UMD full-ride BK for CS OR MIT at full pay — which would you do?

[Anonymous]

You can't lose either way.

I would choose UMD and use the saved money as a graduation gift

[Anonymous]

MIT in a heartbeat. It is the kind of school that can change your life. If your child decides not to pursue CS, they will have access to the tippy top of any other sector that interests them. Also, so much about college is about the peer group - I have a sibling who went to MIT and their friends are doing truly amazing things. I wouldn’t think about it for a second.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP I don't know if you're still reading after 9 pages of this, but I just wanted to say congratulations to your kid. What a fabulous dilemma and what an achievement x 2. Well done.

I don't know if OP is still reading this thread or not, but given the original post was made a year ago, the kid already made their decision.

OP - where did your kid end up and how was his first year?

[Anonymous]

Funny...who the hell goes into the bowels of DCUM and then just pulls up these threads?

DCUM...please, let them die and delete all these year-old threads.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These are really wonderful options. My kid went to MIT for physics and I actually have a degree in CS from UMD from way back when. If you have the money, I recommend MIT. There is just no comparison between the kind of opportunities, internships, connections and the experience. There are some really excellent people at Maryland. But at MIT nearly everyone is excellent. The peer group and culture is unique. Your kid will get wonderful options coming out of Maryland as well. But part of life is the journey and MIT is a truly amazing experience.

I’ve been to both, UMD for undergrad and MIT analog for MS and PhD. It’s true that at MIT everyone is excellent and that at UM there are many excellent stiudents and many not. But unless you go on to be MIT faculty, UM is more representative of the real world.

Still I’d pick MIT. It’s just neat to meet so many Nobelists etc. during formative years and Harvard is nearby too. Your classmates end up founders of big companies or doctors at one of the Harvard hospitals or physicists at national labs, and it’s cool to know all of them years later.

Why did you resurrect this thread from last year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Definitely MIT! Congratulations! There aren’t many schools worth their price tag but MIT seems to be one.

This

[Anonymous]

B/K is a huge accomplishment but I believe it’s probably passed on more than people might realize. We had a neighbor’s kid get B/K some years back along with acceptances to some ivies like UPenn and other top privates, ended up deciding on Duke without scholarship. Now has a very successful career for his age. That’s not to say he couldn’t have achieved the same from MD

[Anonymous]

What a strange question to ask a bunch of strangers.

Is anything anyone said here new to you? Is it helpful?

[Anonymous]

Wow! Your DS must be outstanding. congrats OP! (Speaking as an MIT grad - it's 100% MIT. The experience is incomparable)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow! Your DS must be outstanding. congrats OP! (Speaking as an MIT grad - it's 100% MIT. The experience is incomparable)

PS. I did not intend to imply I am outstanding. I was not in CS! (Would not have got into CS at MIT - I was in a major with less competition)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Umd and pay for grad school. For cs, no one will care.

This is complete bs.

I hire programmers for a living.

MIT 100% if it won’t cause financial distress

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Umd and pay for grad school. For cs, no one will care.

This is complete bs.

I hire programmers for a living.

MIT 100% if it won’t cause financial distress

+1

MIT is the real deal. If you DS ever decides to start his own company, a tippy top undergrad matters to investors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Umd and pay for grad school. For cs, no one will care.

This is complete bs.

I hire programmers for a living.

MIT 100% if it won’t cause financial distress

You love to take digs at UMD. You probably didn't get in. Your advice makes no sense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DD also got Bannker Key UMD and has Georgia Tech full scholarship, Caltech, waitlisted for MIT. Have money saved up, which one would you choose for CS?

If he wants to go into academia and is okay being a small fish in a small pond, Caltech. Otherwise BK