<p>Hi guys, I'm pretty confused on where to attend next year for a CS major. I've already been accepted to:</p>
<p>WPI (30k package)
BU (30k package)
NEU (30k package)
UMASS Amherst (Full ride)</p>
<p>Any opinions would be great! Thanks in advanced.</p>
<p>if you're the nerdy type and don't like chicks go to WPI
BU=NEU. Unless you like the idea of going to college for 5 years, go to BU. Better rep and stuff.
Regarding UMass amherst--I've just heard bad things.</p>
<p>nice admits!</p>
<p>roughly..WPI=BU > NEU > UMASS for prestige/placements/etc. in the northeast.</p>
<p>So its really whether or not you want the "geek" atmosphere, small classes, and close faculty interaction of WPI or the huge school, great location, and student variety of BU.</p>
<p>NEU does have the co-op program but I am not convinced that should be a deciding factor. </p>
<p>If you can go to the others for virtually free, I don't see a reason to consider UMASS.</p>
<p>Hope this helps</p>
<p>umass comp sci is top 20 nationwide</p>
<p>Thanks for the input guys, that really helps. I've pretty much ruled NEU out because the co-op program just doesn't seem to be as appealing as what the other schools have to offer.
For UMASS, for some odd reason it seems to perform better on rankings for CS, but then again I don't really care about rankings so its almost out of the race.
As for WPI vs BU, I'm leaning more towards WPI so far. At the moment, WPI feels like home, and I love the nerd-atmosphere and close attention. Only thing is, BU is in Boston and I have a feeling that it has more to offer, over Worcester; who knows, the nerd atmosphere might get old after a while. Another note is that BU seems to have much greater "name recognition" than WPI and I was wondering if that would have much of an effect on getting a job or is the name recognition not as significant when it comes to employers.</p>
<p>I don't think anyone here has a clue about UMass's program. One of my favorite professors has his PhD in Computer Engineering (certainly related to CS) from UMass-Amherst. Other than that I can't say I know anyone in the program for undergrads, but it certainly must have a decent reputation because, in general, schools don't tend to hire PhD's from departments they don't consider as strong or nearly as strong as themselves.</p>
<p>In fact, just looking quickly over the faculty roster here, I see professors in computer engineering, computer science, materials science, and civil engineering from UMass-Amherst. None from Northeastern, BU, or WPI. Not that that means much, but it at least means UMass has a reasonably reputable program. </p>
<p>So I'd certainly not drop UMass from consideration. Everything I've ever heard about their program would indicate you should be strongly, strongly considering it (even if it only saves you $10k a year, $40,000 is a lot of money).</p>
<p>Hmm.. I just discovered you made a new thread with identical question. I'll repost my answer here too.</p>
<p>I am facing the same challenges, each of the four schools you mention are the same school I'm considering. I am also looking for CS (though I am also divided with History too).</p>
<p>Unfortunately I cannot give any clear-cut advice for none of the school in the end really jump out as a clear winner. I guess I just leave my impressions, hopefully it can help you decide.</p>
<p>NE have a strong Co-Op program. My visit there revealed that it is a school have a good support for CS (large program) and a nice mixed campus community of various type of people (in my tour I saw some people in costumes and another working with robots, I guess it shows an active and fun community). </p>
<p>BU CS department is known for its strong research program (got ranked 7th too) and the department is significantly smaller, your call if that is good or bad (ie class size more like WPI, but less amenties supporting CS alone such as NE who have an entire building for CS or a chance to dorm with a floor of CS students). My visit showed a school that lacked a bit of a campus community (probably due to sheer size and urban campus), but I liked the robustness of the city. I also have a passion to history with a belief in the "well-rounded" person, something I see BU have over NE and WPI.</p>
<p>WPI have an unique curriculum that really put an emphasis on cooperative projects, sort of like a mini-Co-Op thing there. They have a 4 quater thing there, good or bad is up to opinion, does make thing a bit more fast paced, but less to review for a final. My visit did reveal a geeky-nerdy feel to the campus (I guess that what happens when like 60% of the student body is CS major in a school of 3,000 undergrad). It is a smaller school, so one can make a presence in the school easier. </p>
<p>UMass Amherst have its advantage ing price and reputation in CS. Damn good rank, (BU recently got a good rank too, <a href="http://chronicle.com/stats/productivity/page.php?primary=4&secondary=34&bycat=Go%5B/url%5D">http://chronicle.com/stats/productivity/page.php?primary=4&secondary=34&bycat=Go</a>) I didn't vist the school, didn't have time. I'm sure you heard all the detractors a long time ago. I have personal reason for not wanting to go to UMass Amherst too.</p>
<p>While I cannot tell you any real advice, I have to admit I just deposited my money for BU. I decided on the assumption that each school CS will make me a student that can stand well for employment in the end, I will learn the same things. I have to say I chose BU with alot of apprehension, but every school I would feel this same doubt. Each one have its own strengths and weaknesses, especially with UMass Amherst and how cheap it is. I chose BU over the others for WPI was alot more expensive for me, have humanities curriculum but still behind BU, and there was a social... detractor. I really liked NE with its near even cost to BU and co-op, but I decided to turn it down for it is a school that is very career oriented, I still want a college who push me to explore myself and think while still comming out ready for the world (BU ranking 7th in CS shows it can stand well too despite being smaller then NE). I choose BU over Amherst... well for more personal reasons... but it did have a pretty bad party reputation and it's out in the middle of nowhere.</p>