When looking into computer science programs, we find that many of our students gravitate towards the “big name” schools, often overlooking the lesser-known schools to their disadvantage. Put simply, this is a mistake: many of these schools have stronger CS programs.
The University of Washington has one of the best CS programs in the country. If you’re interested in computer science, UWash may just be the school of your dreams.
Located in the university district in Seattle, UWash has a beautiful campus located between Lake Union and Lake Washington. Washington is known to excel in two things: sports (The Huskies are great at basketball) and computer science. If you’re reading this article, chances are you’re more interested in the second of those two options–let’s see just how and why Washington is so great for CS.
Washington is ranked 6th by US News and World Report for CS, and 9th by CSRankings–it’s objectively a great school. They’re particularly strong when it comes to artificial intelligence, specifically in regards to natural language processing (NLP), where they’re ranked first in the nation. NLP is the study of computer understanding and production of human languages, a sort of interdisciplinary combination of linguistics and CS. If you’re interested in developing chatbots, artificial text generation (think GPT-3), or translation technology, Washington’s CS department is the best place to study. Washington is also particularly strong in the field of cryptography, where their CS department is ranked 2nd.
Washington offers two main computer science degrees: a B.S. in computer science, and a B.S. in computer engineering. Students interested in software design and development are encouraged to take the standard C.S. major, while students more interested in hardware and lower-level software design are best served by the computer engineering major. Washington also offers a number of interdisciplinary majors that combine computer science with other fields: students can choose from fields such as Applied and Computational Mathematical Sciences, Computational Finance and Risk Management, and Informatics.
Washington’s CS department focuses on startup development as part of their ‘Innovation Imperative”, and students are encouraged to work with CoMotion Labs to develop their companies and ideas. Washington has cultivated relationships with a number of venture capital firms, and its students have received more than four billion in funding over the past five years. Students are encouraged to take for-credit classes that teach entrepreneurial skills, and Washington offers a strong mentorship program that connects would-be founders with faculty in their respective fields. CoMotion Labs features a number of maker spaces–students can work on their projects on campus, with faculty guidance.
Washington is a great choice for students seeking to work in the Northwest–it has strong relationships with Microsoft, Amazon, and many of the other large tech companies in the area. Around 10% of their CS graduating class goes to graduate school directly after graduation, and Washington encourages their students to stay on and pursue M.As / PhDs. In short, if you’re interested in CS, you owe it to yourself to take a closer look at Washington.
If you’re uncertain about how to pursue a CS major, or unsure of your major, or just want to talk, we’re always here to help.
Contact us here if you need help with the college application process