I got into UC Davis and SJSU. Everyone told me to choose Davis. "Better ranking." "More prestigious." "Better name on your resume." I chose SJSU anyway. Here's why. 
Money. I'm international. UC Davis would have cost me $55,000 per year. SJSU costs $20,000. That's $35,000 per year less. $140,000 less over four years.
That's not nothing. That's a house down payment in some parts of the US.
But it wasn't just money.
I visited both campuses. Davis is beautiful. Quiet. A real college town. SJSU is... not beautiful. It's in downtown San Jose. The campus is fine. Nothing special.
But when I visited SJSU, I walked off campus and into the middle of Silicon Valley. Tech offices everywhere. Coffee shops full of people coding. A energy that Davis doesn't have.
I want to be where things are happening. Not in a bubble. Not in a quiet college town. In the middle of it.
Two years in: I don't regret my choice.
My classes are fine. Not amazing. But my internships have been incredible. I've worked at two startups and one mid-sized tech company. All within 15 minutes of campus.
The name on my resume isn't Stanford. But my experience is real. And employers care more about experience than name.
Here's my advice: if you can afford a top school, go. But if you can't? Go somewhere affordable in a good location. Work hard. Network harder. You'll be fine.
The name matters less than you think.
Money. I'm international. UC Davis would have cost me $55,000 per year. SJSU costs $20,000. That's $35,000 per year less. $140,000 less over four years.
That's not nothing. That's a house down payment in some parts of the US.
But it wasn't just money.
I visited both campuses. Davis is beautiful. Quiet. A real college town. SJSU is... not beautiful. It's in downtown San Jose. The campus is fine. Nothing special.
But when I visited SJSU, I walked off campus and into the middle of Silicon Valley. Tech offices everywhere. Coffee shops full of people coding. A energy that Davis doesn't have.
I want to be where things are happening. Not in a bubble. Not in a quiet college town. In the middle of it.
Two years in: I don't regret my choice.
My classes are fine. Not amazing. But my internships have been incredible. I've worked at two startups and one mid-sized tech company. All within 15 minutes of campus.
The name on my resume isn't Stanford. But my experience is real. And employers care more about experience than name.
Here's my advice: if you can afford a top school, go. But if you can't? Go somewhere affordable in a good location. Work hard. Network harder. You'll be fine.
The name matters less than you think.