Columbia College vs Carnegie Mellon (CS and Music)

CMU is very pointy, even in the humanities and social sciences. There are departments that are stronger than Columbia’s, and departments that are weaker.

OP is on another thread she started dealing with an issue. Probably won’t be back for a few days.

@deadgirl visited CMU for different major w kid. Have lived in great US cities - that part of Pittsburgh is way underappreciated as a place to live. All the things about Columbia and NYC that are plusses for most people are negatives for you. CMU’s LAC Dietrich college is underappreciated to for its arts programs. Columbia WILL give you more financial aid or should, but will likely not be a difference maker from CMU.
Far better for someone who doesn’t like taking outside interest area classes to go where they aren’t sure if they are required to take enough classes for a double major, than the other way around. Your own thoughts suggest CMU; also if you do well in CS at CMU pretty sure you can do grad school at stanford or work in silicon valley.

First of all, congratulations on getting into Columbia! Be happy! The most difficult choices are often between two excellent options.

There are a TON of cheap places to go out in NYC. Sure, you can spend lots of money if you have it, but you can also have a great time very, very cheaply in NYC. There will be lots of other people NOT spending a fortune going out clubbing, too. If you are interested in music, especially jazz, you have far, far more going on in NY than in Pittsburgh. Jazz at Lincoln Center has made NYC a major center for jazz music.

You just turned down a free ride at a great state flagship. You say that your parents have put away plenty for college, so much that they’re telling you not to worry about the price. And yet you’re worrying about what is essentially pizza money? (BTW, pizza is really good, and cheap, in NYC). You forget how incredibly LAZY college students are, and that everyone has been living their lives on social media for years now. Most of college life is going to take place on campus anyways, whether it’s in NYC or Pittsburgh.

As for the core curriculum, it’s about getting a real education, as opposed to training in a particular area. If you were ONLY interested in computer science, and had no other love in life, and severe trouble learning anything else (you know, like that guy from high school whose only interest was computer science and who probably was probably way over to one side of the autistic spectrum), then sure, you would not be able to succeed at a school which required you to get a broad education. But it doesn’t sound as if you are that person.

It’s exam week right now at Columbia. If you could hop on a plane/bus/train today, and go take a look, you should. But maybe you’ve already visited there, and certainly you liked it well enough to have applied. Another positive thing about going to school in NYC is that you will develop tremendous confidence, living in NYC for four years, so much so that no city in the world will intimidate you. Of course, I’m prejudiced. I’m a native New Yorker! I’d choose Columbia!

If you are truly dedicated to the CS field, then there is no question that CMU is the place. It is the best. It will be a huge commitment and you may not have time to do music there, let alone double major. The performing arts are conservatory level at CMU with acceptance rates close to the CS school’s. Top of the top in both schools so double majoring not permitted. Too many not making it in the one discipline. It’s for your protection that CMU does not permit this combo. There are plenty of PA opportunities at CMU outside of the School of Arts however that are world class. Scotch’n Soda is a club there that has been the birthplace of a number of musical and drama giants. Anyone can join They have a non major orchestra and many other venues for music. All high quality.

Columbia is an Ivy and in NYC. The program you are looking at there is more general. But it’s a great overall school.

It comes down to personal choice. If not that dedicated and if that worried about going to the best of the best in CS where, yes, it’s going to be very tough, then Columbia is the way to go. It’ll be easier than CMU CS.

Wait, is double majoring or double degreeing between CFA and SCS really not allowed at CMU? I thought it was with summer classes or taking 5 years? @cptofthehouse

@deadgirl you are driving yourself crazy; Columbia will give you more FA than CMU I would think, but NYC is very expensive. You seem like you will really resent having to take classes outside of your area; that plus there are twice as many kids at Columbia as CMU that come from households making >$630,000 a year. Can you really handle roommates and friends spending lots of money having fun in NYC if you can’t? There are no wrong choices really, and something about your situation seems weird, since most families with income of 115,000$ would immediately take the full ride to UMD, which is more than fine for CS, and not look back.

Back when my son was there, being in both programs did not happen. You could do it with Tepper and PA, but not CS and PA.

With your doubts about CS, and you are right to have them, it would absolutely not be recommended. Both schools have people in the top single digit of qualification in that specialty. To do both? Not likely. But CMU has excellent opportunities for both outside of the Schools themselves.

The way Im reading this is that if you aren’t of the mindset and readiness to jump at the chance of going to the best CS program in the country, then you shouldn’t. Those who go there are mostly clear in their direction. You clearly are not. It’s not that you are not good enough, but that you don’t want it enough which is what your classmates do. I know kids who turned down HPY for CS at MIT or CMU. One of our old timers here has a son who did. Wavering as much as you are pretty much tells me that a more general slate of studies at Columbia is where you’d do better.

Also given your prior posts concerning FA I would definitely consider which school will provide a better package for you.

When is your deadline for making a decision? Can’t imagine you’d have more than a week to let Columbia know.

Tomorrow. I can’t decide at all… I don’t know what I’m going to do.

Did you get the financial aid offer from Columbia? If so, how does its net price compare with that of CMU?

I’m going to be getting it (hopefully) tomorrow morning is what they said over phone.

You are receiving your FA package the same day you have to decide? Seems suspect…what is taking so long?

Ask Columbia for 3 days to talk it over with your parents from the day you get your FA package.

Ok!

I’m sure this decision wasn’t easy! Fortunately, these are wonderful options. Which did you choose?

My time has been extended since my financial aid package is still being decided!

Good news.