<p>I got accepted to Princeton. I did the whole preview weekend thing and it was great. However, I got accepted to Columbia and UPenn as well and when I visited those schools, I felt a much better fit for some reason. I just felt more comfortable and I enjoyed my time at those schools a lot more. Would it be stupid of me to attend Columbia or UPenn over Princeton (same fin aid). My family is pressuring me to go to Princeton (I think simply because of the name) and everyone is telling me Id be stupid to give up the opportunity to go there. Im so confused and stressed and I have to decide by this weekend! Will I regret turning down Princeton? </p>
<p>Any advice/input would be very much appreciated! Thanks!</p>
<p>It would definitely not be a mistake to attend Columbia or Penn. However, I also believe that were you to accept Princeton, you would find yourself extremely happy at the school. The teaching is extraordinary, as is the school’s dedication to providing the best possible undergraduate education. The students are generally nice, bright, collaborative and extremely happy. And although it’s not located in a big city, Princeton has a wonderful inclusive fun social life that revolves around the school (and NY and Philly are both fairly easy to get to if you need a big city fix).</p>
<p>The new chemistry building will provides great lab opportunities for undergraduates and is a major attraction for new faculty. See: [Princeton</a> University - New Chemistry Building reflects its environment](<a href=“http://www.princeton.edu/main/news/archive/S26/70/64C28/]Princeton”>New Chemistry Building reflects its environment) Read students comments about the molecular biology department. [Princeton</a> University - Department of Molecular Biology - Profiles](<a href=“Department of Molecular Biology”>Department of Molecular Biology) Most molecular biology department students obtain paid research internships and in the past 25 years over 160 undergraduates have co-authored significant research papers. Other areas popular with pre-med students include The Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, The Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, the Princeton Physical Sciences-Oncology Center, Engineering Biology, and Chemical and Biological Engineering. The Woodrow Wilson School’s Program in Global Health and Health Policy is outstanding. See: [Woodrow</a> Wilson School of Public and International Affairs | Program in Global Health and Health Policy (GHP)](<a href=“http://wws.princeton.edu/centers_programs/chw/program-in-global-health-/]Woodrow”>http://wws.princeton.edu/centers_programs/chw/program-in-global-health-/) The acceptance rate to med school has been 90% to 95%. </p>
<p>I am a little surprised that since you are from Maine that you would prefer Philadelphia or NYC. I liked the small town atmosphere of Princeton. After graduation I lived in Manhattan. I left after several years because I was tired of the polluted sky, the constant concern over personal safety, and the general hassle of NYC life. You might enjoy this. However, if you want to go to NYC you can take the train from the edge of the Princeton campus and be in NYC in a little over one hour. </p>
<p>In the past the freshman biology course was taught by Noble Prize winner Eric F. Wieschaus and MacArthur genius fellowship winner Bonnie Basler. My freshman physics professor later won a Nobel Prize. I can promise you that the pre-med courses will be challenging and interesting. The 6:1 faculty student ratio and the required office hours of the professors ensure that you will have the opportunity to meet with professors and ask questions. </p>
<p>Thank you so much for the replies and the information!</p>
<p>I do have another question: I visited Columbia one Monday (it was really nice out) and people were out on the steps, there was music playing, etc. Then we drove to Princeton. We got there around 4 or 5 and the campus was deserted. Was it just too late in the day or is that generally the feeling/atmosphere on campus? There were a lot of people around on the Preview days but I don’t know it that was just because it was a special event.</p>
<p>A lot of people talk about gut feeling when choosing schools, and based on what you have written it seems like your gut is telling you Columbia or UPenn. I would say choose Penn or Columbia. After all, it is you that will spending the next 4 years at whichever school you choose, and if one of them just seems right for you, choose it! Also, consider that Columbia and UPenn are both in large city settings while Princeton is in a very small town. Perhaps being in a city/metropolitan setting is a better fit for you. Columbia and Penn are GREAT schools as is Princeton. The differences among them, if any, are very small. Good luck!</p>
<p>I have actually never been to Princeton while school’s in session and seen a deserted campus. While Princeton is much more spread out than Columbia, on days when the weather is good, there are generally large groups of kids out playing frisbee, walking, sitting, hanging out etc.</p>
<p>At 4 or 5 in the afternoon classes are over. Student athletes are on the practice fields. Science students are still in a lab. Many students would be in their residential colleges squeezing in a hour of studying before dinner. </p>
<p>However, I am surprised that you did not see students throwing Frisbees, throwing a football around or walking back from a friend’s room. The difference may be the difference in the size of the Columbia vs. Princeton campus. A recent article in the NYT reported that Columbia has 194 sq ft per student. Princeton has over 1,000 sq ft per student. Princeton is spread out over 500 acres. If you want city life go to an urban school; if you would like to wonder through open spaces and walk along Lake Carnegie Princeton is your place. </p>
<p>Princeton emphasis is on undergraduate education. There is significant differences in the size of the universities. Columbia has 24,230 students. Princeton has only 7,592 students. Large vs. small. Big city vs. bucolic. Your choice.</p>
<p>Also, make sure you fully understand the academic requirements at all three schools, especially the Core at Columbia. The Core is a big positive for some, a negative for others.</p>
<p>I was accepted to yale, columbia, and penn. I chose penn because its campus was amazing and the students actually looked like they were having fun. My parents pushed hard for me to go to yale, but I chose penn. All three of schools you are accepted to are great. Go to the one that feels right. </p>
<p>FYI, I hated columbia. the only attraction for me when I visited was NYC, not the school. the core sucks, the people who work at the school are unfriendly, housing sucks, and the school itself seems bureaucratically dysfunctional. NYC`s pretty cool though.
regardless, they are all great schools. you won`t regret going to any of them.</p>
<p>This year my ultimate choice came down to Princeton and Yale and ultiimately chose Yale. I visited both a couple times and did preview at each.</p>
<p>With regard to Princeton, I got the same impression you did. It just always felt more dead and deserted than Yale. I just didn’t feel the same kind of energy that blew me away at Yale. I completely understand, though, why many people would much prefer the space, beauty and quiet of Princeton as a place to spend four years.</p>
<p>I would say definitely be awfully careful about turning down an environment which really grabs you for four years for some theoretical and marginal gain in “prestige”.</p>
<p>You probably can’t make a “wrong” decision here; they’re all wonderful schools. For what you’d like to study (Bio/Public Health), you’ll probably find the strongest programs at Princeton and at Columbia. However, I think I’ll have to agree (despite my bias towards Princeton) that you should go with your gut; go with what makes you feel most comfortable. Even if names are important to you (which they shouldn’t very much be), you can’t go wrong with any of these schools…</p>
<p>I generally tell kids to go with their gut. That said, if you are choosing Penn or Columbia because Princeton had fewer kids out and about, that’s a flawed data point influencing a big decision. There is somewhat less hustle and bustle, due to the suburban campus and the stretches of lawn, but in terms of groups of students hanging out together, it is my understanding that there’s actually more of that, and more easily found, at Princeton than either Penn or Columbia.</p>
<p>Columbia’s social atmosphere is very distinct. You have to want to get off campus. Penn’s is fun, as I understand it, but even more dominated by fraternities than Princeton by the eating clubs - since the eating clubs are generally more open to the whole student body.</p>
<p>Now, if you are saying that an urban environment feels better and more energizing to you, then by all means do not go to Princeton. The one person I knew who was unhappy there missed city life terribly, and wound up spending her junior year in London just to get her fix:).</p>