Hi. I need help with this ASAP. Long story short.During the early cycle, Columbia and brown were recruiting me as a squash player. I chose to risk it with mit cause even they were recruiting me(though their recruiting is different, no guaranteed entry). So after I got deferred by MIT, I contacted all the coaches that I was in touch with to ask for secondary support during the regular cycle. Columbia and brown agreed. Also, the Williams coach said that he has abilities to recruit during the regular cycle and that he’s interested in me. Now last week that Williams coach heard back from the adcoms about my application and that I’ll get in as long as I provide the coach with a written commitment as there is no legal form like in ED. I have already been accepted into UIUC which is much better than Williams for CS but not even close to it in terms of prestige. So now, my question is that should I take Williams and commit to it, or risk it and wait to hear back from Berkeley, stanford, Columbia etc and rely on uiuc as a backup. Consider the fact that I’m a cs student. Thanks a lot
I’d start by asking why you think UIUC is stronger in CS than Williams? Have you gone through their course offerings? (UICC is of course very strong in computer enigeering, which Williams does not offer.)
In computer science UICC is more prestigious than Williams. You’ll get a strong, but very different education in either place. The locations are completely different as is the student body. Where do you think you’ll feel most at home? Is playing squash important to you? It could be a big part of your life at Williams which values prep school type sports like squash a lot.
Have you been accepted at UIUC to the CS major? If not, be aware that getting into the CS major later is very difficult: https://cs.illinois.edu/prospective-students/undergraduates/transfer-students/transferring-another-university-illinois-major . Basically, you would need a 3.76 college GPA with minimum A- in two CS courses just to apply to the competitive admission process to change into the CS major. If you only got general admission to UIUC, it is quite likely that you will not be able to major in CS.
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/discussion/comment/19190340/#Comment_19190340 lists CS offerings at a number of smaller colleges, including Williams. Williams does not mention any grade or GPA requirements or competitive admission to the CS major: http://www.cs.williams.edu/major-requirements/
^ this. If you’re not already accepted into CS (SoE) at UIUC then I would go with Williams.
If 1) you are absolutely certain you are going into CS, and 2) that is all you want to study, and 3) you are sure that you will be admitted to the computer science major at UIUC rather than just admitted to the college in general - then UIUC is a good choice.
If you have doubts about any of those things, then go to Williams. The Williams educational experience and degree will serve you well for the rest of your life, whatever you choose to do.
My freshman year roommate at Williams was a Computer Science major. We have not kept in close contact, but I saw in a recent alumni publication that she invented a coding program that is now used by many middle and high schools (sorry- don’t recall the name- I am NOT a tech person) and she is a professor at a well known technology college. I think that a well rounded liberal arts program is an unparalleled experience that can serve as the springboard into ANY career. Specialize in graduate school.