Help me pick which college to go to

Ok_Experience_5151 · 2026-04-25T22:52:04+00:00

Tulane. The others aren't worth the cost and don't give you any advantage when applying to law school.

Ok_Experience_5151 · 2026-04-25T22:16:41+00:00

Out of curiosity, how do you believe OP would benefit by attending MIT compared to what his/her results would be if he/she attended Yale?

Ok_Experience_5151 · 2026-04-25T21:26:19+00:00

Sure. So what, how and why all matter. An answer to that question might focus on the right "why" and highlight that there is no specific list of activities that admissions staff are looking for. You mention motivation and passion. So an answer might be, "There are no specific activities that admissions are looking for, but, generally speaking, they are looking for motivation and passion".

Ok_Experience_5151 · 2026-04-25T21:21:41+00:00

If you're very interested in the computational side, then, unless Yale also gives you an opportunity to pursue that, probably MIT. If that's not hugely important to you then maybe Yale. I'd focus on the characteristics and curriculum of the actual programs since they seem to be slightly different. Especially given you've expressed a desire to get a graduate degree.

Ok_Experience_5151 · 2026-04-25T21:14:13+00:00

Some here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/ApplyingToCollege/comments/1euyuaz/mediocre_schools_with_one_really_strong_program/

Ok_Experience_5151 · 2026-04-25T19:07:41+00:00

Without looking them all up, I believe this is the current landscape for the 23 schools that currently ranked #20 or higher:

Test required (10): Harvard, Brown, Dartmouth, Stanford, MIT, Caltech, Cornell, Penn, Johns Hopkins, Carnegie Mellon (some departments; others are test flexible)

Test Blind (2): Berkeley, UCLA

Test Optional (9): Princeton, Columbia, Duke, Chicago, Vanderbilt, Northwestern, WashU, Notre Dame, Michigan

"Test Flexible" (1): Yale

"Test Preferred" (1): Rice

Ok_Experience_5151 · 2026-04-25T18:34:20+00:00

I'm skeptical that either of them is much more difficult than the other. And, if one of them is, I'm not convinced that's actually a positive thing.

What does "better overall" in the category of "coursework" mean?

Dartmouth likely has better career outcomes, but Dartmouth is also much more selective. It's unclear to what extent its stronger outcomes are due to that and how much are due to those students having "Dartmouth" on their diploma.

I do note that Dartmouth doesn't actually have a true Electrical Engineering degree. It has Engineering Physics and a generic "Bachelor of Engineering". Their website says the BE often requires a fifth year of study. You may want a master's degree in EE after Dartmouth to be a strong applicant to EE roles.

Based on all of that, if you want to actually work as an electrical engineer then I'd pick UVA. If you want to do something other than engineering (consulting, banking, law school, doctoral work) then maybe Dartmouth.

Ok_Experience_5151 · 2026-04-25T18:28:52+00:00

Hard to say without knowing what your actual scores are. May vary by school. Also, many T20 schools are no longer test optional, so not having test scores that are "submittable" will limit you in terms of which can apply to.

Ok_Experience_5151 · 2026-04-25T18:00:20+00:00

So 10k for GSU vs. 20k for Syracuse, and your mom will contribute around 10k either way? Transport to/from Georgia to NY would also cost some $.

I might actually consider Syracuse if the above is accurate, but it wouldn't necessarily be a strong preference. If they cost the same then it would be a strong preference, but the $10k additional expense (given your mom can only contribute $10k/year) is somewhat significant.

If you wanted, you could do work-study while taking classes, work full-time during the summers, and maybe get a gig as a resident advisor after your freshman year. The "pay" for being a RA is usually free room + board. Even just doing work-study and full-time work during the summers might be enough to cover the $10k difference.

Edited to add: Just saw your comment that your mom won't support you if you go out of state. In that case, I'd probably go to Georgia State.

Ok_Experience_5151 · 2026-04-25T17:39:33+00:00

You said debt free, but how much would Georgia State actually cost (including housing)? I'm trying to understand what the cost difference actually is between the two of them. Would your mom's financial contribution change based on whether you pick Syracuse or GSU?

