Best for computer science: GMU, UMBC,VCU, or Towson?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For a great computer science program, you should really look at GMU.

The others are not really known for their computer science program from what I understand.

You may have to focus on just a couple of your other questions because you gave too many in your initial post.

Is this first child who’s a senior? Do they have any gut feel on which of these they’d like to attend?

You forgot one of the more important questions, are they in-state in Virginia or Maryland?

Thank you. My first child is a junior and thinking about at schools to apply to. We are in VA but can afford OOS tuition in MD. DD is mixed. I am white and my husband is black. DD likes these schools due to their diversity as it pertains to black people. She understands that the students in the CS major won't be particularly diverse.

UMBC has a good CS program, but it's more of a commuter school, which you said you didn't want, I think.

4000 students live on campus, so yes, many do commute, but there is a campus community. DS is there now. A diverse school.

[Anonymous]

Another vote for GMU. I got my second Master's at GMU and live 10 minutes away. My DC wants to go somewhere more than 10 minutes away, so GMU isn't an option, but I wish it was.

[Anonymous]

I would pick GMU from these options.

[Anonymous]

DP here, but bumping this thread up to get some current feedback on GMU vs. UMBC vs. JMU for computer science. (and any other comparisons with universities in the mid-atlantic area).

[Anonymous]

The one they get into, the one they like, the one you can afford.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The one they get into, the one they like, the one you can afford.

geee... so helpful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For a great computer science program, you should really look at GMU.

The others are not really known for their computer science program from what I understand.

You may have to focus on just a couple of your other questions because you gave too many in your initial post.

Is this first child who’s a senior? Do they have any gut feel on which of these they’d like to attend?

You forgot one of the more important questions, are they in-state in Virginia or Maryland?

Thank you. My first child is a junior and thinking about at schools to apply to. We are in VA but can afford OOS tuition in MD. DD is mixed. I am white and my husband is black. likes these schools due to their diversity as it pertains to black people. She understands that the students in the CS major won't be particularly diverse.

.
"Won't be particularly diverse" --> please check your racism at door of the cs class - CS is plenty diverse just may not have as many african americans as you prefer b/c of your racist views

Are you slow? The poster said her kid "likes these schools due to their diversity as it pertains to black people. She understands that the students in the CS major won't be particularly diverse. She is talking about black people not diversity as a whole. And the truth is computer science is not diverse when it comes to black people. Stating a fact is not racist. I am a Hispanic female who majored in computer science. It's a bunch of white, asian, and south/southeast asian men. It is NOT diverse when it comes to women of any race, hispanic people of any gender or black people of any gender. These are all facts.

OP of the schools mentioned, I think GMU/UMDBC are best choices and tied. As for VA Tech and UVA and UMDCP, I'd rank UMDCP > VA Tech > UVA for computer science. UVA is the the better school in terms of name drop and in general but UMDCP and VATech have better computer science programs.

+1 spot on

- another female in tech

[Anonymous]

Bumping....

Thoughts on Com Sci options outside of VT, UMCP, and VT?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For a great computer science program, you should really look at GMU.

The others are not really known for their computer science program from what I understand.

You may have to focus on just a couple of your other questions because you gave too many in your initial post.

Is this first child who’s a senior? Do they have any gut feel on which of these they’d like to attend?

You forgot one of the more important questions, are they in-state in Virginia or Maryland?

I work with a TON of UMBC grads and we do a lot of hiring from there (I'm in MD). It's an excellent CS program; easily as good as GMU. The other two I would agree. GMU has a game design option that is pretty unique. GMU and UMBC are both known as commuter schools, although I think that GMU is less of one nowdays that UMBC is. I've know several people who were accepted to UMDCP for CS and chose to go to UMBC because of merit aid.

Bottom line, for CS I'd consider GMU/UMBC to be in the same boat, then VCU and probably Towson last. For the actual college experience I'd probably pick VCU, followed by GMU. Towson/UMBC are still commuter colleges.

What? Towson is not a commuter school.

UMBC has 4000 on campus almost 1/2 and many move to nearby housing with friends after freshman year just like most colleges.

The commuter college angle is seriously bizarre.

x100000

GMU and UMBC can both be seen as commuter schools, but probably the best ones of your options, OP, depending on claimed residency.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:UMBC is an amazing school. Not commuter at all. Go and check out the campus. I loved it! My kid chose UMBC over UMD for full merit.

Same here. Amazing school and amazing program. My kid chose UMBC over UMD not only because of full merit but also because of the size of the school. Stayed in the dorm and was extremely happy. We are 40 minutes away from UMBC. This was before the pandemic.

Another kid chose UMD over UMBC mainly because they had an internship lined up at UMD. This kid also stays in the dorm. This is after the pandemic. We are 30 minutes away.

The UMBC kid rarely came home. The UMD kid comes home with his laundry almost every week. UMD feels more like a commuter school to me based on how often my kid is home!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:UMBC is an amazing school. Not commuter at all. Go and check out the campus. I loved it! My kid chose UMBC over UMD for full merit.

Same here. Amazing school and amazing program. My kid chose UMBC over UMD not only because of full merit but also because of the size of the school. Stayed in the dorm and was extremely happy. We are 40 minutes away from UMBC. This was before the pandemic.

Another kid chose UMD over UMBC mainly because they had an internship lined up at UMD. This kid also stays in the dorm. This is after the pandemic. We are 30 minutes away.

The UMBC kid rarely came home. The UMD kid comes home with his laundry almost every week. UMD feels more like a commuter school to me based on how often my kid is home!

OP and PP thanks for this post. I have had some similar questions about “commuter” schools around MD & VA. When I’ve tried posting in the past, I just got a lot of “I hear” its all commuters which is not helpful. This is confusing because 40% of undergrads live on campus. That is much higher than a lot of schools that people dont consider commuter. Nice to hear from an actual UMBC parent.

[Anonymous]

Re the commuter school aspect, 4000 living on campus,7000 commuter students. The place seems very empty on the weekends.

[Anonymous]

So is UMD also a commuter school? 8,400 of 24,000 live on campus. Trying to figure out what % on campus qualifies for commuter school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For a great computer science program, you should really look at GMU.

The others are not really known for their computer science program from what I understand.

You may have to focus on just a couple of your other questions because you gave too many in your initial post.

Is this first child who’s a senior? Do they have any gut feel on which of these they’d like to attend?

You forgot one of the more important questions, are they in-state in Virginia or Maryland?

Thank you. My first child is a junior and thinking about at schools to apply to. We are in VA but can afford OOS tuition in MD. DD is mixed. I am white and my husband is black. DD likes these schools due to their diversity as it pertains to black people. She understands that the students in the CS major won't be particularly diverse.

DS is at GMU in CS and has mentioned how diverse kids in his major are, mainly Asian I believe. He also sent a snap once of how there were only 2-3 girls in a class of 50 kids. Not sure that’s different elsewhere though. Unfortunately I don’t know the answers to your other questions. Maybe someone else will.

[Anonymous]

If I were African American I’d go to VCU.