I think it’s VERY difficult to properly rank undergraduate programs, but that list isn’t it.
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Great in-state options. You could check out schools like Pitt, Case Western, Umass but I don’t know that I’d pick any of those over UVA or VT.
As for the reaches, if you’re willing to pay for Duke and he’s willing to travel as far as ND and Cornell, I don’t know why you wouldn’t look hard at Penn, Princeton, Columbia, Brown, and Harvard. Those schools are very good in CS and the total package in terms of student opportunities across disciplines is hard to beat.
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I really appreciate this…he’s our first through and my husband and I were history and nursing majors so feel a bit inadequate in this regard.
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I’ll always be in favor of a look at Brown! CS is a big and fast-growing major, as at every school, but tons of opportunities and probably a more personal experience than other schools, given what I’ve experienced in our other departments. Collaborative, enjoyable classes and open curriculum = all the flexibility.
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@momtofour12 With such great instate options, it really could be important to decide how much you really want to spend on college(clear budget) before going much further. . If you are very wealthy, of course though, it’s a non issue. But if this is your first going to college and you have three more to educate the costs could be very high if you are a full pay parent ( and he ends up at a place like Duke or CMU). I think the discount for having more than one in college may be going away but I am not certain on that.
And if the first child goes anywhere they want, regardless of price, expect to have younger siblings expect to be able to do the same.
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The common theme I’ve read on CS chats is - after you’re out a few years, it doesn’t matter where you go. It’s what you know.
I don’t think, a student looking for mid-size, can ever go wrong with William & Mary - for anything - whether it’s a top 10 school like the author says or not.
If the price is right, it’s a great name - so if it fits the student, why not.
On top of that, he’s interest in legal aspects of AI - I’m sure W&M will offer him tremendous options to investigate that.
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There is a difference between, “is W&M ‘one of the best CS schools’?”, and “will W&M offer me an excellent education in CS?”.
For the first the answer is “no”, and for the second, the answer is “yes”. That being said, in CS, W&M does not have the reputation that it enjoys in most other fields, and I would not recommend it over UVA or VT for CS as an in-state option.
However, I also consider fit to be one of the most, if not the most, important factor in decision, after finances. So there’s that.
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Because of your S interest in the legal/ethical aspects of AI you should look for programs that address that interest. It will also depend on what weightings he gives his interests law/ethics vs AI. Few schools you’ve mentioned are on par with CMU when it comes to AI. Law/ethics is another story.
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What school is “strong” in CS depends on what you son wants to do with his degree. One school may be relatively stronger in one area of CS than another, but relatively weaker in another area. I agree with @Rivet2000 that you should look for schools that match your son’s interest. An ethics course in AI is now taught in most CS schools, but it tends to be cursory and superficial.
Your list also seems to be put together based primarily on geographic distances. I wouldn’t consider some of the names on that list to be “strong” in CS, but then again, it depends on your son’s objective.
I certainly have opinions from my days as a CMU student, but I try to put those aside… 
Pitt’s a very solid program in many areas. My only in-depth research has been in Engineering and CS for my two kids. My oldest applied for Engineering (over Penn State as a local choice) - a very solid option for her as a 3.8/1400 SAT student, though I think Purdue, where she attended, was a better choice.
CS is similar - it’s not in the top 20 in absolute ranking, but in the next 20-30. My younger has a much stronger academic profile, and Penn State was preferred as our in-state safety option.
The description above probably fits - it would certainly provide a very solid education in those areas, as a high quality, major public university, but isn’t a top programs in either.
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Circling back with an update on how things turned out with the hopes that it might be helpful for other high stat/decent EC kids looking for possible merit and wanting to study CS.
In a nutshell:
GPA UW: 4.0, W: 4.9
13 APs (8 5’s, awaiting 5 scores)
ACT 36 (one sitting)
School doesn’t rank
Major ECs: Eagle Scout, Robotics Club (Lead Programmer 2 years, President 2 years, won a couple state competitions), IT intern, has worked 2 years at geek-squad equivalent position, peer tutor, several independent studies with college faculty related to quantum computing and AI (2 abstracts accepted for virtual presentation due to COVID). Several school-level awards, national Latin award, nothing extraordinary.
Essay: while I’m biased, I thought it was outstanding (as did a couple of his teachers)
One teacher shared LOR: it was beautifully written
School-specific essays: he spent a TON of time on these last summer, even attending some virtual dissertation defenses at various schools (out of genuine curiosity)
CMU: RD waitlisted, declined spot
CWRU: EA deferred, accepted in RD with 34K/yr university scholarship. Applied for their full ride scholarship (name escaping me), did not receive
Cornell: RD rejected
Duke: RD rejected (I did grad school there, not sure it matters)
Georgia Tech: EA accepted, no merit
Johns Hopkins: RD waitlisted, declined spot (I did grad school, taught there as well)
Lehigh: RD accepted with 15K/yr merit
Maryland: EA accepted, honors, 12K/yr merit
NEU: EA deferred, accepted in RD with 29K/yr merit
Notre Dame: REA accepted, no merit
Penn: RD rejected
Pitt: Applied in September, accepted, no merit
RIT: RD accepted though waitlisted in CS, accepted into Computing and IT alternate program, 18K/yr merit
UVA: EA accepted, Rodman Scholar
Vanderbilt: RD waitlisted, declined spot
VT: EA accepted, no merit
Final decision came down to GT and UVA. I think if he (like every other kid…) had a more normal HS experience, he’d be headed to GT. He’s had a tough last year for a number of reasons and thus ultimately decided to stay quite close to home and will be going to UVA. Last summer he told me his top 4 choices were Duke, GT, Penn, & Cornell- UVA wasn’t even in the mix. Hopefully he’ll settle in nicely and not look back!
I don’t think we would have done anything differently. This is our first to go through and we truly had no idea how things would shake out with his demographic and desire to study CS.
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Congratulations! My older son was a top student and attended UVA instate in engineering. Loved it, made lifelong friends, many of whom attended his wedding last Saturday. He thought about applying to a couple top 10 schools he had some interest in but ended up not doing so. No merit and we could not justify the price, especially with a younger child to consider. We are lucky to have great instate options in Virginia. Hope your son enjoys UVA!
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Congrats on your decision! My friend’s kid just graduated from UVA CS and is going to work at Capital One.
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