<p>So I've gotten into Carnegie Mellon and Columbia Fu SEAS (and several others as well, but these are my top choices). I'm interested in majoring in computer science/engineering. While I know that job prospects are about the same, CMU seems to be more "hardcore engineering" while Fu is more theoretical, with liberal arts mixed in.</p>
<p>I've always been interested in the artsphotography and music especially, but I would be quite happy if I didn't have to take many humanities courses other than freshman writing (but I don't <em>despise</em> the humanitiesI did take AP English Language). I've been to NYC and Columbia numerous times and loved it. Whenever I was on campus I felt as though I'd be so happy to go to college there.</p>
<p>On the flipside, I've never been anywhere between NYC and Chicago, though, so I don't know much about Pittsburgh. I know CMU won the DARPA Urban Challenge, I know they have awesome robotics programs, I know their graduates get picked up by Intel and Google and Amazon. I applied to CMU because MIT was my favorite school in the world. </p>
<p>I can't exactly speak as to the specifics of the engineering program here, but SCS at CMU is very highly regarded and the opportunities afforded by such a program are huge. The main robotics program at CMU is graduate-level, but there is a minor and many related engineering courses, as well as student-organizations like the robotics club.</p>
<p>As far as liberal arts are concerned, I've found it quite easy to take classes in just about any area that I'm interested in, although if you want to focus on technical classes after completing gen-ed stuff, that's also possible. I'm not up to date on all the gen-ed requirements from the other colleges, but SCS has a pretty flexible system in that regard. CMU also highly touts its interdisciplinary nature, with its blending of arts, sciences, engineering, and what-not -- this facet is certainly present here, although occasionally the segmented nature of the individual colleges can get in the way.</p>
<p>As for deciding between CMU and Columbia, there is a significant difference, I suppose, between NYC and Pittsburgh. Personally, I really enjoy Pittsburgh, but I would highly advise you to actually visit CMU and get a feel for the environment yourself -- there really is nothing like first-hand experience.</p>
<p>You'll find some hardcore "arts" programs at cmu, so don't expect not seeing much of an "arts" presence at cmu as you'll find a lot. as for computer science, i will have to say cmu has the upper hand as cmu is accredited by many as the best computer science school out there (that does include mit, stanford, berkeley, uiuc etc), though that doesn't mean Fu SEAS isn't any good. as for the location, Pittsburgh is not NYC, so you can't have the megacity atmosphere, but Pittsburgh weather is comparable.</p>
<p>I suppose I'm somewhat attached to Columbia at the moment because I've been on campus. Since I live in London and have a busy schedule (whatever happened to senioritis?!), I won't be able to visit CMU before May 1.</p>
<p>Congratulations! They are both great choices. CMU has a more smaller town feel compared to New York. Pittsburgh is a small city. Columbia is very bustling and NY is very busy.
CMU is just quieter by comparison. The buildings at CMU are around grassy areas. I would make my choice by comparing the programs and look at what do you want to study. If you are a guy, it might be easier to meet girls in NY if that is on your agenda.</p>
<p>You could do what my son and many of his friends did...college at CMU, then work in Manhattan after graduation. Pittsburgh isn't NYC, it's not supposed to be. But it can be quite an enjoyable place, not overwhelming to a college student. And now he can afford to enjoy NYC moneywise, since he collects a paycheck. Lots of CMU grads end up in NY.</p>
<p>Columbia's one of the top US schools and you can't go wrong going there, but for CS specifically (and engineering in general) I don't think it compares to CMU. </p>
<p>It's too bad that you can't go to the accepted students weekend at CMU. I think that is what ultimately helped my son turn down Harvard for Carnegie Mellon. My husband missed that, but was equally blown away by the presentation SCS made to parents at the freshmen orientation. He's not easy to please, having been an undergrad at Harvard and a grad student at Caltech. He came away convinced that my son knew what he was doing. Pittsburgh is not NY, but it's a nice city, CMU is in a pleasant residential neighborhood. It feels more suburban than Columbia. (BTW I was a grad student at Columbia largely because I was dying to live in NYC.) If you have 4s and 5s on APs you can get out of a lot of basic courses at CMU. My son only had to take Freshman English and a non-US history course. SCS requires a minor, but it doesn't have to be related to computer science. They are fond of relating that they had a student who's minor was bagpipes. I wasn't an undergrad at Columbia, but I felt like Fu was a big separate from the rest of Columbia - I think they have a modified version of their core curriculum for example. My son is a rather single-minded computer nerd - except for the two required courses he's been taking physics for fun, so I can't speak too much to the inter-disciplinary aspects of CMU. My impression is, that if you want it, you can make it happen, and that to some extent SCS wishes it would happen more than it actually does. It certainly has top notch drama, art, architecture and music as well as good humanities and science courses.</p>
<p>I'm in a similar situation, choosing between CMU SCS and Fu, except I plan to do a lot of math too and go on to graduate school after college. Suppose I go to and do fairly well at Columbia - my prospects for grad school should be comparable to those I'd have coming from CMU, right?</p>
<p>Computer Science program at CMU is excellent. And very highly regarded. Although I am not a fan of college rankings, but if it is of any interest , US News 2008 Grad School College Rankings ranks CMU Computer Science program at number 1 in USA. US News 2008 undergrad Ranking places CMU Computer Engineering program at # 2 ( with MIT being at # 1).
Top companies recruit at CMU and I understand that Microsoft made 57 jobs offers at CMU. Some undergraduates had job offers of over $100,000.</p>
<p>As to Pittsburgh, it is a nice safe city. The 25th anniversary edition of "The Places Rated Almanac" ( 2007) Ranked Pittsburgh as most livable city ie Number 1.
Pittsburgh is also the only city to finish in the top 20 every time. For Ranking the Editors looked at factors such as housing, transportation, jobs, education, climate, crime, health care, recreation and ambience.</p>
<p>Hope this helps you in deciding. I would recommend CS program at CMU.</p>
<p>At CMU, it is possible to minor in art or take art classes if you talk to the department - expect to have some trouble getting into classes, but it can be done. It is fairly easy to pick up a photography minor - no difficulties that I know of with getting into classes; I know a few CS majors who have photography minors and they've all enjoyed that.</p>
<p>You have two great choices. Given your stated interests - computer sciences/engineering and arts/photography/music, my advice would be to enroll in CMU. CMU is world class in both areas (which is actually rare among top American schools - only Stanford, Berkeley, Princeton and maybe maybe Cornell can make similar claims).</p>
<p>CMU is about as strong as Columbia in the arts (and I believe most rankings place CMU above CU in music). In engineering. there really is NO comparison. Carnegie is top 5 in the world in artificial intelligence, and a clear top 10 in computer science. Columbia is not in the top 25</p>
<p>If you want big city elan, both NYC and Chicago are about a hour away by plane. Fares aren't expensive, and you'll be able to easily get to other interesting places like Philadelphia & Bucks County, Washington DC and Cleveland (top arts scene) too.</p>
<p>CMU has one of the top Drama schools in the US and great music and fine arts programs as well. As a CS major, you can take art classes as electives and even graduate with a minor in music for example. </p>
<p>Frankly the only reason I can possibly think of to choose Columbia over CMU would be the Ivy label (since you are from the UK, that may make a difference when you go back home). Having said that, I don't think that is really an issue in areas like CS or engineering where CMU is actually far more prestigious than Columbia anyway.</p>