rama_GB

Hey,

I am really confused as to which to decide (major: Computer Science). How would they compare (not just the colleges themselves, but also the cities they are in)? I've heard that CMU's SCS is very rigorous. Would that be true compared to Rice's program? Also, which would give me better future prospects? Or are they about the same?

I live in Texas, if that matters. Also, Rice gives me a large scholarship while CMU doesn't give me anything. Would CMU be worth the premium?

ncdewey

I think Rice is a better school. If you intend to live in Texas after graduation, it's a no-brainer. But it gets tougher if you are planning on working in the Northeast, where CMU may be better known. And I like Pittsburgh more than Houston, although Rice is in a beautiful part of town. With the money they are giving you, the reputation and the residential college system, I'd go for Rice. But you can't go wrong here. Good luck!

westsidewolf1989

i chose rice over cmu in a heartbeat. however i'm probably not doin comp sci...which cmu is top notch for, and yes, the SCS at CMU is tough, cuz it is arguably the best. But i think CMU is way overexpensive (they think they're Harvard or somethin), and since Rice is giving you a large scholarship, I'd hafta go with Rice.

blackeyedsusan

The CS program at CMU is superb, but the program at Rice is not far behind. The level of academics at both schools are so close, that it really should come down to finances and fit. As a CMU alum and the parent of a Rice freshman (who will be double majoring in ECE and CS and who was accepted at CMU in both these programs), Rice is far superior to CMU when it comes to social life. Both schools involve a lot of hard work, but Rice is just plain more fun. And the weather in Pittsburgh is very gray and gloomy and rainy/snowy most of the year. (This is a fact - Pittsburgh is rated #4 in the list of US cities with the least number of sunny days.) One other main difference is that the students at CMU are very self-segregating. Rice is completely the opposite -- it's the most integrated campus I've ever seen, due in large part to the residential colleges.

And the reason CMU is so expensive is not because it thinks it's like Harvard; it's because it has a much smaller endowment than Rice.

rama_GB

Hey, thanks for the opinions.

I am sort of leaning towards Rice right now, but its just so hard a decision! I mean, Rice has a lot going for it, but this is CMU's SCS we are talking about...