Which college to choose for computer science?

akhbhaat
Sat, 31 Mar 2012 05:02:38 +0000

Don’t choose a school on the strength of a single major or program. The odds that you’ll stick to that program and then graduate directly into a relevant field and remain there are actually fairly small. Moreover, most people (including many recruiters and HR types) aren’t intimately familiar with the strengths and weaknesses of individual programs or departments, and tend to make generalized assumptions based on the school’s overall academic reputation.

For example: I’m in cybersecurity (with an emphasis on mobile platforms) now. I began my (first) college career with some vague idea about going into “international business.” That lasted scarcely a year, after which I went through English (first degree), two years of a very short lived career in marketing, Geophysics, Physics, and finally Computer Science (with a math minor). Anecdotal or not, I’m scarcely alone.

I would consider:

1.) Cost/value (as costs skyrocket while the value of a bachelors degree plummets, there’s no sense in taking on massive debt to go to ANY school)
2.) Overall fit and feel (the happier you are, the better you’ll do)
3.) General academic reputation

And in that order.