Navigating the Competitive Landscape of Computer Science Admissions: An Expert’s Approach
In 1996, I started my career as a Professor of Computer Science (CS) at Wellesley College. The CS department offered three full sections of Introduction to Programming at that time, and I routinely taught packed sections of Foundations of Computer Systems each fall and spring. Ten years later, the department struggled to fill two sections of the introductory course and had moved Foundations of Computer Systems to fall-only due to low enrollments. Students asked the department for help talking with their parents about their choice to major in computer science - parents were worried that their children would not have a job upon graduation due to outsourcing jobs to other countries! We prepared materials for students to share with their families to reassure them that the skills earned through a liberal arts education would be valuable, enduring, and transcend any academic discipline: critical thinking, communication, advocacy, writing, and problem-solving. Being liberally educated prepares students for a wide range of careers, including those that don’t yet exist.
The Computer Science Craze of the past Decade
Since 2008, computer science enrollments have exploded, more than tripling by 2015, and continue to skyrocket. As an example, the University of Wisconsin-Madison saw an 800% increase in computer science majors in one decade, growing from 200 to over 2,000 students from 2011 to 2021. The Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Washington experienced an over 400% increase in interest in a similar time frame. Unsurprisingly, it has become increasingly competitive to gain admission to schools as a computer science major.
How can students be strategic when applying to college intending to major in computer science?
The fundamentals of a successful college application process are not major-specific. I guide all students to:
form a strong understanding of themselves and their goals,
develop a balanced list of well-researched and good-fit colleges, and
prepare authentic, compelling applications demonstrating fit.
However, there are some unique considerations for the student intending to major in computer science.
Is a Major in Computer Science The Right Choice For Your Student?
One reason for this explosion of interest in computer science is the strong return on investment (ROI) of a computer science degree. College is expensive, and families want their children to be prepared to live independently in an uncertain world. However, choosing a major primarily because of solid job prospects post-graduation is misguided. A wiser approach is to identify the intersection of three factors:
What are the student’s talents?
What interests a student? What does a student enjoy? What gives them a sense of purpose and reward?
What types of jobs and opportunities may a student be prepared for? What potential compensation may a student anticipate?
Ignoring a student’s talents and interests often backfires. As a dean at elite institutions, I’ve supported countless students pursuing majors because they see a clear career path. When a student tells me that they hate their classes but are majoring in computer science or engineering to get a good job, I ask them to consider that this choice may lead to a job they hate and that they may be less successful than they could be otherwise. After all, success stems from passion.
“When a student tells me that they hate their classes but are majoring in computer science or engineering to get a good job, I ask them to consider that this choice may lead to a job they hate and that they may be less successful than they could be otherwise. ”
Letting Others Decide Your Major for You Can Backfire…
Sometimes, a student chooses a major because their parents value it, and they want to make their parents proud. I gently suggest that their parents will be proud if the student is happily and healthily successful, which is more likely if they choose to study something they enjoy and are good at. If a student’s talents don’t match their major, the future they (and their parents) envision may not materialize. A student who repeatedly struggles to pass or engage in required math and science classes has no path to an engineering degree. Their resulting messy academic record will negatively limit and impact future opportunities.
Just as pursuing a computer science major in college for the wrong reasons can backfire, applying to college as a computer science major for the wrong reasons can also backfire. The fundamentals of a successful college application process depend on authenticity. Students cannot develop a balanced list of good-fit colleges and prepare compelling applications demonstrating fit if they do not fully understand themselves and their goals. One of the first things I do when a family comes to me seeking help for their child to apply to college as a computer science major is determine if this is a true interest on the part of the student.
What does the student know about the field of computer science?
Has the student taken any CS courses?
What CS activities has the student engaged in?
What level of math has the student taken?
What are the student’s grades in CS and math classes?
Why does the student want to study computer science? Are these reasons founded on genuine interest, talent, and possible opportunities?
Developing your Computer Science “fingerprint”
Because CS is a discipline overrepresented in the applicant pool, admission as a CS major can be far more competitive than for other majors. Admission to schools as a CS major is supported with clear direction in the field reflected in activities, resume, and coursework: a strong CS “fingerprint.” Students who cannot show this strong CS “fingerprint” will likely experience poor application outcomes at schools.
As for all students, other key application components that strengthen an application differentiate students from applicants who otherwise “look like” them, such as:
— deep relationships with teachers reflected in excellent references
— unusual activities and courses
— outstanding essays
My students who have had excellent computer science application outcomes have written essays that show creative thinking and problem-solving in novel ways. This makes sense since, at its heart, computer science is about creative problem-solving. Their essays also reflect deep research and reference specific features (academic and extracurricular offerings) that make a school a good fit.
So, Should I Apply With Another Major Then?
