<p>@YaleGradandDad
What a great point! You must be in finance, or something. ^:)^ </p>
<p>anonymousguy,
If you really want to take a gap year, then by all means do it. Just be aware that the cost is very large. Plus, given that you have chosen computer science, I hardly see the benefit. If you were trying to get into some fairly narrow specialty, which was only at a few colleges… then maybe it could be worth it. Sorry, but computer science is computer science; especially at the undergraduate level. Most people are in computer science for the money. They like it, hopefully, but it is career training – not like philosophy or some other more profound endeavor.</p>
<p>What do you mean by giving the application more attention? </p>
<p>You’re going to write a better essay? That is going to have no material effect on the outcome.</p>
<p>Go to Auburn and get good grades. If you hate it, start working on transfer apps in late fall. Give those your attention. Or you might be happy there. </p>
<p>Auburn is not a place where 75% are drunk most of the time…especially in engineering/comp sci.</p>
<p>Are you a NMF?</p>
<p>OP:
Some schools admit by major or college depending on your major. Most of the times, applying CS within the college of engineering is more competitive than CS under Arts & Sciences. If you decide to take a gap year and reapply, you might want to have a school (or two) that you can still major in CS but within the Arts and Sciences (example Cornell, UC Berkeley, USC).</p>
<p>Thanks again everyone for your info and advice! I’ve decided to go to the University of Alabama and am in the Honors College. I’m sure everything will go well there, but if it doesn’t, I always have the transfer option.</p>
<p>How did Auburn turn into Alabama?</p>
<p>I was originally set on Auburn out of the two, but after getting an in-depth tour and meeting people there, I liked it a lot more.</p>
<p>Yes, I’m curious about your decision making process, plus it’d be useful for other students who read these threads.
What changed your mind, precisely? </p>
<p>I was accepted to both a couple months ago, then I went to Auburn and fell in love with it, but I think I may have really just fallen in love with “college.” I was planning on going to Auburn until I thought “I should probably give Bama a looksee too.” I went up last week for a tour of the campus and engineering facilities and to meet with the Dean and some faculty. </p>
<p>First, the campus was more what I wanted. It was traditional in that it had the quads and lawns and trees and such. I liked that a lot. Auburn seemed, in comparison, like a small town that is a college (which a lot of people love). </p>
<p>Second, their new engineering facilities blew Auburn’s out of the water, especially for my interests in computer science and electrical engineering. </p>
<p>Third, their honors college had rolling admissions, so I could get in still (Auburn’s deadline was Jan 15). Also, since there’s a small chance I may want to transfer, this would be important. </p>
<p>Fourth, they offered a much larger departmental scholarship. </p>
<p>(Note: these aren’t necessarily in order of importance to me.) </p>
<p>If I were to give advice to those in similar situations, I’d say take the official tours, take departmental tours, and talk to the faculty. After that, branch off and walk around on your own and see if it feels right. Talk to some students walking around. Also make sure you try the food. And if you’re into working out, try to get into the gym to workout. </p>
<p>Im so happy anonymousguy that you followed up on this note…I was thinking that you should consider Alabama and so happy it worked out…they are gathering a <em>very</em> smart group of kids there…you will be in great company and will be a superstar in that department! </p>
<p>Thanks for the thoughtful post!</p>