<p>Hello. I have been lurking for a little bit and have been very impressed with the many thoughtful and most helpful posts I’ve read. My senior son is applying to Bucknell as a comp sci major (probably with a physics minor or double major). We visited the campus this spring. He liked it (typical teenage boy low key response but we interpret it as very positive!) and his father and I were so impressed. We have the very thorough Comp Sci handout and have read online about the faculty. But I’d like to get some feel for the program from a current student, former student or parent of one. Also, I haven’t been able to find any info about how many Comp Sci majors per year there are—and how many are BS Comp Sci, vs how many engineering Comp Sci. He is applying to two “very reachy” schools and I believe (hope!) based on his school record and numbers that Bucknell might be a match. It’s my all-over favorite, mostly bkz I think it would be an excellent fit for him, partly bkz of a comfort factor in that it reminds me of my alma mater (Georgetown). Thanks in advance for any insight you can offer.</p>
<p>jane-</p>
<p>unfortunately, i cant provide too much information on the computer science program itself. though i have quite a few good friends who took cs classes, somewhat surprisingly, none were cs or engineering-cs majors.</p>
<p>i did have quite a bit of contact with some of the cs faculty my last year at bucknell, however, as my mathematical interests (i was a math and econ major) have huge implications in cs and as such are of great interest within theoretical computer science. without exception they were both very knowledgeable and helpful... depsite the fact that i wasnt one of their students.</p>
<p>one thing i can do is answer the question of cs enrollment somewhat difinitively. the class of 2005 graduated 15 cs and 22 engineering-cs majors. if i recall correctly it is pretty easy to pick up a a bs-cs as an engineering-cs major, so there was likely a good deal of overlap in that direction. also, not surprisingly, i would expect that entering classes are somewhat larger.</p>
<p>in many ways i think bucknell is one of those 'perfect' schools for a math/science kid who doesnt want to go to a huge state school, but isnt sure he wants a typical 'tech school' environment, either.</p>
<p>Thank you, Ericatbucknell. I had read a number of your posts and, having seen how thorough and helpful you were in those, was hoping you'd reply to mine!</p>