Hi all, I would greatly appreciate some input advice on selecting colleges, and any insight into these programs.
I was accepted to Information Systems at Carnegie Mellon, and EECS at Berkeley.
Cost-wise, CMU will be cheaper than UC Berkeley after factoring in financial aid. I am a CA resident, so I would be paying in-state tuition at Berkeley. Berkeley would allow me to be closer to home, but I am kind of curious about living in the East Coast as well.
I haven’t visited CMU yet, but I am planning to soon. Speaking with a current student there, I have heard that CMU has a pretty heavy workload and little social life, although I have heard similar things about EECS at Berkeley. I have heard that both programs are excellent for finding a high-paying job. Since the IS program has a different focus than the CS program at CMU, is it less prestigious in any way, or perceived as less serious?
How would the two programs compare in terms of prestige, job placement, quality of life on campus, and overall vibe?
Thanks!
Hi! I noticed from your profile that you got into Cornell as well. Are you considering going there as well?
No, I am not currently considering attending Cornell.
Information systems is not the same as CS, although it appears to be more technical at CMU than at most other colleges that offer the major or similar ones. It is typically more aimed at managing computers, rather than designing and developing them. At CMU, changing into the School of Computer Science where you could major in CS is difficult.
If you really want to do CS with emphasis on design and development, UCB EECS is more closely aligned with that interest.
For post-graduation surveys:
CMU IS: https://www.cmu.edu/career/salaries-and-destinations/2015-survey/pdfs-one-pagers/2015%20IS%20Post-Grad%20One%20Pager2.pdf
UCB EECS: https://career.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/pdf/Survey/2015EECS.pdf
Note that some CMU IS graduates do go into more technical jobs, but not all do. For comparison, CMU’s CS graduates who go to work almost all go into technical jobs (as do UCB EECS graduates, see above):
https://www.cmu.edu/career/salaries-and-destinations/2015-survey/pdfs-one-pagers/scs-2015-post-grad-stats-12-17-15-kc.pdf
Remember, of course, that economic and industry conditions could be very different four years from now.