College choices?

[Takebacker]

Hi, i'm starting to apply to college and i'm kind of starving for college choices. >_>

Can anyone suggest a good college on the east coast that isn't too high end and decent/really good for the IT major?

Thank you!

[TBOL3]

Gearga Tech is good.

I also HEARD Virginia Tech was also good.

Both are top 100 as general schools, and george is in the top ten for degrees in computer and electrical engineering.

I would recommend MIT, but It seems like it doesn't fit your description (but wish me luck in getting in)

[TBOL3]

Also, I'm biased, but I wouldn't recommend getting a degree in IT, I recommend you get a degree in something else (like engineering). IT has good paying jobs, but their very risky. For this reason, I would get a degree in something related to IT, and then go into the IT field after. Either that, or get a job in IT as you go to school.

BTW, are you a junior or senior?

[Takebacker]

Gearga Tech is good.

I also HEARD Virginia Tech was also good.

Both are top 100 as general schools, and george is in the top ten for degrees in computer and electrical engineering.

I would recommend MIT, but It seems like it doesn't fit your description (but wish me luck in getting in)

I don't know about georgia tech, but VT and MIT i'm pretty sure is WAY out of my score and GPA range. Not to mention that i'm trying to avoid a tech school, as there tends to be not as many women as i'd like there to be. xD

For the record, my max SAT score is 1600 and my GPA will probably be a 4.0 on a 5.0 scale by the end of the first marking period. My school is retarded and uses the scale no one else in the country uses for GPAs. >_>



Also, I'm biased, but I wouldn't recommend getting a degree in IT, I recommend you get a degree in something else (like engineering). IT has good paying jobs, but their very risky. For this reason, I would get a degree in something related to IT, and then go into the IT field after. Either that, or get a job in IT as you go to school.

BTW, are you a junior or senior?

Can you elaborate on that a bit? o_o I had originally planned on game programming, but i hear the pay is...meh and it's somewhat difficult unless you create something completely original that takes off like a rocket on the market. (rhyming ftw? o.o) IT from what i know is much less coding oriented and is more like a mix of hardware and software involvement. I don't know what part of IT you're thinking of (since it's pretty broad) but i'm just talking general company work with updating and improving company hard/software.

I was planning on maybe getting a job in a shop that fixes computers, as i've seen that on a few campuses and with what i know from using ubuntu it wouldn't be that bad a job. Not to mention i've had my fair share of windows hacks, fixes, and problems solved...how bad can it be? xD

I'm a senior. :O

[Changturkey]

Don't tell me a CS degree is IT.

[Takebacker]

Don't tell me a CS degree is IT.

Well i'm in it now but CS just seems to be pure coding, which isn't what i'm going for.

[pkl266]

CS is actually not just coding. It's more of a study of computation. Coding is just a means of solving problems and such. (The intro classes will be mostly just coding though). That isn't to say there isn't a lot of coding, but there is a lore more to it, essentially.

Anyways, what state do you live in? I think pretty much all major state schools will have good enough programs, and should be cheaper because they're instate.

[Takebacker]

CS is actually not just coding. It's more of a study of computation. Coding is just a means of solving problems and such. (The intro classes will be mostly just coding though). That isn't to say there isn't a lot of coding, but there is a lore more to it, essentially.

Anyways, what state do you live in? I think pretty much all major state schools will have good enough programs, and should be cheaper because they're instate.

I'm in north jersey. Far as i know, money isn't a major issue but the cheaper the better as long as i get a good bang for my grandparent's buck. xD As long as the school isn't 50k a year or anything that extreme. o.o

[TBOL3]

First of all MIT is about 45% women, which makes me happy :).

Next IT is not CS. IT, information technology (or something techy anyway :) ) is generally geared tawords general businesses. You would be the person who maintaines their computers. If it's a big business, or the government, you may get more specific, for example you may be spacifically networking.

