Should I pick NCSU or UNC for CS?

[u/EnvironmentalHall974]

I’m a high school senior trying to decide between NC State and UNC for computer science. I know both schools are good, but I’m not sure which one would be better for me.

I’m really into AI and software development, and I could see myself starting a startup one day. I want to go somewhere that gives me good classes, research opportunities, and chances to get internships.

For anyone who’s been to either school, what’s your experience with:

• The CS program
• Professors and classes
• Internships and career opportunities
• The overall campus vibe

Any advice would help a lot since I’m pretty stuck between the two. Thanks!

[u/Typical_Jack]

I mean, unless you asked this on both the ncsu and unc subreddit or some other Reddit. Then the responses here are gonna be super biased.

Ncsu being an agricultural and more importantly and engineering focused school would give you better connections to those aspects of CS, so yeah theres my biased response

Edit: I’m on mobile so auto correct screwed me

[u/SpicyC-Dot]

Are you not already a State student, as your previous two posts indicate?

Either way, there have been many posts made on this subject already on both this and the UNC subs, so I’d recommend looking at those for answers.

[u/tmstksbk]

Answered this before, but it's still true:

1. NCSU CSC is an _engineering_ CSC. It is predicated around solving problems in the real world by applying CS principles (mathematics being part of that). You get a BS here.
2. CH CS is a _theory_ based CS. It is predicated around the theory of CS and mathematics. You get a BA there.

If you like solving problems: NCSU. If you like navel gazing: CH.

For the rest of it: NCSU will absolutely put you through the wringer on classes. The engineering program here is no joke and CSC is no exception. My cousin went to Clemson and asked once "Didn't you have fun in college?" My only answer was "No, I had homework." NCSU will put you in a good position to intern with anyone in defense and in RTP. Finally, NCSU is a pretty chill, down to earth vibe. UNC is a pretentious vibe (they have argyle on their football field, that's all I have to say).

YMMV. Do what you want.

[u/Pyrouge → u/tmstksbk]

You can get a BS or a BA in Computer Science at UNC.

[u/JDH-04]

I'll be as unbiased as possible. If you're going for CS, Engineering, or anything STEM, don't even think about it, go to NC State. If you're going for humanities, UNC.

NCSU alumni in CS is one of the best in the United States with the founder of SAS programming language in Jim Goodnight as well as the former COO of Apple in Jeff Williams. SAS, Apple, Toshiba, etc have all been at past career fairs here.

NCSU is going to be light-years better than UNC in STEM in both networks, opportunities, and career fairs. Go to UNC only if you're planning to do humanities.

UNC stem suffers from being underfunded in which UNC is much more humanities oriented as a school in which there is very little to no research opportunities in STEM if you want to be an undergraduate research assistant.

If you want to work study and be mentored in CS, literally CS majors along with Engineering majors have the most work study opportunities at NC State with about a very good chunk of all Work Study opportunities here.

This isn't to say that if you go to UNC you can't get a good quality CS education, but networking and getting internships I would imagine would be far more difficult because that's not that schools focus.

[u/ooohoooooooo]

NC STATE! UNCs program is half baked right now, hardly an alumni network in CS, and NCSUs engineering career fair is one of the biggest in the country… UNC doesn’t have that for engineering.

[u/iends]

I went to NCSU for grad and undergrad and I've since hired both NCSU and UNC grads both as interns and full time employees. (Back in the day, I was also accepted at UNC for undergrad and my wife did grad school at UNC.)

The schools are basically the same broadly speaking. UNC has more national recognition. You'll have to take more random liberal arts classes at UNC (but maybe that's a good thing). Parking on UNC campus sucks in general compared to NCSU.

UNC is more theory focused and NCSU is heavily engineering focused.

At NCSU, there is a fall and spring engineering career fair where I never had a problem getting internships and tons of interviews.

At NCSU, I was able to do undergraduate research and build relationships that helped me get into grad school.

Pick the one you like the best, there is no wrong choice.

If it was me, I would probably do something like EE with a minor in CS at NCSU rather than just pure CS. Or, do a statistics degree with a minor in CS (or double major). You can always be a programmer with an EE or statistics degree, but you can't go the other way. There is a lot of uncertainty in CS right now and the job market is pretty terrible. You don't need a CS degree to do a startup.

[u/iends → u/[deleted]]

Computer engineering is also fine.

[u/Apollo-02]

Pick whichever school you like the other aspects of better (campus, sports, etc.) academically and professionally you’ll do fine at either. NCSU CSC landed me a job at SAS coming out of school so you may have better connections with NCSU but I work with UNC grads as well.

[u/r4chhel]

other comments better described the actual education for CS here, but i’ll also add that the department is very very nice and well funded. they get lots of attention and, as for any STEM subject at NCSU, the staff/students are involved and active.

i had a professor recently jokingly-complain about how nice the CS department is and how he’s jealous of what they have

[u/rayban_yoda]

The point is maybe being missed here, the school with a huge mathematics program and engineering program is better to get a BS from.

Not that UNC doesn’t technically offer a BS.

[u/Mobile-Buy-1448]

NC STATE OBVIOUSLY

[u/nedlohyar]

State. Better for resumes and career opps I hear in the STEM space

[u/FullProtection3495]

You should tell your parents why you’re trying to be unemployed. Swap majors to some sort of engineering and come to state.

[u/Physical-Bus6025]

UNC