#UIUC CS+Linguistics vs. Georgia Tech CS

41 messages · Page 1 of 1 (latest)

paper spindle
#

UIUC:
Pros:

  • Great linguistics program, combined cs+linguistics major so guaranteed classes
  • One of the best micro-urban locations in the US, great bus system and walkability with three separate downtown areas.
  • Near three major Midwestern cities
  • Far enough from home for me
  • Lots of study abroad programs to choose from because I get Grainger and LAS study abroad opportunities
  • Don't have to transfer in
  • Would 100% go here if i were rich

Cons:

  • $62k/yr, $248k total costs
  • After subtracting the money my family plans to contribute, I'd wind up with $113k in loans
    • Full Stafford loan
    • The rest as a zero-interest loan with my parents
  • Missing some of the big-city things I like, like regular concerts
  • Cold (I've lived in the South all my life except for a few weeks touring colleges but this isn't factoring in a ton, might regret that)
#

OK->GT:
Pros:

  • Cheap, about $78k in total
  • Get to spend a year away from home I guess?
  • I know some of the CS and Linguistics professors at Georgia Tech already
  • Atlanta is a big city that gets concerts a lot
  • Pretty good weather
  • Save money for grad school (can study linguistics there?)

Cons:

  • Have to transfer in
  • My pathway will be invalidated if my grades slip and I'll be stuck in Oklahoma
  • Have to live in Oklahoma for a year, not ideal
  • Limited study abroad options for CS majors
  • Didn't really like the vibe? Seems really strict in terms of what they let you do and everyone I know there is depressed or stressed out of their mind
  • I stay in Georgia/Atlanta
    • Too close to home
    • I feel like I'll be stuck after I graduate
    • Bad infrastructure
    • MARTA sucks
    • Not walkable
    • I-75 literally runs through the middle of campus like cmon
    • Conservative state, Atlanta is better but GT isn't Atlanta natives
  • Linguistics options are limited
    • Minor only, no major
    • About five dedicated classes
    • Helping professors with research
    • Taking classes at Emory
      • Have to take a long bus ride to campus every day
      • Not many classes there either
      • Professor says it's possible but not feasible
#

The most important factors to me are linguistics options and location. I love studying linguistics and think I would not be as happy without it. I hate Georgia and Atlanta for all the reasons listed above and more, and I've been wanting to leave the South as long as long as I can remember. Both programs are ranked about the same and pay about the same, so there's not much difference in my career after undergrad, except I'd be more likely to do grad school for linguistics after GT maybe.

swift bronze
#

It sounds like you don’t want to be in the south any longer. If you’re itching to get out and see the world, I’d encourage you to go to UIUC

paper spindle
#

i think part of the problem is figuring out if it's financially feasible or not

#

my mom had a full ride and my dad took like 10 years to pay off a 7k debt to his mom

#

to an in-state school

swift bronze
#

Well I think that’s a conversation between you and your parents. But you’d have to transfer into ga and it sounds like a pain based on your situation. I didn’t really factor in financial situation in the assessment, just offering my two cents as to where I think you’re a better fit

paper spindle
#

if money wasnt a factor i'd 100% pick uiuc

swift bronze
#

At the end of the day the decision’s up to you. If you really love Illinois enough to be in debt after college, that’s up to you.

#

It might make more sense to be at ga tech but you won’t enjoy it nearly as much and that doesn’t sound any good

#

These should be some of the best 4 years of your life, enjoy it

paper spindle
#

true

#

i think i'll regret not choosing the other option either one i pick, especially since i want to travel when i graduate

gritty rapids
#

go to uiuc no doubt

#

if after an year you still want to go to gt

#

transferring from uiuc is always an option

#

either way don't go to oklahoma over uiuc for your first year unless costs are a huge issue

balmy saffron
#

the i-75 is not right in the middle of campus for gt lol

#

it's right outside east campus

#

ngl I don't think it's financially responsible to take 100k+ debt to go OOS for a school when your in-state one is already really good

#

unless you can manage 120k in debt

#

also note that UIUC is like 2 hours from the closest airport

#

while gatech is like a 30 minute drive

#

you can also study abroad at Berlin (for CS majors) or do the Oxford Program (travel continental europe then go to oxford) to get your humanities classes out of the way

paper spindle
#

also update my parents got tired of me not being able to decide so they threw more money at me and told me to go to uiuc so

verbal quiver
#

yea go to uiuc if ur parents are paying. you seem to like it more and u won't have to go through the hassle of transfering.

paper spindle
#

ill still be in debt but it will be less than my starting salary which ive heard is a good rule of thumb and the average starting salary for cs grads could completely pay off my stafford loan

#

so it would just be the low interest loan from my parents

#

dont think it can be zero interest otherwise it gets taxed as a gift but it will be as low as the irs lets it be

verbal quiver
#

eh idk if its worth taking on debt for a comparable program. but def go uiuc for your first year, and then you can sort out whether you think its financially better to transfer to gt. dont go to oklahoma lol.

paper spindle
#

yeah

#

its not as comparable to me since ling is a big factor in my decision

paper spindle
verbal quiver
#

yea i wish gt had a ling major. even the ling minor here is not that good and only has like 5 classes to pick from.

paper spindle
#

yeah thats what i was saying

#

like i even emailed dr glass there like "there has to be something else"

#

and she just said "im teaching a few special topics classes and you can help some profs with research"

#

but the special topics classes are like 100 level classes at uiuc so

rare mango
#

Georgia Tech is clear