Hello all!
I’m a transfer student debating between Tufts (A&S), New York University, and Wellesley College. I’m a rising sophomore who wants to double major in Computer Science and Economics, and somehow fit in Statistics into the mix (either a special joint major with Economics or a minor).
I do want to go to graduate school, and am interesting in machine learning/data science. While Tufts and NYU have a good programs, I also know that you can take classes and earn certificates with Olin and MIT at Wellesley; also, the “prestige” factor is a factor for me, and I am torn between the CS of Tufts and NYU and Wellesley’s extremely strong Economics department and prestige.
Any input would be welcome.
Thank you very much!
Are you already accepted at all three of these schools? Is there any financial difference for you, or would the finances impact your future (i.e., having to pay off loans) in any way? Do you care how quiet or vibrant the campus is? Wellesley is the quietest… opposite NYU in terms of setting.
Current Wellesley student here also considering econ/CS double major with an interest in stats (LOL, come here so we can study together!).
I would say that CS and econ are both really, really strong at Wellesley. Econ more so than CS, just because CS is relatively new. However, the CS department is absolutely FABULOUS. They all put in so much energy to make sure you learn and do well. My professor this semester in one of his drop-in hours not only stayed 1+ hours past (it was supposed to be 8-10pm) the allotted time, but also brought us snacks. Tutors are also known to do this.
Similarly, the math department is amazing. I have yet to encounter a bad (or anything but challenging, but that’s a good thing!) professor in any of these 3 departments. You really can’t go wrong if you want to take these types of courses at Wellesley.
The only thing I would really take note of is that both math and econ here are much more theoretical than applied (since you’re interested in stats).
For econ, although some courses, especially econometrics, are pretty math-heavy. I don’t think any of the courses are very calculus-based. I hear there are some partial derivatives in econometrics, but that’s about all the calculus you need to know. However, I plan to make up for this by taking some courses at MIT (their economics courses ARE very calculus-based, even the intro ones) - either in econ or at Sloan.
As for math, although there is an applied math track, it’s still very much abstract - linear algebra is heavily proof-based, abstract algebra is a major requirement, etc. However, I would argue that regardless of whether one is an applied or theoretical mathematician, it’s important to get a strong foundation in the THEORY, since that essentially comprises the bulk of math. You can’t be a good applied mathematician without first mastering the theory. Especially if you’re thinking of grad school, you can focus on the applied stuff then and really learn and mastering the theory in your undergrad career. That being said, I would recommend maybe looking into some higher-level stats courses at MIT.
Hope this helps, and hope you ultimately decided to come to Wellesley (as biased as I am) - you can’t beat a liberal arts education!