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Ask HN: Where are some low budget and good CS College?

by HNLurker2 on 12/6/19, 10:44 AM with 6 comments

• by flafla2 on 12/6/19, 1:46 PM

  I'm assuming you are asking about undergraduate schools since you did not specify. University is not free or cheap in the USA, unfortunately this is a reality that you will have to deal with if you want to study here. Most schools offer merit-based (scholarships / grants) and need-based aid. Need-based aid may be hard to come by if you are not a US citizen (perhaps other users with experience can chime in). IMO for undergrad financial aid will be the most important thing to bring down the price, so you should engage with the office of financial aid early at whatever colleges/universities you are applying to.

  Public Universities tend to be cheaper, especially if you live in the state where the school is located. This is especially important if you live in a state with good public CS schools, like Illinois (University of Illinois @ Champaign Urbana is a top 5 program) or California (see the various UCs, including of course Berkeley). So if you are lucky enough to live in those states then that is a viable option.

  If you win the admissions lottery and can get into an elite program (unfortunately it is a lottery, in many ways due to simple supply and demand, and I say this as someone in a top-ranked CS program), it's gonna run you up to $60,000 per year without any financial aid depending on the school. Many people will take out student loans to offset this cost, and with a CS degree it is easier to pay off the loans, but that is still a financial risk you need to consider.

  Honestly, if possible, just go to school in the EU if you're an EU citizen. There are many great schools there and the cost of flying there and finding a house is likely lower than the tuition on this side of the pond. Many Americans would kill for the opportunity for a free education.

• by passer_byer on 12/6/19, 1:35 PM

  In the U.S. we have what is referred to as land grant colleges. They are publicly funded and they began in the late 19th century as technical colleges focused on improving agricultural methods.

  As an example, North Carolina State University has a very strong CS program. In addition, they have developed under graduate and graduate level courses in data analysis/statistics. Combining a CS degree with exposure to courses which apply these methods is good value for the money.

  Consider moving to the state you are interested in, establish residency for one year. That way, you pay in-state tuition fees rather than out-of state fees which are typically 3x or 4x.

  Good luck!

• by philipkiely on 12/6/19, 2:05 PM

  You'll want to look at colleges that offer financial aid to international students, specifically colleges that are "need-blind" in their admissions, even internationally. My school, Grinnell College, is one such institution, which is why we are 20-25% international students. Total need-blind admission and a 100% meeting of demonstrated need for international students is somewhat rare for colleges but such schools do exist.

• by orbifold on 12/6/19, 2:38 PM

  I would say that under almost all circumstances it would be better to study in Europe if you can. German universities are free and pretty good (LMU and KIT for compsci for example). The cost of living is comparable. Even favoring the ~1 year of language course that you would need, you would be far better off financially.

• by non-entity on 12/6/19, 12:42 PM

  Are you looking for graduate degrees? Georgia Tech's OMCS seems to have decent reviews from what I've heard

• by sesuximo on 12/6/19, 12:51 PM

  if you can look at eu schools, then this will be a lot easier