Carnegie Mellon or Virginia Tech?

[Anonymous]

For someone who will major Computer Science undergraduate program, I am trying to justify the cost of 72k at CMU versus 22.5k at Virginia Tech. That 200k more over four years at CMU. I graduated from Virginia Tech in CS and where I work, there are about five colleagues that graduated from CMU in CS and all of us make the same salary. I am trying to convince my child to save money by going to Virginia Tech. Any suggestions?

[Anonymous]

Sounds like you answered your own question.

[Anonymous]

Can he get into CMU?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For someone who will major Computer Science undergraduate program, I am trying to justify the cost of 72k at CMU versus 22.5k at Virginia Tech. That 200k more over four years at CMU. I graduated from Virginia Tech in CS and where I work, there are about five colleagues that graduated from CMU in CS and all of us make the same salary. I am trying to convince my child to save money by going to Virginia Tech. Any suggestions?

Yes, be the parent and say "We will give you XX amount of dollars each year for college. The rest will be loans that you take out and will have to pay back on your own."

It really isn't that hard. We aren't talking Fairfax community college here. It is VT. Does't your son know the CMU motto anyway? Where Fun Goes to Die!

[Anonymous]

Did your kid get into both? If not then it's a moot point. Definitely apply to both.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For someone who will major Computer Science undergraduate program, I am trying to justify the cost of 72k at CMU versus 22.5k at Virginia Tech. That 200k more over four years at CMU. I graduated from Virginia Tech in CS and where I work, there are about five colleagues that graduated from CMU in CS and all of us make the same salary. I am trying to convince my child to save money by going to Virginia Tech. Any suggestions?

Yes, be the parent and say "We will give you XX amount of dollars each year for college. The rest will be loans that you take out and will have to pay back on your own."

It really isn't that hard. We aren't talking Fairfax community college here. It is VT. Does't your son know the CMU motto anyway? Where Fun Goes to Die!

That's UChicago.

[Anonymous]

well, my kid's CS teacher said to him when my kid was evaluating engineering schools:

* which one would you rather be at if your major doesn't work out for you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For someone who will major Computer Science undergraduate program, I am trying to justify the cost of 72k at CMU versus 22.5k at Virginia Tech. That 200k more over four years at CMU. I graduated from Virginia Tech in CS and where I work, there are about five colleagues that graduated from CMU in CS and all of us make the same salary. I am trying to convince my child to save money by going to Virginia Tech. Any suggestions?

Yes, be the parent and say "We will give you XX amount of dollars each year for college. The rest will be loans that you take out and will have to pay back on your own."

It really isn't that hard. We aren't talking Fairfax community college here. It is VT. Does't your son know the CMU motto anyway? Where Fun Goes to Die!

That's UChicago.

Cmu and Hopkins have the same vibe.

[Anonymous]

I've been to Blacksburg and I've been to Pittsburgh, and frankly I thought Pittsburgh was more fun. YMMV.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:well, my kid's CS teacher said to him when my kid was evaluating engineering schools:

* which one would you rather be at if your major doesn't work out for you?

this is good advice

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For someone who will major Computer Science undergraduate program, I am trying to justify the cost of 72k at CMU versus 22.5k at Virginia Tech. That 200k more over four years at CMU. I graduated from Virginia Tech in CS and where I work, there are about five colleagues that graduated from CMU in CS and all of us make the same salary. I am trying to convince my child to save money by going to Virginia Tech. Any suggestions?

Yes, be the parent and say "We will give you XX amount of dollars each year for college. The rest will be loans that you take out and will have to pay back on your own."

It really isn't that hard. We aren't talking Fairfax community college here. It is VT. Does't your son know the CMU motto anyway? Where Fun Goes to Die!

That's UChicago.

Cmu and Hopkins have the same vibe.

?? okay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:well, my kid's CS teacher said to him when my kid was evaluating engineering schools:

* which one would you rather be at if your major doesn't work out for you?

this is good advice

Can you please elaborate that statement? Seems like 200k is an expensive experiment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:well, my kid's CS teacher said to him when my kid was evaluating engineering schools:

* which one would you rather be at if your major doesn't work out for you?

This is exactly why my daughter isn't applying to specific technical schools and applying to engineering schools within large pubic schools. Not only would it suck to transfer, but it is nice to be around other people doing other things.

The only negative to VT to CMU is location. While VT has a much better campus, it is in no-man's land. CMU campus is awful thought. Barely been updated, but it is urban and right next door to Pitt for some stress relief.

[Anonymous]

Consider the time gap between your first job and your son's. There is a generation of difference. Your comparison is wrong. There are many more highly advanced companies (applying technologies that didn't exist when you were studying or got your first job). He may not want to apply to your company after his graduation. You should really compare the courses, the faculty, the peer group, the labs, the internship opportunities, the reputation, the employers visiting the campus for recruiting, the potential job/career trajectories of recent graduates and current students of CS of the two universities and determine if $200K extra is worth it for you and your son.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Consider the time gap between your first job and your son's. There is a generation of difference. Your comparison is wrong. There are many more highly advanced companies (applying technologies that didn't exist when you were studying or got your first job). He may not want to apply to your company after his graduation. You should really compare the courses, the faculty, the peer group, the labs, the internship opportunities, the reputation, the employers visiting the campus for recruiting, the potential job/career trajectories of recent graduates and current students of CS of the two universities and determine if $200K extra is worth it for you and your son.

Are you kidding me? You are talking peanuts compared to $200K in debt. People that actually think the name of their college means something and is worth the extra $200K are the type of people, no wants to hire. We aren't talking politics, finance, etc.. This is computer science.