Hi, I got accepted to both Depauw University and Bard College but I don’t know if which school suit me better. I’m going to study Computer Science.
Can you give me some advice about both schools?
FA: Bard College - Contribution: 23k
Depauw University - Contribution: 27k (with 3k loan)
Those are really different kinds of schools – have you visited either?
I’m an international student so I don’t have the opportunity to visit schools in the US 
It’s difficult for me to decide. Although I like Depauw more than Bard, Depauw has higher cost. So I don’t know if I should chose Bard because of the generous aid they’ve given me.
In your first post, are the $23 and $27k your cost, or is that how much aid they are offering you? If the cost to you between the two schools is close, and your family can manage it, then I would not choose Bard just because it is a few thousand dollars cheaper.
Bard is a very artistic community, and one has to “apply” through a process called Moderation to major in a department – Moderation requires a reflection on the preparation done for the field of interest along with sample of work from lower level class in the field. Some programs are more competitive for “moderation” and students may not be accepted, though I understood those are more likely to be the artistic fields Bard is most renowned for. Bard campus is beautiful, but some people have described the student community as less connected, more isolated, than some other schools.
If you can manage the cost difference, and you prefer what you know about Depauw, then I would recommend going to Depauw. Congrats, and good luck!
the $23k and 27k is the amount I have to pay.
I’ll definitely consider more about my decision with the info that I receive from you about Bard.
Thank you for your advice.
Bard is primarily known for arts and humanities; my guess is that the computer science program is probably rather small. The department appears to have only four tenure-track faculty, plus one visiting prof. Can’t find any data on the number of majors. Small isn’t necessarily bad, but you might want check the college catalog to make sure the program has sufficient depth. There may be a limited selection of courses in any given semester.
Depauw appears to have eight tenure-track faculty, plus one instructor and a lab coordinator. College Navigator lists 54 bachelor’s degrees awarded in CS in 2016-17.
I would recommend writing to the head of the computer science department at Bard and letting them know about your imminent decision and asking for more information.This is encouraged right on the department’s website: http://cs.bard.edu/ One of my son’s best friends got his degree in math at Bard, taking a lot of computer science courses. He is now working as a programmer in tech in San Francisco. I suspect if you major in Computer Science at Bard you’ll find yourself taking a lot of interdisciplinary courses - which may, or may not, be of interest to you. http://cs.bard.edu/related/