CS student needs adult/peer advice, parents aren't helping
My college decision process has come down to two options, Georgia Tech or UCSB. My parents are COMPLETELY indifferent and I have no one to help me deliberate, please give me advice! I am COMPLETELY split 50/50 on these schools for the following reasons ⬇️
Georgia Tech is obviously EXCEPTIONAL for my major. It has a great startup culture from being near Tech Square in Atlanta, great coursework (threads), and great internship opportunties. My issue is that it is EXTREMELY rigorous from what I've heard, and students who attend are typically stressed and depressed. I have many ambitions outside of school (business, startups, side hustles) that I am already doing, and I think that too rigorous of a courseload would stop me from pursuing these things in terms of time. Another VERY important factor is my fit at the school, from the people I've met online from the co' 28 account, the student body at GT is VERY nerdy. I am not nerdy at all, very extroverted and social, and not very attached to my academic endeavors. All the people I met there are very nerdy (which is NOT a bad thing, just not the people I like to be around).
My other option is UCSB. This is like 2 hours away from home, and I have many friends who are going so I would room with people I know. Atlanta is UNCHARTED TERRITORY. I would have a car here, I love the beach, and the vibes when I visited were immaculate. I def want to rush and the party culture here is great, the social life is great, and people just seem very happy (contrary to the doom and gloom at GT). The CS program is good, not great, but good. I think I would have MUCH more time to dedicate to my other ambitions here. It is very small (10 to 1 student to faculty ratio) with only 175 new CS undergrads as freshman. I'm not sure whether this is a good thing or not, but typically I work better when I am closer to my teachers, which may be an advantage. However, the program is just not on the same level as GT, there are no real companies in Santa Barbara, and a very mid startup culture. I just feel like I would be much happier here.
PRICE IS MARGINALLY DIFFERENT, SO DO NOT CONSIDER THAT!