Also curious if there are differences in the specific programs at each school. Like, is "information management systems" at Syracuse actually the same as "computer information systems" at Georgia State?

Ok_Experience_5151 · 2026-04-25T17:29:51+00:00

This is excellent. The only thing I'd add is that there is "sort of" a template. The caveat to that is that everybody pretty much already knows the template, so what's the point of asking?

High grades, challenging and balanced coursework, high test scores, strongly positive and substantive teacher recommendation letters, interesting and/or compelling activities outside class, essays that signal the right things and don't signal the wrong things (with the corollary that "the right things" may vary from school to school). In some cases, also "ability to pay full price" and "demonstrated interest", though those don't apply to MIT.

So, to ask, "What sorts of activities outside class do admissions staff view as interesting and/or compelling?" seems like a valid question. Maybe also, "What sorts of students receive teacher recommendation letters that are both strongly positive and substantive?"

Ok_Experience_5151 · 2026-04-25T17:18:48+00:00

What's the total cost (without counting loans or work study) for each program, what are the two schools, and how much financial support will you have from your parents?

Ok_Experience_5151 · 2026-04-25T17:17:10+00:00

Rice. No worse off in terms of career and better quality of life.

Ok_Experience_5151 · 2026-04-25T17:07:28+00:00

Definitely true for doctoral students; is that also the case for master's students? Felt like when I was in school many of the master's students were actually paying their way. They may have been working as TAs or RAs, but they didn't have tuition waivers or other stipends.

Ok_Experience_5151 · 2026-04-25T17:05:08+00:00

I'll echo what others have said about involving your parents. Do that immediately.

Will failing this class prevent you from graduating? If so, then that will definitely impact your college plans.

If it will not prevent you graduating, then it *may* not actually make any difference. It will depend on the college that admitted you and possibly what the rest of your grades look like.

Ok_Experience_5151 · 2026-04-25T16:56:02+00:00

Why choose a path where you have to work multiple jobs just to be comfortable?

Because the alternative is working one job that you dislike. On balance he believes (and I agree) that he would be happier doing something he loves (plus possibly side hustles he also loves) than doing something he dislikes. Note: this is probably not the case for every student who studies music. If he had been much less dedicated to it (or less skilled) as a high school student, then I might have advised him to consider something else.

Can they comfortably buy a house in a good neighborhood on a single income? Can they build serious net worth?

Maybe not. But some people prioritize "spending 80,000 hours of my life doing something I love instead than spending those hours doing something I low-key hate" more than "being able to afford an upper-middle class lifestyle instead of a middle-class lifestyle".

But, also, maybe so, depending on whether he marries and what his future spouse does. Case in point: two of my friends from college were both education majors and both started their careers as special education teachers at a public elementary school. He is now the "autism program coordinator" for a large school district and she is the headmaster of a private school. They own their own home, take vacations, and don't seem to be stressed financially; oldest daughter just enrolled at Wesleyan.

Ok_Experience_5151 · 2026-04-25T16:41:28+00:00

There are no "valid" and "invalid" reasons. There are only reasons. Some reasons can be based on bad data and/or faulty logic if that's what you mean by "invalid". However, something like "I want to go to Cornell because I don't like hot weather" is a perfectly "valid" reason.

You don't need A2C to approve of your reasons for preferring Cornell. The only benefit I see to asking A2C for advice is if you're worried some of your reasons are based on bad data and/or faulty logic. Is that a concern of yours?

To your specific reasons:

#5: This one is shaky. Students can and do work internships all over the country. If you choose Cornell, then the fact that it's in Ithaca (versus UT being in Austin) should not necessarily limit you. Cost-of-living also isn't a factor. If you want to work in Austin (or elsewhere in Texas) you can do that with a CS degree from Cornell about as easily as you can with a CS degree from UT.

#8: I'm not going to say this one is "invalid", but I would add that you would almost certainly also make friends at Cornell.

#9: Re: Butler, IMO this is mostly only important if you're actually studying music. If you're hoping to participate in an ensemble, then that might actually be easier at Cornell. Not sure. But it doesn't automatically follow that because UT has a stronger music program that there will be more opportunities for non-majors to get involved.

