NationStates Jolt Archive

Any alumni or current students? I'm thinking of applying to them this year (I'm a high school senior). Probably majoring in computer science and mathematics, although I'm not entirely sure ...
Opinons on any of them?

Probably majoring in computer science and mathematics
Good choices (that's what I did).

Opinons on any of them?
Bah, the One True Cambridge (that is, the English one) is superior to them all.

Good choices (that's what I did).


Bah, the One True Cambridge (that is, the English one) is superior to them all.

Well, if I get into MIT, I can spend a year there, they have an exchange program :)

No matter where you end up going, welcome to New England.

Well, if I get into MIT, I can spend a year there, they have an exchange program :)
My brother tried to get on the MIT exchange program, but failed. Now that he's staying in Cambridge, he's running for president of the union (I am shocked at how he has become part of the Establishment), so I guess it turned out well.

Any alumni or current students? I'm thinking of applying to them this year (I'm a high school senior). Probably majoring in computer science and mathematics, although I'm not entirely sure ...
Opinons on any of them?
I'm a current student (freshman) at Dartmouth and let me just tell you... this place is awesome. Even though college is inevitably a psychological and emotional rollercoaster, even at the bottoms of it all--when I'm stressed out with a whole bunch stuff due suddenly, relationship trouble, etc. when I go outside I feel extremely satisifed being here.

One thing thats unique about Dartmouth is how tight-knit the community is. You aren't gonna find that anywhere else, I'm almost certain. Everyone is willing to help you with anything. Which is crazy, when I first got there carrying my large number of stuff to a dorm that is unforutnately very far away from the bus stop, everyone offered to help me, both find it and carry all my stuff down there. But you can only see it if you visit Dartmouth. So visit Dartmouth. If it clicks you'll know you have to be here, if it doesn't then it probably won't ever click.

And they do have the Oxford exchange program here, as well as plenty of others (I think Dartmouth has one of the largest exchange programs in the US)... I'm gonna go for the University of Copenhangen program next year.

Anything else I can say about Dartmouth? I need a break from studying for my math mid-term.

No matter where you end up going, welcome to New England.

Thank you, it actually happens to be the region where I was born. ;)

Thank you, it actually happens to be the region where I was born. ;)

An excellent choice for your birthplace.

I'm a current student (freshman) at Dartmouth and let me just tell you... this place is awesome. Even though college is inevitably a psychological and emotional rollercoaster, even at the bottoms of it all--when I'm stressed out with a whole bunch stuff due suddenly, relationship trouble, etc. when I go outside I feel extremely satisifed being here.

One thing thats unique about Dartmouth is how tight-knit the community is. You aren't gonna find that anywhere else, I'm almost certain. Everyone is willing to help you with anything. Which is crazy, when I first got there carrying my large number of stuff to a dorm that is unforutnately very far away from the bus stop, everyone offered to help me, both find it and carry all my stuff down there. But you can only see it if you visit Dartmouth. So visit Dartmouth. If it clicks you'll know you have to be here, if it doesn't then it probably won't ever click.

And they do have the Oxford exchange program here, as well as plenty of others (I think Dartmouth has one of the largest exchange programs in the US)... I'm gonna go for the University of Copenhangen program next year.

Anything else I can say about Dartmouth? I need a break from studying for my math mid-term.

I understand Dartmouth is the smallest Ivy League school ... is your major math? Do you know much about their comp. science department?

I understand Dartmouth is the smallest Ivy League school ... is your major math? Do you know much about their comp. science department?
Well you don't declare a major until sophomore year, but I'm thinking of Math & Social Sciences (ie. sort of like Statistics) with a minor in English. However I may just modify a normal math major into Statistics. But either way I'm taking a lotta math courses.

I know a little bit about the comp sci department... what specifically would you like to know?

