CMU SCS > Berkeley CS > Ga Tech CS > UChicago CS > CMU IS
Note that I am a big fan of UChicago in general. If you want a place where just about everything is excellent and allows easy switching, and can handle the workload, UChicago wins. But when it comes to CS specifically, you have two choices that are better.
Grade distributions suggest that about half of students in those three CS courses earn B+ or higher grades (not graded on curves).
So, if you take the best students in California + some of the best students in the US, only 50%get qualifying grades (at most since the same students may not all get the qualifying grades in all 3 classes).
I wouldn’t take those odds from OOS.
It would make sense for a California student with a reasonable sense of their relative standing in relation to other admits.
But 65K with a one in two chance to have to major in something else, I find that too risky.
Of course, there may be hurdles at the other universities, too, which would need to be investigated.
OP was contemplating double-majoring at CMU and UChicago, so s/he must be confident that s/he can easily clear the hurdle at UCB to major in CS. S/he needs that confidence if s/he is to pursue the dream of tech entrepreneurship.
Thank you, @hebegebe, I am grateful for your advice. I think you are right that I will probably work in an innovative tech company like DeepMind or Tesla before starting my own business. So I think, if I understand correctly, it’s better to pick a university where I can get a good job in these innovative spaces and accumulate experience in solving problems in the field, then later move on to startups.
I’m also interested in fintech and hedge funds, and it’s really cool that you are involved in that. What’s the usual path for this, and would you say UC Berkeley CS still trumps UChicago CS for getting into fintech? Unfortunately UChicago doesn’t really seem to allow for CS & Economics degrees, so wherever I go, I’m planning to also take classes in business and economics.
Something I’ve observed is that I’m more attracted to applications of CS rather than theoretical CS (i.e., using augmented reality to build a product and solve a problem, applying artificial intelligence techniques to solve a novel problem). It seems that UC Berkeley, CMU, and other top CS programs emphasise theoretical computer science more, but their graduates are fine doing applied work too.
There’s not really a dividing line between applications of CS and theoretical CS these days, considering that AI, ML, etc. were traditionally considered theoretical CS. Basically, at the cutting edge of applications, you’d be applying a lot of the stuff you’d learn in “theoretical” CS. Hence why I am higher on U of C CS and the Toyota institute than some folks here.
You raise a good point. I only have certainty in getting a CS degree from UChicago and Georgia Tech, out of the options that I’ve narrowed myself down to.
However, I’ve been told that most people who have prior experience in programming and who are eager to declare, are able to do it. I think that if UC Berkeley optimises my chances for success, then I can take that risk - I’ve talked this through with my parents and they said that if I can’t get a 3.30 in those three subjects, maybe I should consider doing something else other than CS.
Your parents make a good point. But do you know what factor most optimizes your chance of success? You yourself, your drive and willingness to learn.
Anyway, if costs aren’t an issue, I’d avoid the massive classes at Cal (and the huge classes at GaTech).
I agree. What happens with the Toyota Technical Institute at Chicago? They don’t seem to talk about it that much in their promotional material.
I guess you’re right that the dividing line between theoretical and applied CS is getting narrower over time. I’m not as interested in the low-level aspects of the theory of computation, but at the same time, I guess that to understand the higher-level details of emerging technologies at a deep level, it’s important to understand the mathematics behind computation as well. That’s still probably my least favourite part though, haha.
BTW, I’m curious what you are basing this on. Are you concerned about the breadth of CS at the U of C?
You can cross-register there (and they’re essentially on the U of C campus): TTIC Courses
I think UChicago’s main strength in CS lies in its theory department. I’ve heard that this is because UChicago CS was derived from its top-tier math department rather than an engineering department (if I recall correctly, I don’t think UChicago even has an engineering department).
It’s definitely making some strides in other areas. They’re putting a lot of money on starting this new department and they just took UC Berkeley head of CS and the head of Intel Research as well I think. Here’s a motivational message from the chair of the department.
Thanks, that’s really neat. They have some classes in Deep Learning and other hot topics which is pretty cool.
One thing I’m uncertain about with UChicago is the Common Core - I don’t know if it’s a good idea to spend the entire first year and a good amount of the second without really having been immersed in the requirements of the major.
As long as the Common Core doesn’t lower GPAs - I have yet to find a good answer as to whether the Chicago Core is harder than the major requirements - I don’t really have a huge problem with learning other things. But is learning about ancient civilisations and humanities appealing to tech recruiters and would it be beneficial for a future career in tech or finance?
Any good CS department will have courses that teach you the theoretical foundations of the topics as well as include practice applying them to problems (programming or design assignments and projects).
But do you know what factor most optimizes your chance of success? You yourself, your drive and willingness to learn.
While this is true, you also have to consider that there’ll be 800-1,000 students in the class, all of whom were absolutely stellar in HS. All overachievers follow the above philosophy but while it’s a necessary component of academic success, it may not be sufficient.
A 3.0 is a pretty good grade - it’s not like getting a B+ in a general HS class.
If you are interested in AI/ML you need to find a program that will give you a good foundation in CS, supporting math, and lots of project based AI/ML classes. AI/ML requires lots of experience because, in many ways, it’s more of an art than a science. Many colleges offer a few AI/ML classes, but only a few offer the depth that AI startups and the research groups in the FANG type companies look for.
Here’s my advice. You seriously don’t need to be spending $65k a year to go to one of these schools, especially for a degree as ridiculously employable as CS. If you want to do a start-up company…GREAT! DON’T do it out of college. You need experience to gain skill and competency. Doing a start-up is basically investing $$ in your own skill and experience. Prestige gives you neither. A college degree only teaches you enough of the basics to get an entry-level job. Everything else will be learned on the job. What you learn on the job over time will be the skills you invest in.
My advice…go to an affordable school where debt is minimized and find a job. Use that and future employment opportunities to gain skill and experience. Then start your company.
So I have been reading through the thread, impressed as usual by the very direct info that great posters like @hebegebe and @PurpleTitan and @ucbalumnus provide and then I hit this and all I want to say is: run, don’t walk, to any of your other choices. The important thing about choosing a college is to choose a place that fits you. Even asking the question says to me that UChicago is not that place for you.
I think the standard answer is yes it is appealing and beneficial. It is a part of what makes a UChicago graduate.
I think @collegemom3717 is on point. If you think the Core is a chore, don’t go through that door.
You have fine CS options to choose from. GaTach has the Denning program (if you can get in). Cal has Haas (if you can get in).