I am often asked if it would boost a student’s chances to apply to college as a different major rather than computer science. If the student has a strong computer science “fingerprint,” the answer is NO. Admissions officers are savvy and will not believe that a student whose application screams interest in computer science without a hint of any interest in language or travel wants to major in Italian language, literature, and culture (a field which is not highly applied to and enrolled.) A student’s strongest chances of admission will always be through an authentic application. A second problem with this approach is that because the demand to major in computer science is so high, some schools have rigid ways to manage enrollments in the major and classes. Many schools admit students to a school or major at the time of application, and it may not be possible to switch between majors or schools. For instance, after matriculation, it is exceedingly difficult to move into the School of Computer Science from another school at Carnegie Mellon University.
“A student’s strongest chances of admission will always be through an authentic application.”
How to Develop your College Application List (Advice For Computer Science Students)
A balanced list of good-fit colleges is key to a successful college search process for all students. Balanced lists include schools with low, medium, and high chances of admission for a student. Admissions probabilities must reflect the saturated and competitive computer science admissions landscape.
Likewise, the Allen School at the University of Washington offers a top-ranked CS program where students are directly admitted at a rate of 7% in contrast to 52% for the UW's College of Engineering, which houses the Allen School. Any responsibly balanced list which includes CMU or UW must reflect that the admissions probability is unlikely for all students applying to these schools to study Computer Science.
Generally, a student applying to schools as a CS major should expect their schools’ admissions probability codings to be less hopeful than their peers applying to the same institutions with a different major. It is paramount to be realistic so that a student has options once admissions outcomes are released.
Computer science-focused students often target the most highly ranked, well-known computer science programs. Admission to these programs is unlikely for even exceptional students with clear CS “fingerprints.” Students will have more options if they are open-minded and look beyond obvious candidates.
Thinking Beyond “Computer Science”
Students will also have more options if they consider computer science-related majors such as:
computer engineering
electrical engineering
data science
robotics
geographic information systems (GIS)
human-computer interaction
computational biology
applied and computational mathematics
informatics
human factors engineering
digital arts and media
cognitive science
statistics and machine learning
Students may also consider complementing another major with a CS minor or CS-focused coursework.
What if My Student Doesn’t Have a Strong Background in Computer Science?
Students who do not have robust CS fingerprints or are uncertain about studying computer science and are genuinely interested in other disciplines should consider engaging in an undecided student-like search. In addition to the benefits of exploring possible majors while in college, such a student may have better admission outcomes than if they apply as a CS major. If the student has a genuine range of interests, there are many schools that would allow them to try out CS and other majors while in college.
What criteria should your child consider to identify good-fit CS programs?
Rankings do not determine fit.
Is the CS program at a college or a university? The type of institution will impact the student experience.
At a university:
In what school is the CS program? The School of Arts and Sciences? Engineering? Computer Science? Other?
Is it possible for students enrolled in different schools at the University to major in computer science?
How do students apply to a CS program at the University? Do students apply, and are they admitted directly to the CS major or program, like at Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Washington? Or, may students apply to the University with all majors available to them, like at MIT and Case Western University?
If not admitted directly to the computer science major, what is the process for a student to major in computer science? How difficult or easy is it? Is the number of computer science majors capped? Are there criteria for majoring in CS? If so, what are they?
What are the requirements for the major and the degree?
Case study: At Tufts University, students apply and are accepted to either the School of Arts and Sciences or Engineering. Students in both schools may major in CS. There are no caps on the number of CS majors. The major itself is virtually the same when pursued from either school. The one distinction in the major is that there is a year-long required senior capstone project in the School of Engineering. However, the degree requirements outside the major - beyond the major requirements - are significantly different in each school. Generally, students pursuing a BSCS in the School of Engineering must take more math and science courses, whereas students pursuing a BA/BS in Computer Science in the School of Arts and Sciences must take more humanities, arts, and social sciences courses, including foreign language. There is also a co-op program available to students majoring in CS in the School of Engineering but not the School of Arts and Sciences.
How many faculty members are in an institution's CS department? What type of research and labs do they support?
How many CS courses are offered? What are they? Your child should examine the course catalog at schools, identifying those of interest.
Are there specialization tracks available? What are they? Again, your child should examine the course catalog at schools, identifying those of interest.
Ask a current CS major how large their classes are and if they’ve had trouble getting a seat in a CS class. At some schools, getting a seat in a CS class is highly challenging. Do not underestimate this concern.
What can you learn about the diversity of the Computer Science department’s faculty and student body? Female students and students of color may be particularly interested in community members who share their identities. However, all students benefit from a diverse community.
Remember the big six college experiences linked to life preparedness and look for the potential for your child’s having these experiences:
Do students report having close relationships with faculty and mentors within the CS department?
How easy is it to do research with a CS professor?
What is the advising system for CS students?
Is there a CS co-op program?
What information does the Career Services Office provide about internships and job placement for CS majors?
Is there a required senior capstone project or thesis for the CS major?
What type of CS student organizations are available?
