Quoted from iamabearsfan:All:
I know some of you are of the engineering background. Some of you are programmers that have Comp Sci degrees. I have a junior in High School that was following his brothers footsteps and was planning on going to Purdue to be a Mechanical Engineer. Why? Probably because it is what he and his brother were talking about. His brother is a freshman at Purdue. Then as of recently my High Schooler stated he likes his programming classes. The kid is ripping through the assignments and has taken a liking to it. He also is really sharp (obviously got it from his mother as I wasn't that disciplined in High School!). He is likely going to have a choice of schools because he has a 36 on the ACT.
Here is my question. Should he be exploring Computer Engineering or Computer Science? With that in mind, is it worth it for him to consider some of these high-end schools. Cost is a lot higher for sure. Our plan was to move to Indiana as he graduated with the hopes of getting a few years of in-state tuition for the boys. There is a one-year cool-off period, but we would at least get a couple years of relief if we moved. Comparing that cost to an MIT is crazy. Was hoping they would have minimal student loans....but if it is an MIT or Standford, the High Schooler would graduate with a lot more debt....possibly north of 80K. Is a degree from one of those schools worth it?
Would love thoughts on both issues as what is out there on the web is very slanted IMHO.
Thanks in advance for any input...
Dave
University of Illinois is one of the best engineering schools in the country. I work with several people from there. Why not there if he can get in? A BS in Electrical or Computer Engineering would likely yield more job opportunities than mechanical.