<p>Hi there.
I am from Germany and intend to apply to various colleges in the USA, including Stanford, MIT and Berkeley. I will most likely major in computer science, so that's why I am looking for. I have just read about Columbia SEAS, and it seems to be a very interesting program. However, how does it compare to the top programs (MIT, Berkeley, Stanford)? How is its reputation?</p>
<p>I would echo my comments in the "which school is better for me" thread:
<a href="SEAS%20is%20not%20a%20top-tier%20program">quote</a> if you want a career in engineering straight out of undergrad. if you want to work for boeing, this is not as good a place as, say, Drexel. However, if you want to do research, go to grad school, go into business or finance, make connections, or have a more balanced education that works in some elements of liberal arts, SEAS is an excellent choice.
[/quote]
The way to think about SEAS is that you essentially get a hybrid liberal-arts/engineering education. You have the advantage of a "great books" program refined for 80 years, and an intellectual culture that is absolutely one of the top places in the world. You get a network of connections and opportunities - especially in business and on Wall Street - that is truly impressive. And you get all of this without having to put up with quite the same level of BS as you would in any liberal arts program: no foreign language requirement, for example.</p>
<p>That said, the CS department at Columbia is strong in two things: AI and robotics. It's not really well-known for anything else. Not that it's a bad program, it just doesn't have the cachet of a Stanford of MIT. However, it can and will get you into a good grad school program, and if you're good enough, jobs at Microsoft, Google, and all the other major players in the IT industry await.</p>