<p>Greetings!</p>
<p>I was just accepted to SCS and TSB. For those looking to major or focus in computer science for undegrad, I was wondering what other schools you applied to, what background you have with computer science, and what distinctions you see in the comp sci programs that you've applied to, especially the ones that appeal to you.</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>I applied to MIT (rejected) and was accepted to University of Southern California, Northwestern, and Rice. USC seems to be improving alot and I visited, and it seems like there it would be easier to do some sort of EE/CS mix as a single major. I really don't know much about CS at Northwestern and Rice; one of my friends claims that Rice has its own programming language, which seems sort of strange. Anyone I talk to says that CMU is definitely the best place for CS of those I applied to. Several of my friends couldn't agree if CMU or MIT would be better.</p>
<p>I took CS in school my sophomore and junior years, and my school's CS classes are HORRIBLE because one of the teachers was laid off in business and just ended up a teacher b/c he couldn't get another job; he monotonously reads straight off of powerpoints. He also hates objected oriented programming and java. My second year teacher was a new teacher, and although he knew how to program, he was a bad teacher. Thus, two years of CS later... I knew enough to take the CS A AP exam. I've also been in our school's programming club, and I've been to some programming competitions. I'm just a girl who likes computers, math, and science, and doesn't mind being one of the few females in a field... it's actually kind of fun.</p>
<p>My school's computer science program is t3h suck. All we have is a couple courses on web design (taught by the yearbook teacher). We used to have one qualified programming teacher, but he left two years ago, and the course he taught only used VB anyway.</p>
<p>My comp sci background is entirely self-taught. I started my own software business online (like you, VGS) and it's still a one-man show, for like 5 years now. I guess the fact that I'm taking IB Higher Math and Further Math and getting A+ in both was helpful. Also, I did manage to explain in my essay that my school's comp sci program is t3h suck.</p>
<p>Many people told me about Carnegie Mellon as the country's premier comp sci school, so naturally I was interested. I applied to SCS only, and got accepted.</p>
<p>Other schools I applied to: MIT (deferred EA then rejected), Case Western (safety; accepted), Caltech (accepted, God only knows how) and Stanford (still waiting to hear). I'd go to Stanford if accepted, and CMU if not. The reasons I'd go to Stanford are a) it's Stanford; b) it's right in Silicon Valley, plus Northern California rules; c) better social life.</p>
<p>(bump)</p>
<p>I also applied to MIT (waitlisted, deferred EA), Caltech (accepted), Stanford (still waiting), Cornell (accepted), Princeton (waitlisted), Georgia Tech (accepted), and Penn State (accepted). </p>
<p>I'm trying to decide among CMU, Caltech, and Stanford (if I get in). So I'm basically in the same college situation as ThinkDifferent, and I'm leaning towards Stanford for the same reasons. However, CMU is giving me a big scholarship, its CS program is on the same level if not better, and there is a lot of freedom to double major (I'll probably double major in CS and ECE if I go there). Caltech also has many appealing qualities, but they're more in EE than in CS.</p>
<p>My school's CS is not bad... We have two worthwhile CS courses (introductory and AP), a bunch of other strictly programming courses, and several other math and science APs. We have plenty of computing resources which only a small minority of the students take advantage of. Outside of school, I've done some programming competitions and an internship in computer science at a navy research facility, and I've taught myself some other programming stuff. I've also done some work in graphics and animation on the robotics team.</p>
<p>Interesting. I've self-taught myself all the programming I know (through books and internet tutorials).</p>
<p>Does anyone know how various schools' computer science differ from one another significantly? Namely in the case of CMU and other top schools?</p>
<p>I think undergrad CS is pretty much the same everywhere. If anything, CMU's CS program is the best in the USA. Also if you're into robotics, you're in luck because CMU specializes in that. Another thing is computer design - what with CFA right there, I'm sure the design and graphics department is strong.</p>
<p>accepted: northwestern, johns hopkins, WPI, cornell school of engineering, upenn seas, columbia seas, cmu scs</p>
<p>denied: stanford, mit</p>
<p>I wrote CS as my major for all these schools. CMU seemed a natural selection (best CS school in US) but CMU lacks the strength in other departments and thus, i will not attend.</p>
<p>expo: CMU actually has a strong interdisciplinary environment. SCS isn't all there is - they have a great business school (TSB), a great fine arts school (CFA) and H&SS.</p>
<p>VGS: what languages do you know?</p>
<p>i'm sorry, i meant that CMU's other departments are not AS good as probably some of the other places i was admitted into... especially in East Asian studies (what i want to minor or double major in)</p>
<p>ThinkD, I know C++, JavaScript, ActionScript, and a little Perl and PHP. What about you?</p>
<p>Also, do you plan on going to CMU?</p>
<p>VGS: I know REALbasic, Visual Basic, JavaScript and Objective-C (I'm a Mac user). I also know Mathematica, if that counts. I'm going to CMU (SCS) unless I get in off Stanford's waitlist.</p>