<p>So just recently I got back from my visit after being accepted to both and although I was pretty set on going to HMC before the visit, I'm now leaning towards McKenna. Problem is I want to study Comp Sci and Econ. I realize McKenna is fantastic for Econ, I want to study mainly Comp Sci and I know HMC is the school for Comp Sci. Still after I visited, I couldn't really imagine myself living at HMC for 4 years while I absolutely loved McKenna. But then again I don't want to limit my opportunities by going to McKenna... </p>
<p>Could anyone give me their inputs/advice regarding my situation? I also want to mention that I've already met some great current students at McKenna who were pursuing an off campus comp sci major at HMC and they seemed to have great opportunities. I just don't want to find out that this is just something really rare and difficult to do. </p>
<p>You’re not “limiting opportunities” by choosing to go to Claremont McKenna. It seems to me that you fell in love with CMC, but was put off by HMC more or less. At this point, I’d suggest choosing the school you see yourself thriving and succeeding in more. While both schools are in close proximity of each other, there definitely are differences and I’m sure you saw them when you visited. I am not as well versed in specifics of programs as others on CC, however, I can tell you that at this level of elite colleges, its more important to choose a school that will make you happy and help you thrive as a student and individual. Best of luck on your decision.</p>
<p>Yea that is one of my main concerns though. Isn’t it possible that i could still thrive at HMC by enjoying its academics and if i needed a different social scene i can just go down to one of the other 5C campuses within 5min walking distances? Then again I just talked with a McKenna comp sci professor on the phone who told me that I would be able to do as an off-campus comp sci major at McKenna as what i would be able to do if I went to Harvey Mudd. He also told me that if I am looking to double major in Econ / Comp Sci (which I am considering), he would recommend McKenna. I believe that is without any bias considering he told me if i were to make my decision based only on which school has the better comp sci program without taking into consideration what kind of life i want to have during/after college, that i should go to Harvey Mudd. So still leaning towards McKenna :)</p>
<p>So I was recently talking to a CMC guy who’s a CS major but basically took all of his CS classes at Mudd. He says that he was and is much more interested in CMC’s social culture than Mudd’s so it works out for him to be a CMC student while taking most of his major classes at Mudd. The problem with this is that the CS major became hugely popular in the last three years, so many CS classes at Mudd and Pomona are over-enrolled. Mudd recently started limiting the enrollment in their CS classes for students at other campuses. Also, CMC’s CS program is universally thought to be mediocre.</p>
<p>Basically, CS is a tricky field to get into if you want to be able to sign up for classes. That is probably true of almost any school you go to. I guess I would suggest choosing a school based on where you would like to spend your time.</p>
<p>Building on the point that xiggi made, I would encourage you to take some time this summer to discover the best route for you to fuel your CS interests. CMC allows plenty of flexibility for students to tailor their own education as they wish.</p>
<p>If you’re also interested in engineering, CMC offers some pretty fantastic routes to combine the two areas of study. I’ve met some students who plan to take on the five-year CMC/HMC program and they certainly are a wonderful bunch of kids. </p>