#CMU CS vs Duke CS (please help)

83 messages · Page 1 of 1 (latest)

dense oak
#

Similarities: Cost (both are around 5-10k/year)

CMU Pros

  • Best CS Program in the world
  • Cutting-edge research
  • Insane employment prospects
  • Students are very smart, hardworking, brilliant
  • Top tier undergraduate business school (I want to minor in entrepreneurship)
  • Less general ed reqs, more focused coursework

CMU Cons

  • Harder to find entrepreneurial culture
  • Students are nerdy and "socially awkward"?
  • Less free time for extracurriculars + more stress and workload
  • Weather and food is mid

Duke Pros

  • Better entrepreneurship programs and culture (I&E certificate)
  • More free time to pursue my interests + less stress
  • More sociable and well rounded
  • Better weather and food

Duke Cons

  • Frat and entitled people
  • CS isn't at the heart of Duke, lower ranked program
  • No undergrad business school, less course offerings for CS and business
  • Gen ed requirements
vernal ether
#

have you compared the actual example 4 year plans between the schools yet? is your heart set on CS? are you certain you would genuinely have more free time at duke? (can you look at my post too 😩)

dense oak
#

Yeah I'm set on CS, I've been doing it for 7 years now

#

4 year plan looks a bit better at CMU because additional minor and concentration is baked in

vernal ether
#

sounds like the curriculum fits you better there then. what exactly were the grad outcomes of the last duke CS cohort?

dense oak
#

i'm not sure but tbh it doesn't matter too much what college I go to for CS since technical skill is more valued than prestige

#

I'm mainly looking for somewhere I find more people like me, can make connections to build a software startup, and can study CS + business

vernal ether
#

what’s keeping you from good ol’ tepper then? i didn’t feel a lack of entrepeneurial culture at cmu, but i never looked into duke much

#
  • where are you from (what weather are you used to)
dense oak
#

i'm from SoCal so any weather is worse 😭

vernal ether
#

omg i feel

#

my friend is bay area perfect weather → cmu and she thinks the snow is pretty and the weather is tolerable

dense oak
#

tbh only thing going for Duke rn for me is better social life, less stress

vernal ether
#

i feel like with most elite institutions you can’t really realistically compare stress levels

#

do you have a community that already exists for you at duke or do you just expect to have more friends

dense oak
#

Nah I’d just expect to be with more social people

vernal ether
#

(also i hear you leaning toward CMU and i think that would be correct and a great choice. just so u feel you have given the other side a lot of thought too)

dense oak
#

I still don’t know, both schools have stuff that’s great.

CMU has top tier programs and brilliant people

Duke has great balance and culture

#

If only I could go to both meltingsob

vernal ether
#

NO BC ME

#

u tryna go to grad school?

dense oak
#

Nah

vernal ether
#

dang so u fr cant

dense oak
#

Wbu

vernal ether
#

prob but not sure

#

i know its the like constant question but is there one school where ur regret is more than the other

#

like damn i wish i went to carnegie mellon 5 years from now

dense oak
#

I think I lean just a little more towards CMU, their motto of “my heart is in my work” is just exactly who I am

vernal ether
#

that’s really admirable 🙂

#

ok idk why that autocorrected but yeah the heart wants what it wants

#

besides it sounds like a better fit for you

dense oak
#

Obv I’d like to have a social life outside my work but I think that’s possible

vernal ether
#

almost important question. do you like sports

#

at cmu apparently no one cares about sports

dense oak
#

Yeah I watch a LOT of basketball

vernal ether
#

oh dip

#

duke moment

dense oak
#

Yeah Duke moment

vernal ether
#

school spirit + well attended sports games are lacking but that doesn’t mean you’ll have nothing to do at cmu

dense oak
#

These schools are completely opposite idk why they accepted me

vernal ether
#

sounds like you are just so awesome that they said yeah this kid will thrive anywhere including HERE

#

so big congrats!

dense oak
#

Thanks

vernal ether
#

u said socal (as in its late lol) so we better sleep on our big decision. my question to myself personally is “where will i not regret my decision”

dense oak
#

I think you should go JHU

#

It just seemed like you leaned more towards it

#

Plus smaller dept, more attention, and the music program

vernal ether
#

even though just not as Stellar of a program (even though it’s good?)

#

it’s true i do lean toward cuz dam i committed 😩

#

thank you so much for ur help too

twin zinc
#

CMU kinda clears by far

#

ik people choosing GT CS over Duke CS

#

won't find many people doing that for CMU

#

duke is known to be very pre-professional and career-focused. CMU's def more entrepreneurial than that imo

twin zinc
hollow pollen
#

I think you want to go to Duke. Just go there. CMU is going to be a grind the entire time, Duke will be more fun.

#

better weather, more attractive and happier people

mossy kayak
#

Yeah but since he’s dead set on CS CMU is by far the better program

#

Imo CMU

hollow pollen
#

right but college isn’t only about academics. it can be the best or the worst 4 years of your life..

#

if you want to be at the cutting edge of AI then by all means go to CMU. but much of the needed advanced courses will be in grad school not undergraduate so idk tbh

dark spoke
#

I kind of agree with @hollow pollen a lower ranked program in CS doesn't mean it isn't one of the best out there (it's duke, after all!), the I&E certificate would be the equivalent of taking business courses maybe, and gen ed requirements can be fun. You could get to take some classes without the pressure of grinding on CS continuously (maybe it's just me but that could feel frustrating)

dense oak
dark spoke
#

my prestige hung up dumbutt might be to blame, but I do think you have amazing choices

#

I wish I considered CMU a little more tbh,

#

but what I do wanna say is that you deserve to also preserve your health

dense oak
#

I’m just not sure at all anymore

#

I think at CMU I’ll have a lot more opportunities, people like me, and develop stronger work ethic/time management

At Duke I’ll become more well rounded, probably come out with better social skills, and have a bit better of a college “experience”

elfin quiver
#

i'm gonna be real, duke >>

#

and this isn't jus being biased

#

but duke CS is a strong program, and it's got a whole lot of better connections outside of just the "pure tech" fields

#

and it's a lot better culture, we actually have athletic programs that win, and people care about them, so there's something to do when you're bored of doing school

dense oak
elfin quiver
dense oak
#

cuz my main concern is not having enough time to even pursue that kind of stuff at CMU

#

Duke's CS workload definitely looks more manageable

elfin quiver
#

yeah

dense oak
dark spoke
maiden crystal
#

roohappy congrats on your choice!!!

dense oak
#

thank you peeposmile

#

I just felt I fit CMU a bit better and honestly, based on what CMU CS students shared, I'll still have time to do ECs or work on a startup if I don't overload