[throwaway7819]

I've talked to people at Z, and it seems like the CS program is fairly standard and on the whole pretty good.

I think that, given that I have a lot of family and friends in the area, I might have an easier time getting started socially at Z. But at the same time, I grew up out of state and have never lived there so I can't be sure for sure.

Thanks for taking the time to write a thoughtful reply!

[superhuzza]

One thing I'd like to point out - carefully consider whether having friends and family in the area is actually what you want.

Going to university should be all about new experiences, and those can often be quite limited by your previous connections. Meeting an entirely new group of people, having to be more independent (in terms of living, socially and work), and a "blank slate" are all really important for growing as a person.