williams for sure
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For OP’s benefit: rationale?
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This may be your reason to go to Williams. It is a door opening to expand your experiences and develop many different skills and interests. Maybe you have not enjoyed writing due to the assignments or courses. For AP classes many teachers teach to the test and teach how to write for the related AP essays to maximize points. College professors are not bound by those structures ironically (since AP is supposed to be college level work). Most college students come back and tell us in high schools that AP classes were harder than college classes which is really about pacing due to the constant grind of AP when you ask them more about the difference.
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Maybe of relevance to OP: here’s a February NYTimes article discussing how AI will make many skills learned by CS majors obsolete in short order, situating “soft” skills–communication, analysis, creativity–as more important than ever. Basically, over the next few decades liberal arts grads will be far better positioned to deal with a radically changing work landscape than those who went all in on immediately marketable professional training, who will be replaced in a heartbeat as technology makes it possible.
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yo that’s a good point never thought about lac’s having that benefit
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Ah! Yet another article by authors who are humanities majors that echoes the oft-repeated belief on CC that STEM majors are one-dimensional robots with no soft skills.
News flash: successful tech employees who want to rise above the base level of “programmers” have always required soft skills, and an understanding of the business domain in which they operate. This isn’t new. Hardly anyone wants to just write code all through their career - but if that’s what someone aspires to do, then yes their jobs may not last long in the future.
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If you aren’t 90-100% positive that you’ll pursue CS, then the opportunity to learn at Williams for $1800/yr is a life gift! Williams sole focus is on the undergraduate experience of those privileged to attend, and Williams grads find success in so many different fields including CS. I graduated over 3 decades ago and still reflect on my 4 years there as life changing in all ways good.
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hmm, interesting perspective. Does anyone have anything to add about this?
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OP, here is my take (I am GT graduate and have a DD there).
As much as I love GT,
at GT you will be more like a number. Classes will be big. You will need to have high GPA to keep your scholarships. No space for errors.
Williams is a top LAC. You do not need loans. You will have great individual support, great network and opportunity to explore (no GPA strings attached for money).
Outcome is great at both schools for CS.
So why go for GT? I do not see a single reason…
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I’ll just add another consideration…weather. Do you think you will love winter weather, or would you prefer to stay in GA where you know the climate.
The schools both are excellent for different reasons. In my opinion, you can reach your goals from either.
But you have to live at the college for four years. Which place appeals to you more?
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tbh I’m the type of person to just…adapt to weather then complain about it all the time. If I had too I could get a heavier coat then normal lol. also I like the atmosphere snow creates and I don’t often get to see snow down here in GA
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Great point.
If you’ve never lived in New England and aren’t used to the cold, be prepared. It’s freezing from November - March.
If you’re concerned about feeling isolated, just understand what it’ll be like in the winter time.
1 day left to decide you guys! i’m learning a lot from you all thank you so much!!
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One more thing to add, which may or may not matter.
One of the benefits of going to a big school is you literally have more opportunities to make friends. At a small LAC, If you don’t “find your people”, there aren’t another 2,000 kids.
Yes, you probably will find friends at a small school but some people like a big college environment because they don’t want to feel trapped in a bubble.
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@monkeeman_2 if this is your real name, I would suggest you change it asap. Here is how:
thanks big bro, I just created my account about a week ago
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Hopefully others who work in the tech industry and have first hand experience will weigh in too.
In the meanwhile, let me elaborate: a common mis-perception is that CS majors/technology professionals spend all their time writing code. This isn’t accurate though, and the amount of hands-on coding you do becomes a less important part of your job the higher you rise.
As a manager or team lead, getting a bunch of engineers (who all think they’re the smartest and have the right answer) to reach agreement, compromise, and be good team players requires a LOT of soft skills. Navigating your career through any corporate culture requires both soft skills and political savvy. In most cases you’re working within another industry - maybe a medical devices company, an investment management firm, a media company, an automobile manufacturer, etc. You’re going to have to learn a lot about these businesses, what their drivers are, how and where they make money, etc. Finally, as you grow in your career, a substantial portion of your time is spent interacting with people who are not technologists and you need great soft skills to be able to communicate complex technical information in an easy to understand manner, as well as be able to manage their expectations, partner with them to meet company goals, etc.
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I live in the northeast and sadly with climate change this is no longer the case. I’ve gone hiking in January with no jacket.
If you were my child, I’d say Williams in a heartbeat. The quality of mentoring and support you’ll get is unparalleled.
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I don’t quite understand your numbers. So Williams would be 1800 out of pocket per year for your family, and Georgia Tech 6900? And the loans on top? Or does it mean 3000 out of pocket and the rest in loans?
You sound like the kind of pragmatic kid who’s got their head screwed on right and you will make a go of it at either place. I bet that wherever you go, there will be times when you think you should have gone to the other place, because you wouldn’t have had problem X (but at the other place, you’d have had problem Y). And then you’ll get over it and enjoy what you’ve got.
Frankly, I’d follow the money. That one is a reason you can never second guess.
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I have my financial aid estimate for tech and official offer for Williams. Any way of how to upload pictures on here?