Computer Science major - MIT, Princeton, Berkeley, Harvard or Columbia?

tk21769
Sun, 03 Apr 2011 18:37:59 +0000

Rankings can be useful when you’re just getting started, for a first pass at matching your abilities and interests. Now you’re looking at 5 schools that are among the best of the best in various combinations of the things you want. The difference between #1 and #6 or #2 and #10 in a graduate ranking is fairly irrelevant now, don’t you think?

If you’re tepid about Harvard then rule it out. I don’t sense any personal connection between you and MIT; if I’m right, rule it out too. Try talking to CS majors and professors about opportunities for research and internships, faculty interaction, and general quality of life at the other 3. I think Princeton has the best undergraduate focus and quality of life. However, if Berkeley or Columbia seem close, or stronger in other ways important to you, then maybe one of them should win on cost. Due to size and budget issues at Berkeley, for me it’d probably come down to Columbia v. Princeton.