school & might go to Berkeley at that time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If he is a really bright kid, UMD undergrad, and then another school for graduate level.

You really need a master's in comp sci to not be a drone.

No not really - you need a whip-smart idea or get a top 7 mba.

That master's in CS just makes you a get more money and better title as a Dev or Test.

Master's in CS in and of itself is not going to help you think up the next fb, dropbox, whatsapp, tumblr, pintrest, google, snapchat, uber, etc. That is something a drop out to a phd can think of.

The top 7 mba however will allow you to move into product dev/management, corporate development/firm strategy/m&a role that helps you rise in the ranks at a large tech firm.

I would go UMD, kill it, get a job in the valley for a 2-3 years, then if you don't think of a startup idea or have the chance to join a startup that you think will blow up, apply to go to a top b school.

[Anonymous]

Umd alumni invented/created the octane system, google , linear programming , the universal price code, pulse Dopplar radar, the hybrid engine, miniaturized insulin pumps, Seinfeld , the wire, boondocks , diary of a wimpy kid, Nautica ,Underarmour , retractable landing gear, large screen stadium television , the automatic parachute, frequent flyer systems, Outback Steakhouse , broke watergate , most national championships/nobels /fields medals/academy awards/Emmys in the ACC by a wide margin.

Probably more impact than Cal but less rep.

[Anonymous]

You left out the MUPPETS!! How could you do that!! The works would suck without the muppets!!

Of course ... I'd die without google and Seinfeld !

[Anonymous]

World^^

[Anonymous]

Where does your kid want to be? If he's where he wants to be, he'll be more happy/motivated... and that makes a huge difference!

[Anonymous]

What is the $ differential, OP?

Will your student need to take out loans for Berkeley?

Have you looked at UMD CS job placement statistics?

[Anonymous]

I want to see my kid sometimes.. UMD.

I guess I'm selfish.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I want to see my kid sometimes.. UMD.

I guess I'm selfish.

+1

Not sure why some parents are so eager to ship their children so far away.

[Anonymous]

Not sure why some parents are so eager to ship their children so far away.

Unclench. In my family we take the best professional and personal opportunities as they come. I haven't lived near my parents since college, and my parents and I are incredibly close. My parents didn't see it as shipping me away--they saw it as giving me independence and letting me grow as an individual. My brother went to college locally and lived at home for part of it, and that was fine too. With phones, skype, airplanes, and so on and so forth it's pretty easy to stay close and stay in touch.

As far as the original question goes, Berkeley has the better program and is in proximity to silicon valley which makes networking and internships easier. If you can afford to send your kid there and they feel comfortable there, then go with that. If your kid likes being at UMD better or it is a huge stretch to send your kid to Berkeley, then send them to UMD. They have the opportunity to do well at either school and they are both excellent choices, but there are obviously clear advantages to being at Berkeley, all other things being equal.

[Anonymous]

5 years down the road it won't matter where he graduated from, unless maybe they want to go into management.


- SE for over 30 years - and in my 30+ years, I have NEVER encountered anyone discussing what school they went to in detail. Maybe just a casual mention, an oh btw sort of thing. I don't even know if anyone my current team has a college degree. I bet most don't or if they do, it probably is not even in CS, and they're all make between 150 - 200k, some more. I graduated with an ISM degree in '84.

[Anonymous]

- SE for over 30 years - and in my 30+ years, I have NEVER encountered anyone discussing what school they went to in detail. Maybe just a casual mention, an oh btw sort of thing. I don't even know if anyone my current team has a college degree. I bet most don't or if they do, it probably is not even in CS, and they're all make between 150 - 200k, some more. I graduated with an ISM degree in '84.

I get what you are saying. I have a lot of friends in software, and some of them don't even have college degrees. Some have masters degrees, but most just have bachelors. They come from all kinds of schools. This whole notion of needing to go to grad school to not be a drone doesn't really make sense to me--but I'm not a software engineer. I'm just noticing from the outside. Nearly all of them make six figures.

However, among people I know who went to Caltech, Stanford, Berkeley, or MIT who are applied math and computer science types, they seemed to have an easier time getting a software developer or engineer job at places like Facebook, Apple, Google, etc. perhaps just because those companies recruit there. I know there are a lot of high paying jobs at other companies, but it did seem to make a difference. Maybe just because those people were typically just really smart (hence able to get into super competitive schools) and talented programmers anyway, and would have done well wherever.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Umd alumni invented/created the octane system, google , linear programming , the universal price code, pulse Dopplar radar, the hybrid engine, miniaturized insulin pumps, Seinfeld , the wire, boondocks , diary of a wimpy kid, Nautica ,Underarmour , retractable landing gear, large screen stadium television , the automatic parachute, frequent flyer systems, Outback Steakhouse , broke watergate , most national championships/nobels /fields medals/academy awards/Emmys in the ACC by a wide margin.

Probably more impact than Cal but less rep.

Cal invented plutonium = more impact.

[Anonymous]

UMD. He'll have no prob getting into SV. I went to VaTech and have a Google interview in a week. As pp's have said he can go to a name for grad. If he really wants he should intern in SV to establish a network. Re UMBC, the reason why pp said they were getting lower positions is prob because consultants are name recognition focused. There will be less of an issue at a real tech company. Also he should establish a programming portfolio just like artists do.