Ask HN: Which college should I attend?

Choice of schools doesn't matter much - how interested and excited you are to learn is the critical factor, and the environment and your own situation influences that heavily.

You can get an outstanding education at any of those schools, regardless of department.

Whether you get a B.S. or B.A. won't matter. Don't forget to broaden your education and follow your interests wherever they lead - learn a foreign language in depth, take many humanities classes, take science classes outside the engineering track, learn how to write, draw, teach, etc. Enjoy yourself and the hard work will just naturally flow.

I studied engineering and biochemistry, but the classes outside my technical majors proved more valuable over time than anything else.

Also, do think about the networking aspect. That is, where are some of those alums at those schools heading off to. This may be an important as you think beyond college.

They're all great schools, and if you're confident in your ability and work hard, you'll make the most out of any school you choose.

... and just because I am an avid fan of my undergrad, I'm going to throw in Georgia Tech to the talk. Just cuz...

Good luck and congrats!

UCB is nice if you are interested in startups. If you get into Caltech, visit if you can (and haven't already). Caltech was my "dream school" from middle school onward. I was admitted and visited, at which point I realized that it was a horrible fit for me socially. I'm not saying that you'll feel the same way, but of the schools you've listed, Caltech is probably the weirdest, and therefore the riskiest choice if you don't know exactly what you're getting into.

IMHO, choose the place where you'd (1) graduate with the least debt, (2) have the best chance of graduating, (3) would enjoy the most, (4) has the highest quality teachers (teachers, not researchers), and (5) has the best students... in that order.

You should also visit the campuses and pop in on some classes and talk to students or professors.

If it were me the location would be a big factor. If the costs were equal I'd choose Berkeley because of the great nature in Yosemite and the Sierras, and also Berkeley is near an epicenter of tech development.

2. Which college gives you how much loan burden(assuming you are taking one)

3. Which is more international

4. Look at your house and all those US UG things and see where you'll fit in, someone commented sth related above (back in my country there are hostels and no matter which hostel you are in, you are living in the entire campus)

5. Walk into all these campus and see which one makes you feel most good (okay, it's not that simple but you'll know)

6. I am sure you've worked on all other factors like acads and job prospects and entrepreneurial scene :-)

Lucky you, congratulations :-)

Which one you will learn at, but be able to pursue your outside passions.

Which on you can kick back with friends to blow off some steam.

I wouldn't consider money at all. You have the rest of your life to pay back loans and that is worth picking the place for the reasons I listed above and not worry about cost.

2) And, that said, keep your eye open towards to possibility(s) of turning this into a 5 (5.5, 6?) year Masters track. I guess I'm of two minds about this. My understanding from others is that, particularly in the shorter timeframe, such a curriculum might squeeze out time and opportunity for some other topics -- you might miss things you would find of significant value. But, it can be a more direct path to a more valuable degree and perhaps to a deeper educational experience in your topic of interest -- if this does indeed mesh with your interests.

So, I'll say, look into such opportunities. Whether you ultimately decide to sign up for such a path is a matter of whether it would be right for your (and what opportunities end up presenting themselves -- or, perhaps better stated, what you can shake loose, and at what cost).

P.S. A difficult, hard, challenging professor is one thing. A crap professor is another (and, believe me, they do exist -- whether their attitude is malicious, disengaged, or even ostensibly helpful). Don't waste too much time on the latter. Nor work too hard to avoid the former; I remember one math(s) professor with a somewhat fearsome reputation, but boy did you learn! :-)

Anyway, we're going to change college selection for a lot of students. I'm sorry we're not ready, yet.

At Cal the only differences between L&S CS and EECS are lower division classes. L&S CS and EECS students at Cal take the same upper div classes, and most of the same lower div classes (only differences are the non CS GenEd's and eecs has to take ee20n and ee40 but L&S doesn't).

I think the perceived value between a UCB CS degree and another school's CS degree (regardless of BS or BA) will be much greater than the perceived difference between a BS or a BA. And if you ever run into anyone who claims there's a major difference between a BA and a BS @ Cal, just point out that a Berkeley physics degree is only a BA as well.

EDIT: just realized I didn't give you an opinion. Here it is: Go to the most difficult program where you are reasonably sure that you can still get at least a 3.5 GPA. No, GPA isn't everything, but it is a lot, because people tend to use it to weed people out when there are too many applicants for something, especially right after undergrad or for grad school. Some schools have grade inflation. Others, like berkeley, have an active policy against grade inflation: [1]. Yes, you can still get a good job with a 2.1x GPA from one of those schools (or, at least, I managed to), but it's much harder than if you have a GPA > 3.

[1]: http://www.eecs.berkeley.edu/Policies/ugrad.grading.shtml