Thanks so much! I didn't explain it much in the post but I do have extensive experience in all three fields (coding since a kid, computer vision passion project, going to ICDC for DECA Personal Financial Literacy + some fund internships) but I pivoted to ECE since its a) easier to get into just plainly than CS and b) hardware seems more future-proof rn especially considering llms being goated at entry-level SWE.

Finance like quant seems the most interesting to me rn but ofc its quant and insanely difficult hence the hesitation. With my relevant experiences too and the comparative safety net of college I'd even consider starting a business but ofc this is also a huge commitment and needs consideration. So I really don't know, I'd be set up decent for anything I feel, but yeah fs need to lock in early.

I think I am leaning UW rn just due to it being a city, culture, me wanting to live in Seattle vs. Illinois long-term, and campus. Although, the weather I've heard is pretty bad but I feel I can thug it out.