[grimzz R]

If I go to a state school such as Cal state LA and get a bachelors degree in computer science would I be able to go to an Ivy league school such as M.I.T. and get my Masters without having to start all over?

Meaning:

4 years at state=bachelor's

+2 years at Ivy= Masters

???

 

[ProtegeManiac]

If you have a Bachelor's degree I don't see why they'd require that you "start over." I'd doubt that state universities over there are crappy enough to not teach you what you need to know to take a more advanced degree and I've honestly never seen that happen.
 
Heck over here I've had to do peer reviews on papers with the most horrible English grammar (having a different local vernacular is no excuse - that's one of the reasons why English is used for schools) and social science grads who at some point have no idea what we're talking about. I mean, sociology, political studies, economics, related area studies departments (ie like Asian Studies, Near West Studies, European Studies here) and even geography are all related enough to each other (heck, even psychology - you can't go through political science without studying Goebbels - and our Psych101 is designed to touch on that more than, say, Psych101 for engieneering students) that someone serious about his program should actually read journals covering all those fields. I've had management people at some point asking, "you'rereading sociology? i thought you were in political science/international relations?" Lucky you, you have to study everything that has cut and dry solutions and answers, whereas I have to study what studies were accepted for a time and why, and why they were discredited later on because of how complex society is and how many variables can be ignored even by a rigorous enough study (mostly because if you try to take in everything without isolating enough, it will be all over the place). In the end, surprise, we ended up with the better understanding of these things coming from Physics - like complexity theory and also Jervis' systems theory after we actually reapplied Physics (the first time we did, the result was Economics, as well as all those quantitative studies that attempt to predict everything but not really).

 

[alv4426]

You might want to do so research as this is an important life decision but in general you do not start over. Transferring is ok at anytime. But you might not have the required prerequisites for MIT(not an Ivy League school btw) so they might not accept you into the masters program because of that. You should get a course list/flow chart for everything you will take and call an advisor from MIT to see if it meets minimum requirements. Just so you know aim for Caltech everyone in the know says caltech>mit although both are very tough schools to get in.

 

[jjcha]

If I go to a state school such as Cal state LA and get a bachelors degree in computer science would I be able to go to an Ivy league school such as M.I.T. and get my Masters without having to start all over?

Meaning:

4 years at state=bachelor's

+2 years at Ivy= Masters

???

 
I think it is quite reasonable that you have this question and very good you sought help/guidance from others to answer it.  It does reveal, however, a concerning lack of sophistication/knowledge regarding the higher education process.  I sincerely hope you have adults around you who can give you good guidance and serve as role models.  Seek them out as you've sought out an answer to your question here.

 

[grimzz R]

(not an Ivy League school btw)
.

 


Its not?

Doesn't "Ivy league " just mean that tuition cost like $40000 and is a one of the best schools?

Is MIT "not" one of the best schools?

 

[alv4426]

USC is more than 40k and not an Ivy League school. Mit is a great school but caltech is better IMO . But seriously you need to do a lot more research this is all info a prospective student should be well versed in.

 

[superjawes]

Even with private grad schools, the biggest concern is going to be whether or not your undergrad school was acredited. Getting a private undergrad degree might help, but that's more about tailoring yourself to your goals. As long as you meet or exceed the other requirements, you should be good. Going to grad school is not the same thing as transerring schools halfway through an undergrad program (where some credit might not transfer). Now if you're planning on taking graduate level classes while an undergrad at the state school, those might not transfer, but now we're talking about starting ahead of the curve at MIT versus step 1 as opposed to being behind where you need to be.

From there, just check out the application process to make sure that you're prepared. You might send an email or call MIT and see what their requirements and process are. One guess, a 3.0+ GPA will be required. Most graduate programs have that requirement, I think.

And on the "Ivy League" discussion, I always thought the term applied to the elite private schools (that easily come off as "snobby"). Private doesn't immediately mean "Ivy" either, but you're going to see a lot of kids from rich families at such schools.

EDIT: just thought of something. If you're "changing" majors between undergraduate and graduate studies (like switching between electrical and mechanical engineering), you might be required to take a few classes to prep. It doesn't sound like this is the case for you, but it is worth noting.

EDIT2: Couple changes...

 

[DaemonSire]

Ivy League does not mean expensive schools (although they are).
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivy_League

 

[alpha421]

   
I think it is quite reasonable that you have this question and very good you sought help/guidance from others to answer it.  It does reveal, however, a concerning lack of sophistication/knowledge regarding the higher education process.  I sincerely hope you have adults around you who can give you good guidance and serve as role models.  Seek them out as you've sought out an answer to your question here.

 
x10.  Don't get hung up about Ivy Leagues.  Most on are on the east coast and it gets damn cold and miserable in the winter. There are many super great schools in your state (Berkley, Standford...etc).  My personal experience is that it's easier to get the MA from a BA if you go through the same school, if possible.  If not, no matter what graduate school you choose, you need to seek and conquer the requirements and keep abreast to any changes.  Bare in mind, there is no guarantee you'll get in despite the grades, scores, affiliation, and money.

