Yale(math+CS) vs Cornell(A&S) vs UCB(L&S) vs UT Austin(Turing) vs CMU(math)

We are fortunate to have great options but now confused in making final decision. All suggestions will be greatly appreciated. (Cost is not a factor)

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What does the kid want to study?

These are all fantastic choices … Yale and Cornell would be on top of the list for the flexibility to choose majors, but neither of other choices are bad …

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He wants to study Math+CS

I am partial to Cornell … given the strength of our CS, Math, ORIE, Data Science programs.
CMU Math isn’t in SCS, and everyone at CMU seems to want to get into CS courses given the school’s strength, so it may present some problems, but I am sure they are solvable.
Turing is awesome, and I am sure it’d be possible to add a math minor …
I’ll let people experienced with UCB comment on the L&S options, but I assume there is less flexibility, although UCB’s Data Science program looks VERY strong …

So - no bad choices here … Austin and Berkley win on weather …

Austin wins on weather/college town …

Good luck making the choice!

CMU is very difficult to change to or add CS if not admitted to its SCS division.

UCB L&S CS requires a 3.3 GPA in three CS courses to declare the major. About half of the students in those CS courses earn B+ or higher grades.

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Yes, but Data Science major could be a compromise for OP.

(although why compromise if he has Cornell and Yale as options)

Looks like Cornell also has enrollment limitations for CS, but the gateway GPA in specific sets of CS and math courses is only 2.5.

Yes … also 2.5 GPA may just be an indication that the workload may just be too tough …

Since your kid is interested in CS and Math,

Cornell A&S - has more non-stem general courses than CS in Cornell Engineering. Make sure your kid is fine with doing those.

CMU Math - not in SCS and it is very hard to transfer/move to CS in SCU.

UT Austin(Turing) - good CS program and can add Math as a second major. It is a very common choice among UTCS students.

UCB(L&S) - good options to do CS & Math. Suggest you visit and also talk to alumni since Berkeley has a very different culture than rest of your options.

Yale - No comments :slightly_smiling_face:

Congratulations and good luck!

Does the student have a preference between applied math and pure math?

Yes, we visited UT and he can add math with CS Turing.

Yes. He doesn’t want to do DATA science.

He applied for Math. But read on reditt that starting Fall 2022, kids won’t be able to add CS courses. (Don’t know how definitive it is) but planning to visit UCB and try to find out.

Thank you.

Yes, will visit cornell and see how much AP will help with general courses.

Why no comments for YALE?

Not really. He enjoys both. He will be done with MVC and LA by end of senior year.

Cornell doesn’t like to give credit for AP courses - be careful with that!

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No comments for Yale since it was not part of our college list research. Yale is known to have a strong Math program but CS at Yale is not in comparison with the other schools on your list. But it’s a prestigious Ivy that may give other advantages down the road - not sure.

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Yale would be a perfectly fine choice. It’s great in Math, underrated in CS.

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There was a proposal described at https://www.dailycal.org/2021/02/18/uc-berkeley-computer-science-proposes-major-declaration-process/ but there is no indication of what eventually became of it, and nothing on UCB’s L&S CS web pages about it: Computer Science Bachelor of Arts - EECS at Berkeley . You may want to ask the department directly.

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Cornell and UT – hard to pick. Based purely on size and likelihood of attention from faculty, I might pick UT. My son offered to go to UT 3 years ago if I didn’t want to pay for a T5 private school. He was well informed then. The rest of them are not worth considering for someone strongly interested in CS. Yale was not on his long list. Sub par program.