Any alumni or current students? I'm thinking of applying to them this year (I'm a high school senior). Probably majoring in computer science and mathematics, although I'm not entirely sure ...
Opinons on any of them?
Unless you're stuck on the self-awe that radiates from Ivy League schools, think about Georgia Tech, Johns Hopkins, or Indiana. There are any number of good to superior schools that aren't as stuck on themselves as the four you have mentioned.

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Incidentally, the state universities in Georgia have a widespread international exchange program. One of my daughters has spent an year in Japan and a summer in Germany at in-state tuition prices --- the exchanges are all at in-state rates, regardless of your regular rate. There are any number of exchanges with well-known European universities in just about any curriculum you can think of.

Well you don't declare a major until sophomore year, but I'm thinking of Math & Social Sciences (ie. sort of like Statistics) with a minor in English. However I may just modify a normal math major into Statistics. But either way I'm taking a lotta math courses.

I know a little bit about the comp sci department... what specifically would you like to know?

Hmmm ... do they do artificial intelligence research? Just something I'm interested in ...

Unless you're stuck on the self-awe that radiates from Ivy League schools, think about Georgia Tech, Johns Hopkins, or Indiana. There are any number of good to superior schools that aren't as stuck on themselves as the four you have mentioned.
Of the four only Harvard is "stuck on" itself.

Of the four only Harvard is "stuck on" itself.
I don't know. I have a few dealings with Lincoln Labs/MIT and those folks are rather "self-assured", as well. Of course, here in Georgia, we refer to them as the Georgia Tech of the north. Or just Yankees for short.

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By the way, I do have a child attending Boston University, so I'm not all that bigoted.

Unless you're stuck on the self-awe that radiates from Ivy League schools, think about Georgia Tech, Johns Hopkins, or Indiana. There are any number of good to superior schools that aren't as stuck on themselves as the four you have mentioned.

[edit]
Incidentally, the state universities in Georgia have a widespread international exchange program. One of my daughters has spent an year in Japan and a summer in Germany at in-state tuition prices --- the exchanges are all at in-state rates, regardless of your regular rate. There are any number of exchanges with well-known European universities in just about any curriculum you can think of.

Well, it's also a location thing for me ...

Hmmm ... do they do artificial intelligence research? Just something I'm interested in ...
Well, Dartmouth has comprehensive interdisplinary studies of the topic. You can approach AI, from the purely technical point of view, as well as the psychological cognitive viewpoint. Besides we have a cognitive sciences department (which is actually linguistics and cognitive sciences), which can easily be connected to AI.

As far as research goes, I'm sure you'd be able to find it easily. If you ask the proffessor of the AI course, it is very likely he'll be working on or know of an ongoing project about it. Though I don't know for sure about that specifc field, I do know there are plenty of undergrad research oppurtunities around here.

I just like to remind people that there are other places to be educated. I don't have anything against Boston-area schools. I would rather go there than to an NYU or Columbia.

I just like to remind people that there are other places to be educated. I don't have anything against Boston-area schools. I would rather go there than to an NYU or Columbia.

Then by all means, make a thread about it.

I don't know. I have a few dealings with Lincoln Labs/MIT and those folks are rather "self-assured", as well. Of course, here in Georgia, we refer to them as the Georgia Tech of the north. Or just Yankees for short.

[edit]
By the way, I do have a child attending Boston University, so I'm not all that bigoted.
Well, ok, but how many arrogant Dartmouth alumni have you met?

Bah, the One True Cambridge (that is, the English one) is superior to them all.

Oxford is far superior.

Well, ok, but how many arrogant Dartmouth alumni have you met?
Not a single one. In fact, I'm not sure I've ever met any. I guess that's your point, huh?

Not a single one. In fact, I'm not sure I've ever met any. I guess that's your point, huh?
Well, Dartmouth alumni don't find it necessary to mention the college they graduated from in every conversation, unlike Harvard alumni...

Well, Dartmouth alumni don't find it necessary to mention the college they graduated from in every conversation, unlike Harvard alumni...
Good for them. I should try to learn from that.