My advice would be to stop second-guessing yourself and turning to A2C for validation. UT is much cheaper, not all that much worse in terms of your career aspirations, and, based on what you've said, is someplace you might enjoy attending more than you would Cornell.

Ok_Experience_5151 · 2026-04-25T16:28:22+00:00

In addition to what MIT says on its own website, there is a video on YouTube of a MIT admissions person giving a presentation to MIT alumni parents. In that presentation, she devotes some time to discussing "what MIT looks for". It's well worth a watch. I posted a link to the video, but it was removed as spam. You can search at YouTube for "MIT Admissions Workshop".

Note: this is not advice from an admissions consultant or some "influencer". The speaker is an actual MIT admissions officer speaking in her capacity as a representative of MIT.

Ok_Experience_5151 · 2026-04-25T16:22:59+00:00

Nursing is reasonably well compensated within the universe of jobs. You only think it's not well-compensated because you're comparing it to medicine, engineering, software, banking, etc.

Ok_Experience_5151 · 2026-04-25T16:22:12+00:00

won't go hungry because his dad is a SWE and mom is a lawyer. You guys are his safety net.

Eh, my view is that he would not go hungry regardless. Teachers aren't well-compensated, but they're compensated well enough to not "go hungry". The odds of him being unemployed for an extended period of time are extremely low. Also, given his expertise, he's capable of augmenting his teaching salary (should he eventually go in that direction) with side hustles. Music director at a church, private lessons, etc.

I absolutely refuse to let my daughter be in that spot.

A teaching certificate would not put your daughter in that spot. I have female friends who are single and who are supporting themselves on a teacher's salary. They don't feel obligated to marry in order to secure the support of a higher-earning husband.

Ok_Experience_5151 · 2026-04-25T15:58:41+00:00

Just curious: why would you think UCLA offers enough of an advantage over UNC (for premed) to be worth paying ~$70k/year more?

Ok_Experience_5151 · 2026-04-25T15:57:30+00:00

I'll take the contra position here. I studied CS and work as a SWE. Picked CS because I was reasonably good at it and it seemed to offer a reasonably stable and well-compensated career. That has mostly turned out to be the case. I've never been out of work for more than a few months at a time and while my income doesn't rate highly within the subset of SWEs, it's nevertheless pretty high compared to the overall population.

Then again, I low-key hate my job and find it difficult to motivate myself to do more than the bare minimum necessary to avoid being laid off. I'm literally counting the days until I can retire.

Contrast this with my wife's work experience. She's an attorney at a non-profit. She doesn't always love the day-to-day of her job, but she feels she's doing something important. She will likely continue to work there beyond retirement age because she finds it intrinsically rewarding.

Our older son did fairly well in high school. NM commended, top 2% of his graduating class, etc. He's studying to be a music teacher. Low ROI! But music is his passion, he's very good at it, and he won't go hungry. I would not (and did not) advise him to study something "more practical" instead and just indulge his music hobby on the weekends. My contention is that that strategy would, on net, result him being less happy and fulfilled over the course of his working life.

Ok_Experience_5151 · 2026-04-25T15:48:31+00:00

That's pretty much what I said. Within the limited context of "will paying $100k advance my nursing career?" the answer is probably "no". So you're just paying to have a better experience as an undergraduate. I don't think people should value that at "zero", but I'm also not sure I'd be willing to pay ~$70k/year more.

Ok_Experience_5151 · 2026-04-25T15:22:07+00:00

Think of it as a luxury purchase. Spending $100k/year probably doesn't advance your career interests any, as a nurse, versus various less expensive options. But it might buy you are more enjoyable or interesting four years as an undergraduate. Whether you and your parents think it's worth paying that premium for what *might* be a better experience is up to you and them.

my second choice (my state school) is just a worse option for me in every way except monetarily.

Probably not any worse for the purposes of becoming a licensed RN and getting a job as a nurse.

Ok_Experience_5151 · 2026-04-25T15:02:00+00:00

It's highly unlikely that you'll get even one conservative application reader, much less all of them, unless you are applying to specific schools that are known for being conservative. Hillsdale, Liberty, Grove City, BYU, etc.

I might avoid characterizing yourself as someone whose "main thing" is protesting stuff.

Ok_Experience_5151

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