USC is more than 40k and not an Ivy League school. Mit is a great school but caltech is better IMO . But seriously you need to do a lot more research this is all info a prospective student should be well versed in.

 I'm biased.  MIT is better, Caltech is a great school. 

 

[Nusho]

This is a complex question. When you say state school do you mean like a CSU? Or do you mean a UC? If you attend a UC, you have a good shot of attending a school on the caliber of the Ivy league. CSUs may make this transition harder, and so you really want to participate in internships and get really good connections to prove that you are up to the task of doing great work in comp sci/ the field of your choice. California is a hub for economic growth, especially if you are around the Silicon Valley like I am, and so I would recommend getting experience there. Either way, getting into an Ivy League for grad school is incredibly difficult -- but your goal should ultimately be to get a job that provides security, comfort, fulfillment, and growth. For that, internships would be the way to go to be completely honest. 

That being said, you do not have to start over. I believe the prerequisites to any masters program is a bachelors degree, as long as it has accreditation. Make sure that the state school you attend does. 
 
PM me if you have more questions.
 
Hope this was helpful!

 

[grimzz R]

Another question, If I complete 2 years in a bachelor degree program but do not have a degree, would employers consider me in the same league as someone with an associates degree?

 

[saxophone]

  Another question, If I complete 2 years in a bachelor degree program but do not have a degree, would employers consider me in the same league as someone with an associates degree?

Assuming you mean an AA vs a 2 year drop out:

No. A HR rep is going to view someone with an AA as someone who did something over the course of two years. Whereas the 2 year bachelors drop out will be viewed as someone who was lazy. In other words, the person with the AA will have a much higher edge over the drop out. It's unfortunate, because both people may have worked equally hard, but at the end of the day, all the rep sees is what is listed on your resume. And, if your resume says "recently graduated with an AA", then it shows a clear drive and explains what you have done since high school. If you simply leave off anything after high school, then it will raise a lot of questions.
 
Assuming you mean an AA vs a 2 year continuing student:
 
No. In fact, as a continuing student, you may actually be preferred over the person with the AA. It depends on the company, but for the company I recently worked for (a large company with over 10000+ employees), they love hiring continuing university students during the summer or school year, because then they have a potential candidate for a position right after the student graduates.

 

[wuwhere]

If I were you I'll seek advice from college advisers who are knowledgeable about this topic, not here, although many here have very good advises, experiences and knowledges.

 

[Sko0byDoo]

It depends on you...after the bachelor program, you will need to take the GRE for a master/PhD program.  It will depend on your GRE score and undergrad gpa for admission.  Top notch schools are competitive so they require a lot.  But grad schools are not as competitive as undergrad...(it's easier to get into MIT grad than MIT undergrad, in engineering field)  
 
Cal State tends to lean toward practicality and hands-on experience.  UC system leans toward theories and abstractions (which good foundations for graduate preparation).  But my experience, it all depends on you.  I did a few years at SDSU and then transferred to UCLA for the rest of undergrad and then grad school for an engineering master.  You can get much higher gpa at csu schools for transfer later than start at UC schools (too many smart ppl).

 

[Mayordean]

I worked in higher ed admissions for more than 10 years and can tell you that most of the advice you've received is sound. Just to echo a bit: you won't have to start over if you complete an accredited bachelor's degree program. You will have to take the GRE and have a very high GPA to get into the likes of MIT or Caltech. If the college you choose for your bachelor's degree has a decent program, the faculty there will know what graduate schools expect and the major will be designed to get you into a good graduate school. In addition to your GRE scores and grades, recommendations from faculty members in your major will be extremely important.  Admissions, unfortunately, is often "clubby." What I mean by this is that decisions are made in part by connections: if you come from a school where lots of kids apply to the master's program you want to get into, the admissions office will have a good sense of what a "B" student is capable of, and your professors will probably know a fair number of the faculty of the master's program. If your bachelor's degree program isn't well known, the admissions office will unfortunately assume that a "B" student isn't as good as one from the better known school, and may not know any faculty there either.
 
I also encourage you to start your research now, and talk to a guidance counselor about which schools you might be able to get into. If they are not the very best, don't worry. The best kept secret is that most colleges and universities can provide an excellent education to a motivated student. If you show real interest and passion for the subjects in your major, stick around to ask additional questions after class, and visit professors during their office hours, they will take you under their wing and do everything they can to help you succeed. One good way to evaluate if a school can provide you this is to look at the percentage of the faculty that is full-time. Adjunct faculty members have no incentive to invest additional time outside of teaching their classes. Also remember that many big universities have graduate students teaching the undergraduates, so it's important to find out how much the faculty actually teach. A small school is often a better choice because you will be taught by professors.
 
Also VERY IMPORTANT: just because a school costs $60,000 a year, that does not mean you won't be able to afford it. Financial aid is available based on your family's ability to pay, and there is also "merit-based" financial aid that is given to students with various traits the school is looking for. Too many kids never apply to the most prestigious, most expensive schools because they just assume they can't afford it. When I worked in admission, I explained to parents and high school students many times that the school I worked for (which currently costs > $61,000 a year) would actually be cheaper for them than attending their local community college.
 
Good luck. Keep asking questions.