I don't have anything against Boston-area schools. I would rather go there than to an NYU or Columbia.
Ya, BC is high upon my list. Only advantage I see to go to Columbia over a Boston-area school is that the commute home is a lot less strenuous on me.

Well, Dartmouth alumni don't find it necessary to mention the college they graduated from in every conversation, unlike Harvard alumni...

Incidentally, both of my parents are Dartmouth alums.

I'm in my freshman year at Georgia Tech.

Incidentally, both of my parents are Dartmouth alums.

I'm in my freshman year at Georgia Tech.
Why didnt you choose to go to Dartmouth?

By the way, I do have a child attending Boston University, so I'm not all that bigoted.
what year/major?

Oh, and don't go to harvard (they're one of our hockey rivals in the beanpot)

what year/major?

Oh, and don't go to harvard (they're one of our hockey rivals in the beanpot)
CFA/Graduates This Year!!!!!

CFA/Graduates This Year!!!!!
CFA?! daaaaamn. she must be very talented. Congrats (does that work here?) on her being so close to graduation.

I'm soph. in SED for English Secondary ed.

CFA?! daaaaamn. she must be very talented. Congrats (does that work here?) on her being so close to graduation.

I'm soph. in SED for English Secondary ed.
Yes. We are very happy. Thanks.

What about the other Ivys such as University of Pennsylvania.

I couldn't resist putting my own plug in. Go wherever you think is best. I really don't know much about any of the other schools. The only ivy schools I was interested in were Penn and Harvard, but Harvard seemed too stuck on itself so I didn't apply. Same goes for MIT. I'm talking from a graduate student perspective which is a little differen't. I like Penn and Philly is a good city. But a lot of the undergrads are spoiled rich kids and the Wharton students tend to be arrogant and greedy (but hey that's investment banking for you). Not sure any of those schools would be much different.

Why didnt you choose to go to Dartmouth?

It's too far away, we live in florida now.

Besides, I'm into engineering.

MIT is the strongest program, without question. The next question for you is, if you are an American citizen, what would you do with a Computer Science degree? Offshoring is a big problem.

MIT is the strongest program, without question. The next question for you is, if you are an American citizen, what would you do with a Computer Science degree? Offshoring is a big problem.
I think that's a mixed problem. If you are doing routine programming where you just develop from specifications that others write, your job might be sent offshore. If you work on R&D, there is no way it will. Without intending any offense to Indian programmers, they just don't work the same way as Americans. American programmers are, by far, the most ingenious when it comes to _new_ development. Especially in the "easy to read" category. That's one of the things that makes it so easy to turn over to offshore programming houses.

I am working as a programmer developing image processing algorithms for genetic chip analysis. I was hired after the dozen or so Indian contractors spent three years failing to accomplish what I've accomplished alone in two months.

I went to MIT -- and actually had a sort of hybrid major between math and comp sci. It was part of the math department, but substituted out most of the "applied math" courses and allowed theoretical computer science instead. The Comp Sci department also has divisions allowing you to focus the kind of Comp Sci you are studying (EE and CS are in the same department). There are a lot of opportunites for undergraduate research. Many for credit, some for pay, especially if you are in the federal workstudy program. And, if you want to do a full double major, there is a general math major that is very customizable (its requirements are essentially most of the basic courses, plus 8 higher-level math courses. There aren't details about the higher-level courses, just that they need to be above the basics.) I found there is a great ability to find your own niche, socially, and there are a lot of different communities within MIT. I picked it because I love the MIT sense of humor, and I actually found very few people who were "stuck" on themselves in my sub-community of the school. I'm sure there were a bunch in some other circles, but I didn't really have to deal with them if I didn't seek them out. One of the best things you can do is, when you visit MIT, sit in on some lower-level math and CS classes (18.01, 18.02, 18.06 for math; 6.042 or 6.046, 6.045 if you are interested in AI) and see how it feel. Also, walk around the dorms either with one student or with no one giving you "tours" and just see what goes on in kitchens and lounges.