CS, is the study of computers. It contains everything from hardware to software. Although, lower level classes are only software. CS is much more broad then IT is.

Computer Engineering, is the people that make new technology, that people in CS use. The main, and only difforence between a computer engineer, and a hacker (and I don't mean a cracker), is how rigorous the development is. FLOSS, is usually not rigoures. Hackers make what they want, usually without regard to the users (but this is rapidly changing). Engineers will have a business model, that is designed to sell a product to a spacific audience.

Get a degree in either CS, or Computer engineering. IT is much to unstable to spend 4 years getting a degree in. If you wish IT, then get in and out as fast as possible, because it changes so fast.

Also, IT is unstable. It is one of the first things to be cut in a financial crunch (hmm.. how about our current economy anyone), if you want a stable, but lowER paying job, (as in ~60,000-70,000 after a few years), then go work for the gov.

If male-female ratios are important to you, research that. May I recommend college board. It's a wonderful site, loaded with FREE goodies.

Anyway, good luck on your search. And when you find a match, GO FOR IT. I don't care what tier it is, GO FOR IT. But then again, I want to go to MIT, so maybe that's a bit hypocritical. Also, don't just go to a technical school. They will woo you with taglines like "you can get a degree in just 2 years", and "a pasion for technology". They used to woo me, until I saw their problems. The first is that their too specific. If the IT industry dies altogether, then you have no credible education. And some of those schools aren't even accredited anyway.

Also, college confidential is yet another good resource. You can find lots of other people who are willing to help.

[TBOL3]

Anyways, what state do you live in? I think pretty much all major state schools will have good enough programs, and should be cheaper because they're instate.

Not entirely true. Only some (actually most) schools do this. But many private schools don't. For example, MIT is about 40k for everyone. And Stanford is about 30k for everyone. Also, top tier schools are very generous with financial aid, especially need based aid.

[pkl266]

Yes, collegeboard is a very good site for research.

As far as collegeconfidential, it can be good sometimes, but take everything you hear there with a grain of salt. They can be quite elitest and out of touch with reality sometimes.

EDIT: Yes, private schools don't have in/out of state tuition. All state (funded) public schools do though.

[Takebacker]

First of all MIT is about 45% women, which makes me happy :).

Next IT is not CS. IT, information technology (or something techy anyway :) ) is generally geared tawords general businesses. You would be the person who maintaines their computers. If it's a big business, or the government, you may get more specific, for example you may be spacifically networking.

CS, is the study of computers. It contains everything from hardware to software. Although, lower level classes are only software. CS is much more broad then IT is.

Computer Engineering, is the people that make new technology, that people in CS use. The main, and only difforence between a computer engineer, and a hacker (and I don't mean a cracker), is how rigorous the development is. FLOSS, is usually not rigoures. Hackers make what they want, usually without regard to the users (but this is rapidly changing). Engineers will have a business model, that is designed to sell a product to a spacific audience.

Get a degree in either CS, or Computer engineering. IT is much to unstable to spend 4 years getting a degree in. If you wish IT, then get in and out as fast as possible, because it changes so fast.

Also, IT is unstable. It is one of the first things to be cut in a financial crunch (hmm.. how about our current economy anyone), if you want a stable, but lowER paying job, (as in ~60,000-70,000 after a few years), then go work for the gov.

If male-female ratios are important to you, research that. May I recommend college board. It's a wonderful site, loaded with FREE goodies.

Anyway, good luck on your search. And when you find a match, GO FOR IT. I don't care what tier it is, GO FOR IT. But then again, I want to go to MIT, so maybe that's a bit hypocritical. Also, don't just go to a technical school. They will woo you with taglines like "you can get a degree in just 2 years", and "a pasion for technology". They used to woo me, until I saw their problems. The first is that their too specific. If the IT industry dies altogether, then you have no credible education. And some of those schools aren't even accredited anyway.

Also, college confidential is yet another good resource. You can find lots of other people who are willing to help.

