<p>i've looked at hundreds of schools, and i fell in love with a few, but then fell out because of cost, environment, etc. now i don't know where i want to go. the schools i like/want to visit are</p>
<p>MIT visited
Yale visited
Smith
Wellesley
Spelman visiting in april
RPI visited
UMASS Amherst
Northeastern
Rutgers
UPenn
Penn State
Lehigh
Howard
BU
Columbia
Cornell
MHC visited</p>
<p>i want to major in computer software engineering, or computer science/engineering. whichever will give me more emphasis on the software/programming part not hardware and such. yale has a computer science/cognitive science program that i like.</p>
<p>i don't know where i want to go anymore, i just want to be over and done with applications (im a junior) and be happy somewhere. no state schools (uconn, scsu, westconn, etc). thank you so much everyone.</p>
<p>You are so confusing! 4 days ago, you were applying ED to Spelman, and then yesterday you said it didn’t matter where you went as long as they had your 3+2 program. Today you don’t have any idea where you want to go.</p>
<p>Breathe . . . you have plenty of time.</p>
<p>The first thing you should do is make a list of “deal-breakers.” For example, if they don’t have the kind(s) of program(s) you want, I assume they are off the table. </p>
<p>Then, make a list of things that are important to you. In the post above, you mention not liking some places because of the “environment.” Try to be more specific about that - was it too small? Too large? Too impersonal? Too industrial? And, include other things on the list as well. Are you a vegetarian? Would you like a karate club? etc.</p>
<p>Finally, when you visit, don’t get all negative on a place simply because it doesn’t match up with one of your important criteria. (If it doesn’t meet your deal-breakers, that’s a different story). Look holistically to see how well it matches up with the range of important criteria, and try to find something positive about it. So for example, maybe Place A is smaller than you’d like, but they have a great CS program, is affordable, and meet several of your important criteria as well. Then keep it on the list!</p>
<p>Yes I know im so confused. I think it’ll be better when I visit, but I’m from CT so I can’t go everywhere. </p>
<p>When I said environment, I meant rural (like RPI- not exactly rural as in farms but it was too quiet & no neighborhoods really), climate, and the overall vibe I got from there. </p>
<p>Thanks for the tip, I’ll try it soon!
Right now, the only deal breaker that actually matters is the cost.</p>
<p>Maybe you should also look at Carnegie Mellon. And check which schools might host you overnight so you can get a better sensee (I think Carnegie Mellon has some sort of sleeping bag weekend…)</p>
<p>thanks! i actually compiled a list of 20 schools that i will shrink to 8… and my mother has made it clear to me how far she wants me to go… so already four schools are gone.</p>
<p>carnegie mellon used to be my favorite engineering school when i had an epiphany and decided i wanted to be an engineer ^_^</p>
<p>“Right now, the only deal breaker that actually matters is the cost.” </p>
<p>Well, if I were you I would have your parents calculate their EFC from the Finaid Dot Org website or the Collegeboard website with their 2010 Tax returns. Then you should look realistically at what schools will meet your need or how high a percentage of your need will be met. </p>
<p>There is no sense looking at schools that you know will not be meeting your need, if you are eligible for financial aid. </p>
<p>Take a look at UCONN’s School of Engineering as a financial safety school, you just never know! USNWR’s #27 National Public University ranking. Do not wrinkle up your nose at UCONN, they also have an Honors Program.</p>
<p>That’s one of the only things I like about UCONN
Pros- virtually free, more in depth learning communities than most schools, close to home (about the distance from here to Boston I think, but the fact that it’s in CT makes my mother happy.)
Cons- I’ll check again, but they don’t have the type of computer science program I’m looking for. When a UCONN representative came to school, he said they didn’t have a sort of “artificial intelligence” track to the computer science. I’m looking for compsci/ human interaction with machines, robotics, artificial intelligence, etc. He said they didn’t have that, which is a huge minus. The location too. It’s in nowhere land, just like RPI. There’s absolutely nothing around there. I’m from the rural south/suburbs, and I’d like to live in a metro area like boston, Philadelphia/Pittsburgh/NYC. Its the epitome of a college town, which isn’t what I like. And when I visited, 80% of the people I saw where from around where I live-I knew them. For mental/emotional reasons, I need to be away away from these people. </p>
<p>But my mother loves UCONN, and she’s a little upset that I don’t want to apply. I might, against my will.
But thanks for the link it’s really interesting! A unique quality.</p>
