<p>Yes, mdoublep, Your situation IS different in that you like schools like Caltech. You say that your “interests lie exclusively at those types of schools.” What is holding you back from making a decision on this?</p>
<p>Is Uva the outlier here in terms of types of schools you were interested in and applied to? </p>
<p>@sevmom What’s holding me back is in one part cost, and in another the sacrifices that I would have to make in order to be successful at Caltech. If you look at the university holistically, UVa would seem like an outlier, as it doesn’t have a science or technology focus, but its computer science program has a very high return on interest. It’s that and the idea of a college experience that make this decision hard for me. <a href=“Which College—and Which Major—Will Make You Richest? - The Atlantic”>Which College—and Which Major—Will Make You Richest? - The Atlantic;
<p>According to the article above, going to UVA in-state has a higher Return on Investment (ROI) than attending Caltech.</p>
<p>“But once again, for dollar-for-dollar investment, nothing beats going to the University of Virginia as an in-state student. PayScale found that a degree in business, or computer science, or engineering, or economics at UVA has a higher dollar-for-dollar return than any major at any other school in the country. Yes, better than majoring in finance at Harvard, or computer science at Stanford, or business at Berkeley, or anything at Harvey Mudd.”</p>
<p>I wouldn’t worry too much about that article. You can do well from any number of schools. I would be more concerned about the fit and cost for you and where you want to spend the next four years of your life. </p>
<p>What it sounds like is that UVA is a better fit for you and that you will be happier there. It is also significantly less expensive. That for me is about all there is to say about choosing colleges. To go to caltech is to negate both those critical factors and still expect to like caltech more. That’s a pretty risky bet and contrary to all you know about yourself and these schools. Try to be rational about this decision, and then make a good one.</p>
<p>If you still have the jones for caltech when you’re a senior, apply there again.</p>
<p>I would not base my decision on anything as unreliable as the ROI from Payscale. This is not a pure dollars and cents decision - it’s a life altering one. You are being given an offer to work with some of the finest minds in the world. Yes, it’s scary, yes, it might be hard, yes, you might hate it, and yes, you might even fail. But these opportunities don’t present themselves very often - think about it long and hard before you turn it down. Turning it down might be the right decision - but it’s always one you’re going to wonder about in the years to come. It’s always going to be a big What If? in your life. That’s both a blessing and a curse.</p>
<p>I included the article mainly to represent that even though UVa isn’t a technology school, its Computer Science program has a great value. So even though I’m definitely more of a tech/science person and as a whole UVa might not fit, the program I’m looking into is more than adequate for me.</p>
<p>@jkeil911 that’s the same conclusion I came up with but the allure from Caltech isn’t necessarily whether I will like the school, but the opportunities that will come from having gone there. I’m almost certain I will have a better time at UVa, but also that going to Caltech affects the rest of my life, so how much is enjoying 4 years at UVa really worth?</p>
<p>@MrMom62 The article wasn’t meant as a basis for a decision, just as evidence that UVa’s Computer Science program isn’t half-bad. That bit at the end is exactly how I’m feeling about this and is what’s making it such a distressing decision. On the one hand, I don’t want to miss an opportunity like this, but would it really be missed if it isn’t the right decision? Thank you for your response.</p>
<p>Are you admitted to Computer Science at UVa through SEAS or through the College of Arts and Sciences? My son was in the engineering department. It is a much smaller department than Virginia Tech engineering but is well regarded. There is very good recruiting through SEAS. When do you have to respond to Caltech’s waitlist offer? </p>
<p>@sevmom I’m admitted through UVa’s School of Engineering and I have to respond by Monday.</p>
<p>Good luck with the decision!</p>
<p>One additional thought about the level of work at Caltech. They wouldn’t be offering you admission if they didn’t believe you could do the work - Caltech (or any decent school) has no interest in letting in someone whom they think is going to fail. You may not like the school and the work required, but they definitely think you can do the work.</p>
<p>My son graduated from Caltech in CS.He got into 100% of his grad schools. He is now doing a 1 year internship at a dream company. He had multiple summer internship offers, and earned over 10,000 during some summers. I’ve posted multiple times on how responsive the school was when he had medical issues. Yes, the school is small, but it was “his people”. More than enough ECs to satisfy anyone, and to take on a leadership role. </p>