D22 was accepted to the main campuses and she’s sort of leaning towards Pitt because it’s closer to home (we’re PA residents; she’ll stay in the dorm). PSU & OSU are both 3 hours away. OSU was a PSU backup (because of OOS) but then OSU offered her enough merit scholarship $ to even out the costs between the 3. Aren’t these schools pretty much the same academically for undergrad CS (D22’s not interested in post-grad studies)? I’ve heard that PSU is known for its engineering school (which includes CS). What about opportunities for internships and jobs? I was told that PSU has a massive alumni network but don’t all 3 of them do? So we’d like to know if any of them has a slight edge over the others (excluding the urban vs rural setting and cost). TIA.
Pa resident and Pitt grad. All three are excellent. Just comes down to fit. The PSU alumni network is huge but I wouldn’t make that a deciding factor.
Pitt is less than half the size of PSU or OSU if that matters. No bad choices. Has she visited OSU or Happy Valley? I’ve always liked Columbus. Does she have to maintain a certain GPA to keep the scholarship?
I consider them to be peer institutions academically. As a CS major your child should be very employable after college coming out of any of those schools. Since the cost is more or less the same I’d go with fit. There are differences in terms of size, location between the schools. Does your D have a favorite?
Yes, she was able to visit PSU last summer and she was just ok with it. She didn’t visit OSU because it would be too expensive as an OOS student. But after she got the scholarship offer yesterday, I told her that maybe she can do a virtual visit and if it looks promising enough, she can visit it in person. I’ve never been to Columbus but I’m sure OSU’s not in the middle of nowhere like PSU. 
GPA’s to be maintained: 3.2+ for a small part of the scholarship and 2.5+ for the larger part.
She doesn’t have a favorite because they seem to be the same.
I would look at the other non major requirements. tOSU has CS in both A&S and Eng. PSU it is in Eng. Pitt is it own school within the university.
You already got great advice in the thread. They are comparable academically and I agree that it comes down to fit. One thing I would add is that if she’s focused on entering the workforce at age 22, summer internships during her college years will be critical. Being from the Pittsburgh area and attending Pitt might make it easier to find, network, and interview for summer internships if she plans to come home for her summers. Might or might not matter, but it’s something to consider.
Penn State: requires 3.10 college GPA to enter major: Computer Science, B.S. (Engineering) | Penn State
Ohio State: has competitive secondary admission to each of various CS majors: Application to Major and Requirements to Apply | Computer Science and Engineering
Pittsburgh: not clear on how competitive secondary admission to the CS major is; contact department to clarify: Admission Requirements
I worry about this - Pitt is closer to home and the others are 3 hours away.
If she’s staying in the dorms, it doesn’t matter where home is - but part of going away to college is going away - so mom and dad need to have distance as does she. And 3 hours is certainly not far at all.
They are different - Ohio State is enormous in civilization. Penn State is enormous and gorgeous in the middle of nowhere.
And Pitt is in a college area in a major metro - and as pointed out much smaller.
They are so different and one should “feel” better as opposed to - distance from the folks - which none of them are that far.
Good luck.
Review course offerings & professor reviews in her intended major of Computer Science.
If she is not admitted to her first choice major, which school would she prefer ?
If there are particular issues that would benefit your daughter from staying very close to home vs. a 3-hr drive away, only you know that. If that’s the case, do what is best for your daughter.
Otherwise, I’d have visits at all 3 campuses (again, if possible), map out the curriculum, see if there are options at one university that are more appealing than at others (perhaps a special study abroad option for CS, or an unusual club that interests her that is very active, or…). Talk with professors, students, eat the food, walk around the area just off-campus, etc.
I don’t know if you live in Pittsburgh, but this thread about going to college in one’s own hometown might be interesting reading if you go the Pitt route.
Just a quick anecdote about attending college close to home…
After touring colleges up and down the East Coast my S ended up at a college that was 20 minutes from our home. It was the best for his major, he got the most merit aid, he loved the campus etc. However, before he finalized his choice we sat down and had a talk. We (parents) agreed to never “pop by” campus, to not expect him home other than school holidays, and to treat him as if he were hours rather than minutes away. He (son) agreed not to use being close to home as a crutch – no coming home for laundry, dinners etc. We all kept to our bargain and things worked out great – he had a full and happy on campus life and he explored the city in new and exciting ways (we live in the suburbs/the college was in the city). And yes…once in a while it was helpful (ex. when his laptop died I was able to drop off an old laptop for him to use while his was being fixed, he was able to get home for a school break even though it was snowing etc.). So anyway…this is a long-winded way of saying that going to college close to home can work out well for everyone IF Pitt does turn out to be the best option.
I agree100%. I’m always confused by the opinion that it’s somehow not really a college experience if you’re not X hours away. That a college far away from home is a superior choice.
It’s a uniquely American sentiment that college needs to be this specific rite of passage, far from from home. Not that Europeans, Australians, etc., never go far away for university, but it isn’t this idealized and romanticized experience that many (mostly upper middle class white) Americans have. My friends in other countries see a lot about our higher education, especially the debt but often the insistence on going far away when a perfectly good school is nearby, as nonsensical.
To the original question, I think you have three great choices. We must live nearby because our distances to each are similar! My daughter has toured all three and chose not to apply to Penn State because she didn’t like rural campus. She said, “That’s nice if that’s what you want,” but it’s not at all what she wants. She really wanted to be in an urban setting. Although they are both in cities, Ohio State has a different campus feel than Pitt. It is more of a contained campus and doesn’t spill into the the surroundings like Pitt does. Plus, it’s flat, lol! She has been accepted to both Pitt and Ohio State, among others, and those are her final choices.
For a CS major, I have a bias as to which is the best school academically, but I agree with everyone on the fit outweighing any marginal difference in academic prestige. If your child has a really specific CS goal and only one of the three can fulfill it or can fulfill it well that’s one thing, but if she is generally interested in CS, I’m confident that she could be well-served at any of these schools.
The advice to look over the requirements and academic pathways for each program is a good one. When we compared my daughter’s choices at each school, there are definitely distinct differences even though she would be getting the same degree.
Good luck! It’s wonderful that you have such great choices, but I know choosing is hard! I’m hoping my own daughter can figure it out soon.
Honestly, there’s not all that much difference. All three schools are heavily recruited by companies all over the region and the country. CS is ridiculously employable. If all 3 are affordable, it really just comes down to preference.
That’s great and you guys pulled it off.
Bit I mentioned concerned because each is ‘only’ 3 hours and being close was called out as a strength as opposed to just what the best school is.
Perhaps there’s a reason being close would be helpful or necessary. That could be as well.
You ensured your child ‘went away’ to school and I’m sure that helped them grow and mature.