CS is limited enrollment at some universities & no guarantee to transfer in.

There may be an option to double major. A neighbor's kid double majored in math & CS, graduated in May '25, and moved out of the area to start a job in the summer.

Anonymous wrote:I think Physics and Mechanical Engineering are going to be less common than math or CS.

Not PO. My son likes aerospace engineering. But he was told it’s better to choose mechanic engineer. Someones sort of related to the industry said mechanic engineer can do what aerospace engineer does, but not verse vice. So, for undergraduate, ME is Bette Ethan AE. Is it true?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This question is important for us. If he chooses CS, most likely he will focus on public schools like GT, etc. because we don’t see it necessary to pay private school for CS. But for Applied Math, he will try some top private schools because they have different career options.

Split the baby. Apply to GT etc. for CS (I hope you know how hard this will be, public school or not) and apply to the privates for math. Don’t call it applied math. Just math.

Why math instead of Applied math? I had thought Applied math is better in job market ?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:CS will increasingly be in high demand in the coming years.

Didn’t recent news say that CS graduates are not hot in job market now?

Tell that to my May 2025 CS grad who's finding it impossible right now. Over-hiring during Covid and using AI as an excuse is real right now. It hopefully will improve but at the moment it's rough for most May 2025 grads across disciplines. There are many recent grads bartending, waiting, working in retail, Door Dashing right now.

Anonymous wrote:This question is important for us. If he chooses CS, most likely he will focus on public schools like GT, etc. because we don’t see it necessary to pay private school for CS. But for Applied Math, he will try some top private schools because they have different career options.

Split the baby. Apply to GT etc. for CS (I hope you know how hard this will be, public school or not) and apply to the privates for math. Don’t call it applied math. Just math.

Anonymous wrote:My junior is considering applying CS or Applied Math next year. He is taking the highest rigorous courses, including multi Cal and physics C. About top 5% in big public school. Should be NMSF. SAT should be good. He is an officer in a couple of programming /hackthon/CS clubs in school. Not sure whether he can be president next year. But he is not in USACO track, no math competition either. Internship is about general mechanic engineering, he used some programming and statistical skills in it. For this type of profile, which major is better for him to apply?

I'd go with CS.

I think Physics and Mechanical Engineering are going to be less common than math or CS.

This question is important for us. If he chooses CS, most likely he will focus on public schools like GT, etc. because we don’t see it necessary to pay private school for CS. But for Applied Math, he will try some top private schools because they have different career options.

Does he do anything fun? Play a sport? Go to parties? Talk to girls? Watch mindless TV/YouTube/TikTok videos?

I know this isn't the question and I hate to stereotype but I am picturing an Asian/Indian nerd. Good luck applying to schools that require interviews. Tell him to chill out and relax - it will serve him better in the long run. And remove yourself from the helicopter and get some hobbies of your own other than managing your child's life.

Anonymous wrote:My junior is considering applying CS or Applied Math next year. He is taking the highest rigorous courses, including multi Cal and physics C. About top 5% in big public school. Should be NMSF. SAT should be good. He is an officer in a couple of programming /hackthon/CS clubs in school. Not sure whether he can be president next year. But he is not in USACO track, no math competition either. Internship is about general mechanic engineering, he used some programming and statistical skills in it. For this type of profile, which major is better for him to apply?

Probably applied math, just because CS is that much more saturated. But neither is going to help him, being stereotypical male majors; the aim is to minimize the damage. Consider an ED app or going down a rung because of these majors.

In intended major is one of the last things your kids should be worried about right now. Unless it’s a direct admit to a business school or engineering, most schools don’t admit by major. I’d hate to think that a kid is making a decision at 16 that they have to live with st 23. Your kid WILL be a different person in 2 years.

Also, once your kid gets to school, they will spend the first year, taking courses that will help them better understand their strengths and what interests them. Also, depends on the school as to what some of the majors actually entail and the types of students in those majors. Applied Math at Brown is not the same as Applied Math at Va Tech. Brown likely has more business- focused pre-professional students taking Applied Math. Va Tech may have some people who actually like technology and math taking it.

Anonymous wrote:CS will increasingly be in high demand in the coming years.

Didn’t recent news say that CS graduates are not hot in job market now?

CS will increasingly be in high demand in the coming years.

I don’t think it matters much in terms of admissions. In terms of which major I feel like most kids would have (or very quickly once enrolled in role) have a preference for what course work interests them.

Applied math is really mostly math in my experience and in colleges w a pure math and math major the overlap is huge.

I mention that in case your computer loving kid is thinking applied math major is sort of “CS plus math” when it’s more “math with a sprinkle of cs.”

My junior is considering applying CS or Applied Math next year. He is taking the highest rigorous courses, including multi Cal and physics C. About top 5% in big public school. Should be NMSF. SAT should be good. He is an officer in a couple of programming /hackthon/CS clubs in school. Not sure whether he can be president next year. But he is not in USACO track, no math competition either. Internship is about general mechanic engineering, he used some programming and statistical skills in it. For this type of profile, which major is better for him to apply?