<p>Hi all
Looking at Ohio state , Miami, and Cincinnati. all for either computer science or computer engineering. My son likes programming and is thinking about Computer security or software engineering. Ho do these schools compare.
Quick stats. 3.7 gpa, 26 act (taking again) several AP's and honors classes 4 years marching band 5 years volunteering at animal shelter 200-300 hours a year.
Thanks
David</p>
<p>They are very different schools. I advise to visit all, then decide.</p>
<p>OSU is probably the stronger school for pure software engineering, followed by Cincinnati and then Miami. </p>
<p>That being said, Miami’s approach to academics, as [implied</a> by MiamiDAP](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/1065481949-post2.html]implied”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/1065481949-post2.html), differs from OSU and CU in that a strong liberal arts foundation is emphasized with the [Glboal</a> Miami Plan](<a href=“http://www.miami.muohio.edu/academics/core-curriculum/index.html]Glboal”>The Miami Plan | Miami University):</p>
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<p>These liberal art skills may not be directly related to software engineering, but as this article ([Psychology</a> Today: What’s a Liberal Arts Education Really Worth?](<a href=“http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/look-it-way/201004/whats-liberal-arts-education-really-worth]Psychology”>What's a Liberal Arts Education Really Worth? | Psychology Today)) makes the case for, they’re very important life skills.</p>
<p>Most of what you need will be learned at work anyway. I am computer programmer and you will need to learn whole lot at every place of your employment. So, I still say, choose the school that matches personality best, they are very different schools. Most kids that go to OSU, absolutely hate MU. MU is awesome for one who appreciates to be in a middle of nowwhere. In fact, my D. is concern that she will not be able to match pretty MU campus to any at Grad. school. Kids who love OSU usually cannot stand it at MU. Cinci is all different story and some are concerned with safety since neighborhood is rough. However, my S. and his W. have survived. Overall, Cinci is a nice place to be. </p>
<p>Sports are big part of some kids life. You got to love hockey for Miami, OSU is huge in more popular sports and forget it if you are Michigan fan, they will eat you alive.</p>
<p>How does the “Miami Plan” fundamentally differ from the core liberal arts requirements at almost all major universities? I’ve never really seen anything to convince me that it is anything out of the ordinary…aside from the hubris in calling it “The Miami Plan.”</p>
<p>By comparison, Ohio State engineering students are required to take the following liberal arts core in quarter hours.</p>
<p>English composition: 10 hours
Ethics: 5 hours
Social Sciences, Historical Studies and Arts & Humanities: 25 hours with spread among the three groupings with no less than 5 and no more than 10 in any single area.
Foreign Language: 20 hours in a single language</p>
<p>Throw in nationally ranked engineering and science departments, numerous members of the national academy of sciences and engineering on faculty and a higher qualified student body, and it’s hard to see how Miami can compete with Ohio State in engineering. If it we were talking about business, I’d concede that it’s a closer argument.</p>
<p><a href=“%5Burl=http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/1065483440-post5.html]#5[/url]”>quote</a> How does the “Miami Plan” fundamentally differ from the core liberal arts requirements at almost all major universities? I’ve never really seen anything to convince me that it is anything out of the ordinary…aside from the hubris in calling it “The Miami Plan.”
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<p>Desipite the charge of ‘hubris’, I’ll attempt to address your question. The difference, in my judgment (which is what [Ceramtek</a> was asking for](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/1065456716-post1.html]Ceramtek”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/1065456716-post1.html)), is emphasis. It includes elements like the [Thematic</a> Sequence](<a href=“Miami University: Documents and Policies: General Bulletin”>Miami University: Documents and Policies: General Bulletin) and the [Capstone</a> Experience](<a href=“Miami University: Documents and Policies: General Bulletin”>Miami University: Documents and Policies: General Bulletin). The post was not saying that one approach is better than the other. If the three institutions were identical in their approach to education there would be no need for Ceramtek to even posit a question.</p>
<p>As a strong proponent of [logos](<a href=“http://www.rpi.edu/dept/llc/webclass/web/project1/group4/]logos[/url]-based”>http://www.rpi.edu/dept/llc/webclass/web/project1/group4/)-based</a> arguments, I rarely share [ethos](<a href=“http://www.rpi.edu/dept/llc/webclass/web/project1/group4/]ethos[/url]-based”>http://www.rpi.edu/dept/llc/webclass/web/project1/group4/)-based</a> (from experience) arguments. However, to complement details [referred</a> to above with the Miami Global Plan](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/1065482072-post3.html]referred”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/1065482072-post3.html), I’ll share the following: </p>
<p>I’m the product of a well regarded engineering program that models itself closely to OSU and it’s liberal arts requirements. I’m also the parent of a child that’s finishing up at a well regarded institution that emphasizes the liberal arts. Two younger children just enrolled at Miami as freshmen after attending the school as part of the [Junior</a> Scholars Program](<a href=“Summer Scholars Program | Miami University”>Summer Scholars Program | Miami University). I’ve seen first-hand the differences in the two approaches. My exposure to the liberal arts was more of a ‘here are disciplines you should be aware of as you pursue the engineering sciences’ as opposed to the [sentiment</a> expressed in the article](<a href=“http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/look-it-way/201004/whats-liberal-arts-education-really-worth]sentiment”>What's a Liberal Arts Education Really Worth? | Psychology Today) referenced above:</p>
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<p>BTW, there’s a great book that appeals to science oriented individuals, like myself, that makes a strong scientific-based argument for the value of the liberal arts: [The</a> Art Instinct](<a href=“http://theartinstinct.com/]The”>http://theartinstinct.com/).</p>
<p>Lenny,
“English composition: 10 hours
Ethics: 5 hours
Social Sciences, Historical Studies and Arts & Humanities: 25 hours with spread among the three groupings with no less than 5 and no more than 10 in any single area.
Foreign Language: 20 hours in a single language”</p>
<p>My D. is done with Miami plan. What you are listing above is way much more than she had to do. She could use some AP credits, but some she has chosen not to use, and she did not have many to begin with. Thank goodness, since she has 2 areas of interest outside of her major and was able to take classes to complete one minor, with many classes in another area. She did this without taking single summer class and having light schedule in junior and senior year and despite changing palns in a middle of it all because one of her Grad. School has add couple classes to its reguirements. </p>
<p>Again, I would not advise to compare at this level. I would advise to visit both OSU and Miami, talk to people there, get a feel of both and them decide which one fits the best.</p>
<p>I’m not getting involved in this discussion, other than to say that Miami is not known for most of its engineering programs, but I thought I’d point out that OSU has quarters, while Miami has semesters. An “average” academic year at OSU would probably be between 45-50 hours, while an “average” academic year at Miami would be around 32 hours. Therefore, you can’t directly compare the “hours” that each school uses.</p>
<p>Those are good points, DAP. Also, remember that the Ohio State requirements are in quarter hours which tends to distort the difference making the Ohio State requirements in hours seem larger. I think the standard conversion of semester to quarter is 1:0.67</p>
<p>I agree that the two schools are very different, and if Ohio State is a bad fit, no amount of Academy of Engineering members will make the prospective student happier.</p>
<p>I believe that The OSU is switching to Semesters in the Fall 2011.</p>
<p>Both Ohio State and University of Cincinnati (and most other schools in Ohio) will be moving to semesters in 2011 or 2012. My son visited both schools and they are redoing their engineering curriculum as a result of the move to semesters. Always best to visit all colleges you are interested. Meet with department chair and a couple of engineering students and ask same questions to get a feel for the differences between schools.</p>