If you want to study computer science, would it be better off to go to a higher-ranking program like CMU, UC Berkley in stead of Princeton or Harvard?
I think CMU or MIT definitely better yes and we view it as similar to UC B, U of IL, UW which are technically ranked higher in comp sci but feel like the Princeton name evens that out a bit. UC B and UW would probably cost us more as OOS than Princeton plus they have some issues with overcrowding.
It depends on you. Do you want to be surrounded by top caliber students and course opportunities in areas besides CS? Certainly you get people who cross admit to places like CMU or UCB or MIT or CalTech but instead choose to go to places like Pton, Harvard, Cornell, etc.
Some people value that breadth. Others want the most intense atmosphere in their field as possible. Where do you lie in that spectrum?
What @T26E4 said. Also, are you certain that you won’t want to change your major once at college?
Princeton or Harvard not so shabby if you rank by research production and quality (75% of the weighting) and Turing awards (25% of the weighting).
Princeton has a very very good computer science department, but at that level it really comes down to what kind of experience you want. Princeton has much more of a liberal arts philosophy than other schools, so you’d take a spectrum of courses across the humanities, sciences, and social sciences, in addition to compsci.