#Barnard CS vs. CMU CS

22 messages · Page 1 of 1 (latest)

agile zinc
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Barnard
Pros:

  • In love with NYC and its vibe!! I feel like I'd be much happier living here :)
  • Lots to do in the city, everything is super accessible and walkable
  • Prettier campus imo
  • Better weather, has more sunny days out of the year (I find that weather has a large impact on my mood)
  • Better food scene + tons of vegan options
  • Tight-knit, supportive community of women who want to uplift and empower each other!
  • Stronger school spirit
  • Students seemed much more upbeat and happier when I toured
  • Full access to all Columbia classes (I'd pretty much be taking entirely Columbia classes for my major since Barnard's CS department is small), student orgs, research opps, recruiting fairs, etc.
  • Arguably more active tech/startup scene in NYC
  • Lighter coursework in comparison to CMU → Better student work/life balance

Cons:

  • Barnard/Columbia isn’t super well-known for CS → Might be difficult to get internships/jobs in the future
  • Has a small CS department with less funding, curriculum pales in comparison to CMU
  • I’m 100% sure I want to do CS, and I’ll likely be surrounded by a lot of students who are unsure of their CS major
  • From what I’ve heard, some students have an elitist vibe and tend to be more competitive (although I could be wrong)
    ㅤ
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CMU
Pros:

  • SCS has an extremely strong and reputable CS program with more funding and faculty support
  • Greater variety of interesting CS classes & electives to take
  • One of the only colleges to offer their unique HCI program!!
  • Stronger alumni network for tech recruiting
  • Lots of research opportunities and funding for student startups
  • Surrounded by students who are arguably more passionate about CS (since CMU is a very tech-focused school in general)
  • Collaborative atmosphere

Cons:

  • Pittsburgh gets very little sun and has mostly cloudy/rainy days, which rlly negatively impacts my mood
  • Slower-paced city vibes, less exciting than living in NYC
  • Worse dining plan/food, less vegan options
  • Very rigorous curriculum, I’ve heard horror stories of students facing constant stress and pulling many all-nighters
  • Worse work/life balance, less time for student orgs or other activities outside schoolwork
  • Campus looked much duller and socially dead when I toured
  • Students generally seemed unhappier, and dining hall workers seemed annoyed with students when I visited (where are the positive social interactions??)
  • Heavy emphasis on Scottish culture (bagpipes, kilts) that I don’t really understand/resonate with
  • Weaker school spirit and sense of community

Tiebreaking considerations:
I feel like I’d be much happier going to Barnard (living in NYC, stronger community, female empowerment vibes), but it definitely won’t be the best in terms of CS job prospects, which CMU SCS has an undoubtedly better curriculum and resources for. Very conflicted rn ://

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Barnard CS vs. CMU CS

random latch
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c m u

sick mortar
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@agile zinc allow me to start by asking, is the cost mostly identical

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Both of them are great options ---- congratulations!

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Assuming equal cost I would vote barnard because ugrad CS teaching quality isn't a tiebreaking factor past a certain point, and Columbia CS is great too :)

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Ofc @severe smelt's input about how Barnard and Columbia connects is important too

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I must also note that, whatever @calm (they left the server) claimed was NOT TRUE, and I apologize for that user's rude statements

agile zinc
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Yup I'd pretty much be taking almost all of my CS classes at Columbia (Barnard students are given access to all Columbia classes and have the same priority during course registration)

agile zinc
sick mortar
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If you are after the industry (not 100% certain about the academia), I would say you can and should go for wherever makes you the happiest

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At the level of Barnard v. CMU, you will get a quality education either way

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And NYC provides opportunities Pittsburgh doesn't have to offer

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I applied for CMU from ED2 so remember, I am biased in a way smug

agile zinc
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Very true, location plays a huge factor! I'm just scared I'll regret choosing Barnard along the way since lots of ppl are telling me that CMU's CS curriculum is far superior and will take me much further in getting recruited by top tech companies

sick mortar
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Also, would you care to grab some #810227815260618772

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Please do not ever declare somebody else's shortlisted choices "dogsh*t", this is most disrespectful praying

buoyant meadow
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But, CMUs is another 70k higher than columbias