<p>My D is deciding between Berkeley and CMU. The biggest negative with CMU being the cold weather. How would any of you compare the two and how are they different. Is there anyone that chose one over the other ?
She is planning on doing EECS (Berkeley) and SCS /CIT (ECS) in CMU. </p>
<p>how is the class size like in CMU for SCS ? how about social life ? are intramural sports good?
We are trying to get her to go see the campus and decide. She is also considering HarveyMudd. any thoughts will be helpful.</p>
<p>As a norCal resident and CMU student, I think I can give you a perspective on the answer. </p>
<p>Berkeley EECS has a more structured progression in terms of courses (MIT scheme -> java data structures -> C and assembly). At CMU you can quickly branch off into a track that you enjoy while taking your required courses on the side.</p>
<p>CMU’s SCS program has a strong focus on discrete mathematics and algorithms, while EECS at Berkeley doesn’t have this requirement (they can take statistics instead of discrete mathematics).</p>
<p>If you have any hopes for double majoring (example: ECE+CS), then Berkeley will probably not fulfill that hope (too many people in every major). CMU will give you that opportunity (and almost force it upon you if you take SCS).</p>
<p>I think these difference can help you start out with your decision. Please note that anything that I know from Berkeley is anecdotal evidence I have acquired by interrogating my friends there.</p>
<p>I chose CMU over Berkeley. Honestly, it depends on your daughter’s personality; the typical “Berkeley kid” and the typical “CMU kid” are very very different. I’m from orange county and the weather here definitely was a shock, but it’s also really nice to get to experience the changing seasons for once! (Definitely makes me appreciate spring a thousand times more than I did living at home.) </p>
<p>For SCS, Berkeley’s program is comparable, but CMU’s is still considered the better of the two. the social life is great, but probably not what she’d find at Berkeley due to its sheer size.</p>