best college for computer science major

[Skip Montanaro]

    Laura> There is _something_ _seriously_ _wrong_ if it doesn't make a
    Laura> difference where you study.

At the graduate level, I'd agree with you.  At the undergrad level I suspect
it depends more on which particular professors/instructors you get and how
strong your internal motivation is.

When schools are ranked it is generally on the strength of their research
and graduate programs, not on the strength of their undergrad programs.  For
someone to suggest that CMU and MIT are the best CD schools generally
reflects those schools' research reputation, not how well they teach people.
As you point out, it also completely ignores the fact that all departments
specialize.

To the OP, you asked a horribly underqualified question, even the second
time around.  I hope the responses give you some food for thought.  In
addition, unless you've got a 4.0, SAT scores near 1600, marvelously
well-rounded extracurricular activities and maybe a mom or dad who's an
influential alum, your time will probably be better spent applying to
schools other than those mentioned in this thread: Stanford, Berkeley, CMU,
MIT, Cornell, etc. ;-)

-- 
Skip Montanaro
skip at pobox.com