<p>If there is some truth to this, it may be partly a matter of self-selection. It’s hard to say for sure how Chicago and CMU stack up against each other (or against other schools) for hiring outcomes in investment banking or management consulting without some real numbers showing the ratio of applicants to hires. Even then, the results may reflect personal characteristics of the applicants as much as opinions about academic programs.</p>
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<p>That would be before your first econ course at Chicago. After that, you and your BMW won’t be caught dead at a rally for minimum wage increases. </p>
<p>I applied reg at CMU, was “unofficially” accepted, went out for a visit and was given two aid packages. They would have met full need by reverting me to ED but I had to make to decision by Mar 1 and withdraw all my other applications. I’m set on Chicago but would never know if I got accepted anywhere else. I applied to some Ivies and west coast schools and who knows…I may just decide not to play my sport and go to UCLA or something, which is highly unlikely because I want to play collegiate sports, but I wouldn’t have that option if I withdrew all my other college applications (which was another factor in not choosing CMU). </p>
<p>There is certainly a sports culture at Chicago, just not the typical scene with lots of kids attending events. Winning is more of a preference than an obsession and both schools value the whole person and instead of just thinking you’re just a jock who got in because the coaches liked you. </p>
<p>Congratulations nunyabiz, U of C is a great school. I think your choice makes sense. It’s a tough 4 years though, be prepared to really, really work!</p>
<p>Be careful of using the successfully self-educated as examples for typical students. The successfully self-educated are those who have the highest level of ability and motivation to self-educate; if such ability and motivation were widespread, there would be much less need or demand for college education.</p>
<p>It is true that the barrier to entry for self-education in CS is lower than in most other science and engineering fields, since computers are much less expensive than the labs and other facilities and equipment needed in those other fields. However, while a substantial minority of those working in the technical side of computer companies come from a non-CS background, most do come from a CS background as far as college education goes. The most common non-CS background that I have encountered working in the technical side of computer companies is a physics degree.</p>