S/O: schools w/ great merit and are top producers of STEM PhDs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For engineering and CS, maybe it doesn't matter. But to do anything interesting in those other STEM fields, yes, you need a PhD, especially if you're headed into industry jobs.

I agree with your assessment, OP. My kid goes to one of those schools mentioned above. He is majoring in my field and getting a much better undergrad education than I ever did at my DCUM-revered state flagship. Better grad school admittance is just gravy.

yes, that's why the SLACs are up there. They don't have strong Eng/CS programs.

True for engineering, though I was surprised to see that 18/50 schools on the CS list are LACs — a stronger showing than I’d have expected for that subject.

I think students who go to schools that are weak in CS for undergrad are going to seek higher degrees.

I mean, you have 3 from Millsaps College (have never heard of it) going to get a PhD in CS. Their student body is less than 1000, with a graduation rate in the low 60%. You'd need a PhD in CS if you went to a school like Millsaps College for CS.

According to this site, there were all of 2 CS undergrad majors.

https://www.collegesimply.com/colleges/mississippi/millsaps-college/majors/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For engineering and CS, maybe it doesn't matter. But to do anything interesting in those other STEM fields, yes, you need a PhD, especially if you're headed into industry jobs.

I agree with your assessment, OP. My kid goes to one of those schools mentioned above. He is majoring in my field and getting a much better undergrad education than I ever did at my DCUM-revered state flagship. Better grad school admittance is just gravy.

yes, that's why the SLACs are up there. They don't have strong Eng/CS programs.

True for engineering, though I was surprised to see that 18/50 schools on the CS list are LACs — a stronger showing than I’d have expected for that subject.

I think students who go to schools that are weak in CS for undergrad are going to seek higher degrees.

I mean, you have 3 from Millsaps College (have never heard of it) going to get a PhD in CS. Their student body is less than 1000, with a graduation rate in the low 60%. You'd need a PhD in CS if you went to a school like Millsaps College for CS.

According to this site, there were all of 2 CS undergrad majors.

https://www.collegesimply.com/colleges/mississippi/millsaps-college/majors/

CS person here who has been in high-tech my entire career. This is entirely wrong.

[Anonymous]

Glad you are catching up with my wise secure daughter, who accepted a generous offer from one of the schools mentioned in OP’s post (even though it meant turning down 6 more highly ranked schools).

She had a very positive experience, graduated with no debt and is now enrolled in a fully funded PhD program.

[Anonymous]

PhD?

Parents are worried about getting their kid in a T25 undergrad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Unless you want to be a Professor most engineering and CS majors don’t get PHds. They graduate and go to work.

CS PhDs work in industry and earn high salaries.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For engineering and CS, maybe it doesn't matter. But to do anything interesting in those other STEM fields, yes, you need a PhD, especially if you're headed into industry jobs.

I agree with your assessment, OP. My kid goes to one of those schools mentioned above. He is majoring in my field and getting a much better undergrad education than I ever did at my DCUM-revered state flagship. Better grad school admittance is just gravy.

yes, that's why the SLACs are up there. They don't have strong Eng/CS programs.

True for engineering, though I was surprised to see that 18/50 schools on the CS list are LACs — a stronger showing than I’d have expected for that subject.

I think students who go to schools that are weak in CS for undergrad are going to seek higher degrees.

I mean, you have 3 from Millsaps College (have never heard of it) going to get a PhD in CS. Their student body is less than 1000, with a graduation rate in the low 60%. You'd need a PhD in CS if you went to a school like Millsaps College for CS.

According to this site, there were all of 2 CS undergrad majors.

https://www.collegesimply.com/colleges/mississippi/millsaps-college/majors/

This is 100% wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For engineering and CS, maybe it doesn't matter. But to do anything interesting in those other STEM fields, yes, you need a PhD, especially if you're headed into industry jobs.

I agree with your assessment, OP. My kid goes to one of those schools mentioned above. He is majoring in my field and getting a much better undergrad education than I ever did at my DCUM-revered state flagship. Better grad school admittance is just gravy.

yes, that's why the SLACs are up there. They don't have strong Eng/CS programs.

True for engineering, though I was surprised to see that 18/50 schools on the CS list are LACs — a stronger showing than I’d have expected for that subject.

I think students who go to schools that are weak in CS for undergrad are going to seek higher degrees.

I mean, you have 3 from Millsaps College (have never heard of it) going to get a PhD in CS. Their student body is less than 1000, with a graduation rate in the low 60%. You'd need a PhD in CS if you went to a school like Millsaps College for CS.

According to this site, there were all of 2 CS undergrad majors.

https://www.collegesimply.com/colleges/mississippi/millsaps-college/majors/

This is 100% wrong.

OP. How so? I don’t know enough about CS to know what specifically is wrong with PP’s conjecture and I’d like to better understand

[Anonymous]

Ugrad schools don't produce PhD students. Ugrad students make themselves into PhD students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ugrad schools don't produce PhD students. Ugrad students make themselves into PhD students.

…sure, and the question is whether a student who aspires to “make themselves into a PhD student” in one of these fields ultimately gets the best possible ROI by attending one of the small merit aid schools on these lists.

[Anonymous]

Minnesota

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PhD?

Parents are worried about getting their kid in a T25 undergrad.

I know it's hard for you to fathom this, but not everyone shares your goals, priorities, and values. Many families (most, actually) don't even look at T25 schools. Even if they have smart, academically focused kids. Donut hole families view them as too expensive. Many kids are not interested in that level of academic intensity and competition. Since those schools are concentrated on the coast, people in other parts of the country often prefer schools closer to home. And many families also look at the admission rates and recognize many qualified applicants are rejected, and therefore choose not to pin their hopes on being one of the few who get admitted, even if they apply.

[Anonymous]

CS and Math graduates from St Olaf are consistently very sharp. Weather is cold there, no doubt, but it has a great education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:CS and Math graduates from St Olaf are consistently very sharp. Weather is cold there, no doubt, but it has a great education.

Great to know. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Also interesting that little St John’s College — which has exactly one course of study, the Great Books program — makes the list for both math and physics.

Maybe there’s something to be said for starting with Euclid and Aristotle and working forward from there, at least for a certain kind of kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For engineering and CS, maybe it doesn't matter. But to do anything interesting in those other STEM fields, yes, you need a PhD, especially if you're headed into industry jobs.

I agree with your assessment, OP. My kid goes to one of those schools mentioned above. He is majoring in my field and getting a much better undergrad education than I ever did at my DCUM-revered state flagship. Better grad school admittance is just gravy.

yes, that's why the SLACs are up there. They don't have strong Eng/CS programs.

True for engineering, though I was surprised to see that 18/50 schools on the CS list are LACs — a stronger showing than I’d have expected for that subject.

I think students who go to schools that are weak in CS for undergrad are going to seek higher degrees.

I mean, you have 3 from Millsaps College (have never heard of it) going to get a PhD in CS. Their student body is less than 1000, with a graduation rate in the low 60%. You'd need a PhD in CS if you went to a school like Millsaps College for CS.

According to this site, there were all of 2 CS undergrad majors.

https://www.collegesimply.com/colleges/mississippi/millsaps-college/majors/

CS person here who has been in high-tech my entire career. This is entirely wrong.

+1 There's so much misinformation in this thread that it's beyond trying to refute, since some of the same posters will undoubtedly repeat the misinformation.

I'd strongly advise anyone interested in a PhD in CS to find another source for their information.