Looking for options for a Computer Science school in the Northeast for my son. He is currently looking at UVA, W&M, Providence College, Tufts, Georgetown, Pitt.
He is looking for small to mid-size school. Cost is currently not a factor, just trying to find options to learn more about. He has about a 3.9 GPA, 4.3 weighted; 7 AP/DE/IBs (including AP&IB CS)with 5 more scheduled his senior year . 1390 SAT, retaking in August.
Trying to find schools to consider and plan visits. Thanks in advance.
Very different than any schools on your list, but maybe worth a look to check on size/culture - RPI (match), Clarkson (safety), Lehigh (high match/low reach)
I don’t have a school to add but also interested in the suggestions.
Thanks. I visited RPI and Lehigh with his older brother a couple years ago. I think he is looking for more “mainstream” schools with sports and more typical environment. I appreciate your thoughts.
I feel like “mainstream” and small don’t go together?
What about Boston College or BU?
We are very familiar with BC and BU (family history) and although they are great, just too much competition unless they are ED choices. Also, I have not heard great things about BC’s CS program. We have discussed them both and he said no. Thanks again.
Wow - that’s a wide array.
The list, other than Providence and Pitt, is a bit on the reach side.
But if Georgetown, why not Fairfield, Sacred Heart, Fordham - schools like that. Of course, if he likes DC there is GW and American. If you like W&M and UVA, James Madison (more UVA size) and Christopher Newport (more W&M size) could work.
If you like Pitt, VCU is bigger - and there’s Drexel (private) another city school. But these aren’t football schools (other than Pitt).
For mainstream with sports and similar to Pitt which is really the only “mainstream” I see on the list and I’m using football to say that, a Syracuse could work. So could a Penn State - bigger and moving west a little but not too big - a Miami of Ohio. UConn could be another. And how about WVU - these would all be more “mainstream”.
Really most any school will have computer science.
But if he wants mainstream, Tufts isn’t that and if mainstream means football, then PC and Gtown aren’t that either, fine schools they are. But another one that seems to do good work and will be less difficult to admit, U Maine.
Best of luck.
Villanova?
Villanova is on his list. I forgot to add it.
All good suggestions, many have been considered. I am not really sure what I mean by “mainstream” just the vibe he has gotten from some when visiting. Could be the difference between visiting while school is in session or during break.
He loved PC, maybe because Final Four and Hockey East were both going on and the campus was excited (unfortunately PC got knocked out of both that day). UVA and W&M are in-state. He prefers UVA and plans to ED. We visited W&M after students had left and he wants to go back in fall, possible ED2.
He has a couple more “safety” schools, but I am trying to think of the higher level schools for him to consider. This is a work in progress, just trying to get more ideas.
Again, thanks to everyone.
I heard that applications went up 30% due to that. It was a surprisingly hard grab at our school this year and caught our excellent college counselors off guard.
UMD (high target - if he can raise his SAT by a hundred points, otherwise a low reach), or Rutgers (low target) might fit the bill.
I’m concerned to see “currently” in that statement. Does that mean your financial situation could change in the future? Or do you mean you haven’t figured out your budget yet?
UMD got knocked off the list yesterday. Had a visit planned but he decided against it. Not sure why.
“Currently” means that cost is always a consideration, but we will decide on value and what we are willing to pay later. I suspect merit offers will come into play, but not ruling out schools that I know will not offer any…yet.
I would strongly advise not taking this approach. What if your son gets into his top choice school and then you realize it’s too expensive? Best to set a budget from the get-go so there are no disappointments later.
What’s worse than getting rejected by your dream school? Getting accepted and not being able to go.
He has this information and will be part of his decision. This is why UVA and W&M would be ED. The others will look at merit (and I realize a few will have zero merit offered). If he goes over the value of his 529 he will incur loans. He should be good for 2-3 years at any of the schools without loans.
@DadOfJerseyGirl valid point is and it’s because we’ve seen this countless times before.
Without a budget now but one instilled later, you are wasting time even on the search - time that can be spent finding others that could work.
And you run that risk of - well, we know we have $40K but we visited Tufts and my kid really loved it so much - and they have no merit aid and it’s $90K. But he’s my kid and I love him - and it’s killing me - when you never should have visited Tufts to begin with (if a full pay family and have a budget that’s not full pay).
There’s another poster right now who claims full pay, a $50K budget, and lists schools like Tufts and Harvard and all the folks who replied rightfully said - get those off your list NOW.
Not sure of your finances - but many of us had budgets, even full pay families.
So we had a bucket of schools:
Safeties that will make cost - For example, someone with stats like your son would go dirt cheap to Alabama and Alabama Huntsville - like $20K a year all in to Bama. Now it’s not for you (not in the Northeast). For you, it might be a CNU or VCU.
Safeties/targets/reaches that could make. This might be - and I don’t know your budget - but a SUNY Binghamton or URI.
Schools - targets/reaches - that I’d love to go to and they could get me to budget - but it’s unlikely. But I’m willing to take that chance. This is a W&L - my daughter got in and it was over $80K as I was full pay - but we applied because they have the Johnson Scholarship. Other schools - that have merit but give little of it - UMD, Pitt, etc - so these were schools she was interested and they were possible - but unlikely - so the minute she got American but they only gave $15K - there was no question. She knew the budget. Off it came - just like that.
The schools you don’t put on there - the schools that can’t possibly get you there - and this is what you want to avoid. Again, don’t know your finances - so you’d need to run net price calculators.
But anyone who says, as you did, that cost is not a factor - in most people’s opinions, that’s a huge huge mistake and will lead to an inefficient and often disappointing search.
And I think that’s the point being made and I agree with it 100% wholeheartedly.
Those that do this often:
Waste time on unaffordable schools
End up paying a lot more than they ever wanted to - because who wants to say no to their kid?
Good luck.
Very good for computer science, very much in the “northeast”, attractive location, not small and perhaps almost too obvious would be the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. I have worked with tons of software engineers from U.Mass and the best of them are about as good as exists. They do have some merit aid available for out of state students.
Worcester Polytechnic might also be worth considering.
U.Mass Lowell might be another option which is easier for admissions. I would personally choose U.Mass Amherst over U.Mass Lowell if admitted to both.
Forget about merit at Villanova.
I went to UMASS Amherst WAY too big for him. My older son chose WPI and is going into his sophomore year. Absolutely the right choice for him, but the younger is not a fan of the project based curriculum. He will still apply (it’s free), but more than likely not the right school for him.
But again, I appreciate the thoughts, and by the way he will visit Holy Cross in August when we are up there. Maybe we have considered most schools, but appreciate trying to find others.
Sorry if mentioned above - WPI might be worth checking out if you are visiting HC