Ten Little Chances to be Free (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
tenlittlebullets) wrote2008-05-03 12:05 am
tenlittlebullets) wrote2008-05-03 12:05 am
Entry tags:
Good news on the college front for once.
So I have a shortlist. *deep breath* I feel... a lot better now, actually, especially since the schools on the top of the list probably won't be a bitch to get into. Big state schools for the most part, but they've got excellent computer science departments. (And besides, after SRC I am intensely suspicious of any school that wants to Mold Me in the Ways of the Liberal Arts.)
Top choices:
Carnegie Mellon - The holy grail of geekdom. Probably way too competitive for me to get in, but knowing me I'll end up applying anyway. Because the more I read about it the more I fall in love with it.
UMass Amherst - CS department looks awesomely vibrant and nerdy, student life looks very supportive and on top of things, has a good selection of non-CS courses and cross-registration with Smith, Mt. Holyoke, Amherst College, and Hampshire. For the win.
University of Pittsburgh - Huge school is huge. And has equally huge selection of courses, cross-reg with Carnegie Mellon, and its very own Cathedral of Learning. Rolling admissions a plus; a quick look at the student directory for the (excellent-looking) CS department suggests they're probably desperate to up their female : male ratio.
UMBC and UMD - Huzzah for in-state tuition! Also, both of these have a fuckton of really interesting-looking 300- and 400-level CS courses. Just looking through UMD's general catalog and realizing I'd have to choose from among all the shinies makes me want a stiff drink.
Other:
Swarthmore and Simmons are both possibilities; neither of them struck me as overly exciting, but I wouldn't mind going to either. I'll probably end up applying to Smith and Mount Holyoke mostly to increase my chances of getting into the Five College network with its cross-reg goodness. Both of them have good CS programs, but they also have a distressing emphasis on women's studies, interdisciplinary distribution requirements (piss off, I know what I want and don't want!), and liberal arts in a drinking-the-kool-aid sort of way.
I've missed the fall semester transfer deadlines for about half of these, but... eh, just knowing I have a list makes me feel a lot calmer. If they won't accept me after the deadline I'll just reapply for spring semester. And if I can get off work I might go visit the ones in Pittsburgh and/or MA later this week.
Top choices:
Carnegie Mellon - The holy grail of geekdom. Probably way too competitive for me to get in, but knowing me I'll end up applying anyway. Because the more I read about it the more I fall in love with it.
UMass Amherst - CS department looks awesomely vibrant and nerdy, student life looks very supportive and on top of things, has a good selection of non-CS courses and cross-registration with Smith, Mt. Holyoke, Amherst College, and Hampshire. For the win.
University of Pittsburgh - Huge school is huge. And has equally huge selection of courses, cross-reg with Carnegie Mellon, and its very own Cathedral of Learning. Rolling admissions a plus; a quick look at the student directory for the (excellent-looking) CS department suggests they're probably desperate to up their female : male ratio.
UMBC and UMD - Huzzah for in-state tuition! Also, both of these have a fuckton of really interesting-looking 300- and 400-level CS courses. Just looking through UMD's general catalog and realizing I'd have to choose from among all the shinies makes me want a stiff drink.
Other:
Swarthmore and Simmons are both possibilities; neither of them struck me as overly exciting, but I wouldn't mind going to either. I'll probably end up applying to Smith and Mount Holyoke mostly to increase my chances of getting into the Five College network with its cross-reg goodness. Both of them have good CS programs, but they also have a distressing emphasis on women's studies, interdisciplinary distribution requirements (piss off, I know what I want and don't want!), and liberal arts in a drinking-the-kool-aid sort of way.
I've missed the fall semester transfer deadlines for about half of these, but... eh, just knowing I have a list makes me feel a lot calmer. If they won't accept me after the deadline I'll just reapply for spring semester. And if I can get off work I might go visit the ones in Pittsburgh and/or MA later this week.