MIT huh...i'll check it out on naviance (grading comparison thing my school set me up with) but what's the acceptance rate for my kind of grades? xD Do you know? :X

Hmmm, that's interesting stuff. O_o Most of it i knew already, but i didn't know CS was like that at all. Though are you sure about the "It is one of the first things to be cut in a financial crunch" thing? I'm reading a bunch of stuff on slashdot saying they're generally unaffected because companies feel they're too valuable to give up.

Yeah, that's another reason why i don't like tech schools. xD Too good to be true for the education and whatnot. Those and community colleges are more like an insult in my opinion, you might as well not go at all.

Females aren't THAT important, but it's a pretty significant factor in deciding where to go for a technical major. xD I don't like the idea of being surrounded by guys for a large portion of my life.

[pluviosity]

Don't avoid expensive-looking schools because of the sticker price. I go to Cornell, which is approaching $45k a year, but I pay only a fraction of that. Cornell isn't half bad for CS either, but I'm a biology major so I only know what people have mentioned about that department.

[TBOL3]

Join the club. I don't want to be around 100% guys. But we really need more female linux users (yes, I know there's plenty here, but I would like more).

I think you might be able to get into some good schools. A lot of my friends are at your level. (BTW, don't look at statistics alone, they are NOT you, you are you, and that's all that really matters). Anyway, my ToK teacher recommends that they (and me actually) try to go into a small school, where they will "take care of you".


Yes, collegeboard is a very good site for research.

As far as collegeconfidential, it can be good sometimes, but take everything you hear there with a grain of salt. They can be quite elitest and out of touch with reality sometimes.

EDIT: Yes, private schools don't have in/out of state tuition. All state (funded) public schools do though.

Really, elitest? I didn't notice (and I'm not being sarcastic).

[TBOL3]

Don't avoid expensive-looking schools because of the sticker price. I go to Cornell, which is approaching $45k a year, but I pay only a fraction of that. Cornell isn't half bad for CS either, but I'm a biology major so I only know what people have mentioned about that department.

True. Do NOT look at the price tag (much). As I said, most major Uni's (according to my ToK teacher), are genouris with financial aid.

[namegame]

Clemson University

23rd in academia for public universities.

First for happiest students.

I go to Clemson, majoring in Computer Science.

[Takebacker]

Join the club. I don't want to be around 100% guys. But we really need more female linux users (yes, I know there's plenty here, but I would like more).

I think you might be able to get into some good schools. A lot of my friends are at your level. (BTW, don't look at statistics alone, they are NOT you, you are you, and that's all that really matters). Anyway, my ToK teacher recommends that they (and me actually) try to go into a small school, where they will "take care of you".



Really, elitest? I didn't notice (and I'm not being sarcastic).

My god yes. Or straight ones at least, the only girl in my CS class isn't. >_>

Oh really? That's reassuring, especially since i didn't consider MIT at all because i always thought it was out of my league. xD I try not to take the scores like a finite line to pass but yeah, i'm doing my best on the essay especially. Stressing my adventures with computers helps a lot too. xD

[TBOL3]

My god yes. Or straight ones at least, the only girl in my CS class isn't. >_>

Oh really? That's reassuring, especially since i didn't consider MIT at all because i always thought it was out of my league. xD I try not to take the scores like a finite line to pass but yeah, i'm doing my best on the essay especially. Stressing my adventures with computers helps a lot too. xD

Here let me give you this article, and a lot of this is true about large uni's:
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/massachusetts-institute-technology/205635-problem-looking-stats-alone.html

Also, here's a tip. Apply to 1-2 reach schools (Schools which you aren't sure that you can get into, but want to)

Apply to 3-5 match schools (schools at about your level)

Apply to 1-2 safety schools (schools which you are almost certain you can get in. This does NOT have to be an open enrollment school.)

[Changturkey]

I think CS is different in the US, compared to where I live, Canada.