<p>I don't think this subject has been covered recently. Does my son have to take engineering at a university for all things relating to his 1st love -computers? He would like a liberal arts environment and does enjoys their classes, would like to study overseas for a semester, student enrollment of 2500 -8,000, urban/suburban setting. His resume is strong, but not overpowering: 1370 SAT, 640WR, 4th out of 150(3.95GPA), AP classes since 7th grade (Math), AP everywhere else in HS, Acing "intro to computers" class at DePauw (hometown) this semester, no real sports stuff, fine at piano (1st in state competition), and designed & created from scratch my website at work. Rice seems obvious, bit of a reach. CMU, Northwestern, Washington StLouis are reaches. Brown (another reach) seems ideal or at least with a kick-ass computer dept. LAC's Bucknell, Lehigh are isolated geographically. Any other pure LAC's that would provide him the best of both worlds? Thanks in advance for your thoughts!</p>
<p>Check Allegheny College in Pennsylvania. I've heard they have a good computer science department. However, it is in a small town so that might not work.</p>
<p>I second Firefly's suggestion of Allegheny. Other LACs that might be worth checking out for computer science: Harvey Mudd (CA), Carleton (Minn.), Lafayette (PA), Trinity U (Texas), Quinnipiac (CT), Stetson (FL). Some small to medium universities to look into: University of Rochester, University of Denver, Butler (In), Marquette (WI), Santa Clara U(CA), Syracuse (NY), U of Tulsa, Brandeis (MA).</p>
<p>You might also check out schools that have received accreditation in computer science from the American Board of Engineering Training (ABET) - here's the link to their searchable database: <a href="http://www.abet.org/accreditcac.asp%5B/url%5D">http://www.abet.org/accreditcac.asp</a> ABET accreditation is especially important if he is looking to major in computer engineering, which is different from computer science. Engineering deals more with the hardware side of things, CS more with programming.</p>
<p>Harvey Mudd, definitely! It sounds like it would be a slight reach/match for you.</p>
<p>I tend to think of Caltech as a quasi-LAC in that, with a tiny 900 student undergrad population, it is even smaller than that of many true LAC's. And of course the Caltech computer department is top notch.</p>
<p>However, clearly Caltech would be quite a reach in this situation.</p>
<p>thanks for the suggestions. must confess, I seemed to have asked a question that's a bit of a contradiction. that is, most LAC's are located in small towns, are under 3000 students unless they are part of a university like Vanderbilt. so, let me try again: do you have any first hand knowledge of any LAC (excluding Harvey Mudd, Brown,Rice) that could produce first rate computer science graduates? it might temp him away from the metro scene . . .</p>
<p>Someone suggested Bulter...as you very likely know is in the heart of Indianapolis...worth a look at least! However, if you want to go far away from home, it may be dissapointing...</p>
<p>
[quote]
that is, most LAC's are located in small towns
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Oh, I don't know about that. I don't think that LAC's are located in small towns any more so than are universities. The difference seems to be that many universities are so large that they themselves can constitute 'the town'. </p>
<p>However, just think about some of these locations of the universities. Ann Arbor Michigan , Urbana-Champaign Illinois, Charlottesville Virginia, Palo Alto California , New Haven Connecticut , Ithaca New York, Princeton New Jersey, Durham North Carolina - let's face it, none of these places are ever going to be confused with New York City. </p>
<p>
[quote]
do you have any first hand knowledge of any LAC (excluding Harvey Mudd, Brown,Rice) that could produce first rate computer science graduates?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>If you are choosing to define LAC's to include Brown and Rice, then there is Caltech, MIT, Princeton. All of these schools have fewer undergrads than does Brown. </p>
<p>Then there are highly specialized 'engineering-LAC's like RoseHulman.</p>
<p>i have found enough info tonite to almost become dizzy. the threads from august this year provided lots of answers to my questions and many others that i did not consider- monydad's especially. the thread by aehmo tonite also created quite a conversation regarding computer engineers. i'd love to hear more. i wonder if a northwestern is a better choice than a bucknell, for example, to an 18 year old loving computer programming -now. . .</p>
<p>does anyone have any info or comment on Lehigh, Bucknell computer science dept? we can't visit them and they seem well regarded.</p>