I have been searching the Internet on the quality of two subjects in College of William and Mary and found no satisfactory answer.
I understand UMCP is very strong in its CS/Math program, but I truly love CWM too. Would the quality of undergraduate education at CWM fall behind UMCP?
Between CWM and UMD for undergrad in math, I would say to go to the one where you feel you will thrive.
The general qualify of undergraduate education at CWM will be better than UMCP. The school is small, so you have more personalized classes and know people more. However, the qualify of your math and CS qualify at UMCP will be much much better than CWM. UMCP is known for its math and CS. Therefore, coming out of there, you will have reputation for having the degree in CS/Math field. However, outside of CS/Math field, CWM has a better reputation.
Assuming that other factors are the same (financial aid, campus quality, food, etc), I would pick UMCP if you are very interested and confident about math and CS.
In general for undergraduate education, I think it is best to go with the reputation/fit of the overall institution rather than subject, and I think in this case CWM may be better (though you need to judge for fit).
@izzoOne I disagree, especially if you are not planning on going to graduate school. The program at the school makes a big difference on what you will learn in the subject. Of course, if you are self-motivated, then you can be just as good by learning things outside of classes, but in general, the subject reputation is more important than overall reputation, not just in terms of jobs that you will get outside of college, but also the quality of students and professors that you will find inside your department. Now, if there is a significant difference between the overall reputation and the subject reputation, then you might want to think twice about it. However, UMD and CWM isn’t too significant. UMD is a flagship college in Maryland, people will know it, especially in the CS field. UMD has a pretty big reputation in the CS field (also in math I heard). CWM isn’t really known for CS. Not many students who are interested in CS apply there (in fact, I know none). In the end, if all the factors are the same, which it won’t, then I would go to UMD. But really, if CWM is significantly cheaper, go there instead. That is just my opinion on things.
@idkName Well, I am in the military and will be able to get GI Bill. The BAH (housing allowance) I get from UMCP is more than the BAH from CWM. ($2300 vs $1600)
If I can attend UMCP, I would be closer by my house and could save most of the allowance, whereas going to CWM will force me to spend all of it. Yet, I always have liked CWM, because of its undergraduate academic quality. And I am planning to go to a graduate school.
@Kafkaisalone I would go to a college to where you like, but think why do you like it? What you mean by academic quality? Do you mean the environment? campus? or just quality of professors and classes? Because UMCP professors are certainty better than CWM and the CS students there will also be better (but more of them).
Like I can before, I personally would go to UMCP (especially if it is cheaper for you), but hey you might like a small college environment, idk.
@idkName I always have been fond of CWM for its so-called liberal arts feeling. I imagine myself continuing my education to a graduate school, and I feel like the undergraduate program at CWM will prepare me for it well.
@Kafkaisalone If you want a liberal arts education, then yes CWM will be the right choice, but what do you mean by continuing your education in graduate school? If your education is in math or CS, UMD will prepare much better than CWM will because it has already a very strong graduate program and research there. Once again, CWM has better overall liberal arts education while UMD has better CS/math education. So it depends who you want to be, a renaissance man or a CS/math nerd.
@Kafkaisalone If you are a non-traditional (older, post-military) student, consider the social aspect. W&M is a smaller school with the overwhelming majority of students straight out of HS. While this should not prevent you from finding a decent-sized peer group… it might.
UMCP, on the other hand, is in some part a commuter school, therefore will have significant numbers of older, part-time, second-career students - basically people like you. Besides, you will be in a big city with lots of opportunities for social life. UMCP also wins on the financial aspect and strength of the major, so…
@Twicer big city? But it is college park though…
Even downtown Silver Spring, a bus ride away, is more lively than Williamsburg; but I really meant DC, which is accessible by metro.
I mean the city of college park isn’t safe…
@idkName, 80% of college students change their major at least once according to the National Center for Education Statistics, so I still think it is good to choose a college for overall fit first and major second and leave some latitude.
@Kafkaisalone, if you are interested in graduate school as indicated, W&M is, I believe, third among all public universities in producing PHDs in STEM fields (on a percentage basis) and tied for first overall. And with a large military population in the surrounding areas, W&M has moved to become more military friendly. I’d suggest contacting them: http://www.wm.edu/offices/registrar/studentsandalumni/militaryandveterans/index.php
Good luck with your choice.