Recommend me a well-rounded college

IconBasser · #1 03-15-2008, 10:00 PM

well, I'm nearing the end of my junior year of High School, and the college search is on.

I've got 3 ideas for majors: Music, Psychology, and Computer science.

obviously, these pretty much cover the entire spectrum of human possibility, so I'd like a college that is well developed in all three ares so that I can switch majors if I spontaneously change my mind.

with this detail in mind, it would seem that the only option left is a (very) large university. Please correct me if this is a misconception.

oh, I'd also rather not go to school in California, for undisclosed reasons.

so... what do you suggest?

JonathanD · #2 03-15-2008, 10:04 PM

If you do not know exactly what you want to go to college for then you will just be wasting your time IMO. If you can get someone else to pay for your partying then its no skin off your back, but if you are taking out loans, maybe think again.
Jonathan

JNowiski · #3 03-15-2008, 10:04 PM

peterbright · #4 03-15-2008, 10:04 PM

Out of state tuition is a killer. You might want to reconsider CA.

IconBasser · #5 03-15-2008, 10:14 PM

ick...

well, whatever, suggest some from California then.

JNowiski · #6 03-15-2008, 10:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IconBasser

ick...

well, whatever, suggest some from California then.

...

IconBasser · #7 03-15-2008, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JonathanD

If you do not know exactly what you want to go to college for then you will just be wasting your time IMO. If you can get someone else to pay for your partying then its no skin off your back, but if you are taking out loans, maybe think again.
Jonathan

yeah, I know.

the dilemma lies in the fact that I am very interested in music, psych., and comp sci. I just don't know which one I like the most...

I mean, I took the AP programming class last year, aced it and loved it.

I'm studying psychology with the psychology teacher in his spare time (I'm gonna officially take the class next year), and I love it.

I've been in jazz band since 7th grade. Again, music is a passion.

whichever I choose to apply myself to, I'd like the comfort of knowing that I can switch majors without any ignominious repercussions.

hbarcat · #8 03-15-2008, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IconBasser

I've got 3 ideas for majors: Music, Psychology, and Computer science.

If your goal is to get the best education that you can in your major so that you can do that as a career, then you need to choose one and find a school that is a good match for that one major. If you don't know what you want to do, then it's pointless to spend money on a prestigious school trying to learn in three different areas at the same time. Just pick some competent school in a location that you like and learn the basics for a couple of years and you will have a better idea of what you want to concentrate on and you can transfer to a more specialized college.

BassManPatsFan · #9 03-15-2008, 10:53 PM

I was going to ask what calibre of school you're looking at attending, but your use of "ignominious" gave that away.

I'm just kidding. Seriously though, do you have any schools in mind? If you give us one or two I'm sure that would make things easier.

Eric Cioe · #10 03-15-2008, 11:59 PM

Look at private schools. Sure, they look more expensive on paper, but they usually have huge endowments and can afford to give you grants to make tuition very much like a state school.

If you're a smart guy, why don't you look at the top 20 colleges in the US and pick a few of them? Those schools generally have really good programs for everything. The Ivies, Stanford, MIT, Chicago, Northwestern, Duke, Michigan, Berkeley, maybe Rice ... all are fine schools, and most of them have good programs in just about everything.

JimB52 · #11 03-16-2008, 05:52 AM

Check out Wesleyan in Middletown, CT.

Mark Latimour · #12 03-16-2008, 05:54 AM

I believe this College, although somewhat small in size, is one of the most well-rounded in the USA:

werbo1 · #13 03-16-2008, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimB52

Check out Wesleyan in Middletown, CT.

I'm gonna plus one this one, and not only because I go there!

Great Psych program, lots of cool research going on.
For a liberal arts school, Surprisingly good Computer Science dept, with grad program.
VERY GOOD music program...Anthony Braxton is a great jazz player, and there are killer experimental music and ethnomusicology programs.

Scarlet Fire · #14 03-16-2008, 12:38 PM

Have you tried asking a guidance counselor? They probably know you a lot better than we do. If not, sign up on the Princeton Review website (not affiliated with Princeton University) or the College Board website and take the profilers there. Those can give you a broad idea.

Which college you go to is highly dependent on more than just the academic strength. Yeah, College X might be the best in the world for Comp. Sci., but if you're miserable with the social scene there, is it worth it?

IconBasser · #15 03-16-2008, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scarlet Fire

Have you tried asking a guidance counselor? They probably know you a lot better than we do. If not, sign up on the Princeton Review website (not affiliated with Princeton University) or the College Board website and take the profilers there. Those can give you a broad idea.

Which college you go to is highly dependent on more than just the academic strength. Yeah, College X might be the best in the world for Comp. Sci., but if you're miserable with the social scene there, is it worth it?

I don't believe in choosing a facility for the insubstantial joy of a few good parties. I'm paying for an education, and an education is what I want, more than any other negligible detail.

Spoiled Grape · #16 03-16-2008, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IconBasser

I don't believe in choosing a facility for the insubstantial joy of a few good parties. I'm paying for an education, and an education is what I want, more than any other negligible detail.

Don't be so quick to brush off your social scene. For the most part, your education is what you put into it. The social scene at most colleges gives students an outlet for what equals out to a ton of oppressed emotion from tons of schoolwork and stress.

jrthebassguy · #17 03-16-2008, 02:53 PM

University Of Texas at Austin is a pretty awesome school, you should put them into your consideration set.

werbo1 · #18 03-16-2008, 03:17 PM

Agreed. College is about getting a great education, but you need to have a good social scene to let everything out. I'd be dead if I didn't have cool people to hang out with who share a lot of the same interests as me.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spoiled Grape

Don't be so quick to brush off your social scene. For the most part, your education is what you put into it. The social scene at most colleges gives students an outlet for what equals out to a ton of oppressed emotion from tons of schoolwork and stress.

tplyons · #19 03-16-2008, 04:07 PM

If you're looking at private institutions, in-state vs. out-of-state doesn't matter in the slightest. My college has all of those programs, psycology and CS being pretty good, music being great. Problem is that the name barely carries out of Eastern PA.

Eric Cioe · #20 03-16-2008, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IconBasser

I don't believe in choosing a facility for the insubstantial joy of a few good parties. I'm paying for an education, and an education is what I want, more than any other negligible detail.

It isn't just about parties. The social scene at my school has the reputation of being extremely dorky. Most of my good social memories from school revolve around me and a few good buddies smoking pipes on a fire escape or a deck and talking about things, or the people in my dorm talking about Plato. Pretty low key, and it certainly fits me a lot better than going to parties all the time, but the social scene here is a pretty good fit for me. It isn't about how big the parties are, but about how well the social scene fits you.