Hi all!
I’ve recently been accepted to the universities listed above. I was wondering if I could get any input from current students at any of these universities or anyone with any knowledge about the departments. Thanks in advance for any input/assistance!
It really depends on what you want to do and how determined you are to stay CS/Math.
The downside of a CS/Math major at Stanford is that there is such a swirling vortex of excitement and opportunity around CS that you may find yourself pulled into that very quickly and not spend as much time on the math side. That isn’t necessarily bad, but it is a powerful force.
With that combo of majors, I wouldn’t see much of a draw for Princeton and Yale at all. The top three are as you listed but the big difference comes from the opportunities within silicon valley, not just for jobs and summer internships, but for everyday opportunities like spending a friday afternoon and meeting with some startup, or people at google, facebook, etc.
Looking at your profile that you did for REA acceptance to Stanford…you had originally noted you were planning on CS as a major…and looking at your socio-geographic background…the top places for CS (with or without Math) is Stanford and MIT…and between Stanford and MIT…you have to ask yourself do I want to drink out of a firehose (MIT) or a water fountain (Stanford)…
…there is a reason why CS majors are happier at Stanford than at MIT…and those that have a CHOICE…usually pick Stanford…
…being a CS major at either Stanford or MIT is not easy and will not be a watered down version that some northeast schools provide (that is why they are the best, most respected programs…and employers seek them out)…but, of the two…Stanford students feel they can still have a good social life…outside of academics and not feel like they are constantly drowning…
For CS/Math Stanford and MIT are pretty clear frontrunners. I think it will come down to which school fits your personality more.
Gravitas and guccigirl summed it up well. Think of Stanford as rigorous, yet collaborative. The word community comes to mind. But only you will know which school is better for you in the end.