Computer Science Accreditation

[wombat777]

I am hopeful someone familiar with the field of CS can help. My son (high school senior) is evaluating colleges. He intends to study computer science.

One of the schools he is considering boasts that their CS program has been accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineers Technology). They claim only 262 schools in the US have this. 

It sure sounds good. Is it? Does it matter?

Thanks.

[clep3705]

It doesn't matter, but http://main.abet.org/aps/Accreditedprogramsearch.aspx shows that the top schools all have this. Don't be fooled by the search engine. It will return schools that have any type of ABET accreditation. Take a look at Stanford, where the founders of Google went. http://exploredegrees.stanford.edu/schoolofengineering/ They are accredited for traditional engineering programs, not computer science. Some schools offer an ABET accredited computer engineering degree and a non-ABET accredited computer science degree. Management information systems and computer technology degrees will not be ABET accredited. If ABET accreditation is a school's major selling point, find another school that has substantive selling points. Do their graduates get hired, by whom, and for how much?

[bluebooger]

nobody cares about ABET for CS

not employers, not even HR people

"oh, you have a degree in Computer Science from Harvard University ? We're so sorry. We're only accepting candidates from ABET accredited programs."

[Zombie]

I am hopeful someone familiar with the field of CS can help. My son (high school senior) is evaluating colleges. He intends to study computer science.

One of the schools he is considering boasts that their CS program has been accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineers Technology). They claim only 262 schools in the US have this. 

It sure sounds good. Is it? Does it matter?

Thanks.

ABET is definitely prestigious, so if he has that option he should go with it. However, understand that the wash-out rates will typically be high and he will likely have to satisfy the prerequisites to get into the CS program.

[baconbacon]

I am hopeful someone familiar with the field of CS can help. My son (high school senior) is evaluating colleges. He intends to study computer science.

One of the schools he is considering boasts that their CS program has been accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineers Technology). They claim only 262 schools in the US have this. 

It sure sounds good. Is it? Does it matter?

Thanks.

ABET doesn't mean anything in the computer science world, and employers won't care about this at all (for a CS major). For engineering disciplines such as civil, mechanical, and electrical, however, it matters a lot.

[clep3705]

"I am hopeful someone familiar with the field of CS can help. My son (high school senior) is evaluating colleges. He intends to study computer science."

I already responded. I've worked in the field for two of the top 20 computer companies. No, I'm not going to name them because I still cling to the silly idea of possibly retaining some of my anonymity. What the other posters have said is absolutely correct. Sounds like you've "been sold" on ABET. I didn't even know ABET recognized CS programs until today.

[sanantone]

I don't work in the field, but there was a discussion about the importance of ABET on the other forum. ABET is important of you want to become a licensed professional engineer. I guess a software engineer might want to become a professional engineer. However, at least in Texas, the division of ABET that accredits computer science programs does not lead to automatic recognition of your degree. In other words, those with ABET-accredited computer science degrees would be in the same category as those with physics degrees that don't have ABET accreditation and would have to meet additional requirements. Texas only recognizes the divisions of ABET that accredit engineering programs.

If you want to become a patent agent or patent attorney, then ABET accreditation for a computer science program will make things a lot easier. Otherwise, USPTO would have to do a course-by-course evaluation.

My philosophy is that, if employers aren't listing something as a preference or requirement in most job ads, then it's not important.

[wombat777]

Thanks for the responses. General consensus is that ABET doesn't matter for CS. Good to know.

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"Sounds like you've "been sold" on ABET. I didn't even know ABET recognized CS programs until today."

Not sure why you think I've "been sold" on ABET. I didn't really know anything about it. That's why I posted.

Thanks for your responses, though. I do appreciate it!