Hey everyone,
I recently got admitted to both UMD and UNC Chapel Hill for computer science OOS. I am really torn between which one to go to. I want to prioritize academics and whichever school will let me graduate with fewer fluff courses. Money is not an issue. Thanks in advance!
Can you go online now and look at the courses that you would be required to take over the next four years?
@twogirls Iāve been searching but have gotten lost in the different course requirements for gen ed + major, their prereqs, and my AP credits. From what Iāve figured out so far since posting, it seems that UMD would have me doing less fluff courses, which is definitely a plus.
Iām still concerned about the academic standing of each school as it relates to the rigor and variety of coursework. I am not concerned about internship opportunities as I already have that figured out. I want to pick the school that sets me up best for grad school.
You have two very good optionsā¦congrats! Can you call or email each of these schools with your concerns and questions?
As far as grad school is concerned, you will be setting yourself up for grad school based on your grades, letters of recommendation, internships etc. Both schools will have plenty of opportunitiesā¦taking advantage of them will be your responsibility. Lots of people attend grad school coming out of UNC and UMD. What will you go to graduate school for?
As far as āfluffā classes, why not look for classes that you would find interesting? I would not put blinders on and zero in only on classes in CS. If there are other requirements, I would use them to my advantage and try and learn, etc.
Maybe somebody will chime in who is a CS major at one of these schools.
@twogirls Thank you! I plan on calling both schools tomorrow. I want to go to grad school for a masters in computer and info sci, and hopefully from there a PhD. Iām not against taking fluff classes; in fact, I know I will enjoy some of them. Iād just find more value out of 50k a year if I can use the time for areas such as math and cs which I am deeply interested in, rather than a GenEd which I would like but probably not find as valuable in the long run.
Do you have any interests outside of math and CSā¦maybe add those classes? My daughter loved her anthropology classā¦which was a gen ed class. It was through her anthropology class that she discovered new interests etc and later said she wished she majored in anthropology. I know of a premed student who took classes in religious studiesā¦and ended up doing research in religious studies while abroad, still as a premed student. This proved to be interesting during the interview process.
I guess what I am saying is that these classes may not be a bad thing. In the meantime I would call or email each school and ask your questions, since you are having trouble finding your answers.
UMCP is ranked higher for CS. However, the department has nearly 3500 students, so expect large class sizes and not much (or any!) personal attention.
I do not know how many students Chapel Hill CS department has ā¦ If there is a difference in size and class sizes, it is something OP may want to consider (it matter more to some and less to others ā¦).
bump^^^^^^^ does anyone have any new perspective on the situation?
Have you called or emailed the schools to get some more information?
Here are some UMD CS Links
https://undergrad.cs.umd.edu/degree-requirements-cs-major
https://undergrad.cs.umd.edu/combined-bsms-program
https://cmns.umd.edu/sites/default/files/uploads/docs/4yr-plans/cmsc.pdf
iām a current freshman CS major at UMD. i chose UMD because it was a very reputable CS school, and it allowed me to transfer in all of my AP credits. iām basically cleared for the āfluffā gen-eds for 4 years, which easily gives me space to focus on CS, and i have a lot of space to add double major/double degree as well.
if you want a more formal way to view that, i would search up āUMD CS 4 year planā. you can also search for the UMD CS class webpages and see the schedules/syllabi.
CS at UMD is a large program, but i didnāt feel like that made it disadvantageous. there are a lot of resources available for students because of that, and there are basically TA office hours the entire week long (so a lot of time for one-on-one help), which is really great when in comparison to other departments where TA hours are only 1-2 hours per day/every other day. UMD also recently built a new building specifically for CS which is pretty slick lol. in terms of interships, etc. opportunities, UMD attracts a lot of big companies at career fairs - the CS career fair took up multiple levels of the stadium it was held at, and there are a lot of CS-related events like hackathons hosted at UMD or in the nearby area.
in terms of academics, i was talking with other CS friends at other schools and comparing my object oriented programming II coursework verses theirs, and it seems UMD really delves into a lot of advanced concepts from the start and the projects are serious stuff. imo UMD gives a very comprehensive CS education.
umdās reddit is pretty active so iād ask this same question there if you want more opinions. good luck!
Thank you all for the links and insight! After exploring each of the departments and visiting friends at both schools I have come to two conclusions: 1) UMD undoubtedly has a better program and more resources 2) I would personally enjoy attending UNC over UMD because of its more prolific student life.
At UMD, I havenāt gained admission into any program (forgot to send a teacher rec, woops), but at UNC, I got into an accelerated research program which gives me priority consideration for funding and access to senior research classes. I might be able to apply for some UMD programs, but that would have to be after enrollment and thereās no guarantee I get admission. UMD is especially known for entrepreneurship in CS, which is a path I want to ensue after grad school. Both schools are regularly visited by top CS companies and startups (microsoft, google, snapchat, etc.)
UNC is particularly nice because of a very active student body and culture, which is just the right size. Food, climate, and housing are noticeably better than at UMD. Because good dorms at UMD are given to students in programs, I fear I will be stuck with bad housing. Not a huge deal since I plan on rushing.
The question is: do I go to a school with a much better undergrad program or another school with a still good program which has the advantage in student life? I canāt decide.
Enjoy Chapel Hill!
@damon30 itās really that simple?
@nigeluno you said that money was not an issue. Yes, where you think youād enjoy more is the one to choose. Youāre into the specific program there - and youāll make the most of it! Enjoy Chapel Hill!!
Yes, what @SailingMomof2 just said. The school that calls to you is the one where you should go. Also UNC has a large and highly-regarded CS department: https://www.ivyachievement.com/computer-science-rankings/
Look at the chart where they plot job placement vs. starting salary. UNC and UMD-CP are side-by-side.
agree that UNC Chapel Hill will be a slightly better overall experience and is a better school than UMD in general
I decided to go with UMD.
I realized that a lot of my judgment of the two schools was based on selectivity and prestige rather than the quality of education. I decided that I could make greater use of the academic advantage at UMD rather than the social and prestige advantage at UNC.
UMD had two appealing aspects: 1) larger department with more options in terms of research areas within CS 2) hundreds of millions in external funding for the department through alumni, corporations, and government agencies (DC proximity). Each of these organizations paid to have their research programs funded at UMD CS - meaning greater opportunity for me.
As I hope to one day become an entrepreneur, UMD couldnāt come close to UNC; with alumni such as Sergey Brin and Brendan Iribe, I found inspiration in the legacy they left at the school. Furthermore, the curriculum at UMD is larger and just the right amount of rigorous. In my research, I found out that UNC has a particular issue with over-enrollment in CS; UMD CS does not have this problem as it has been set up to handle large numbers of students and made CS an LEP (basically meaning it is much more selective = no overcrowding).
I initially thought I would be at a social disadvantage by going to UMD, but now I have come to terms with it. There may be some aspects which I will not experience by attending UMD and thatās okay. Iām sure I will find my place by making the most out of the school anyway.
how is your experience at UMD CS? Can you please share? It is almost two years now
Thanks and best