<p>I was accepted into Northeastern with a full ride as part of a new program they are doing this year. I was also accepted into Bekeley. I am going to be majoring in some science. Where should i go?? I know the UC system is not the best right now and only 1/5 of classes at Berkeley are taught by professors but it has the name and is a great school! Help!</p>
<p>Berkeley, clearly. The benefits way outweigh the problems, the course is 100000 times better, especially in the sciences, and your degree will pay you back a trillion times more than one from Northeastern. Northeastern is good, but Berkeley is way way better, DO NOT pass up this fantastic opportunity that has been given to you.</p>
<p>Why do you say Berkeley is so much better? I have heard that it is easy to get papers published at Northeastern, which is good for grad school. What opportunities would i have at berkeley that i would not have at northeastern? I would love to hear some more of your thoughts.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t just pick a school because it is more prestigious. I am in the same boat as you being between NYU and Northeastern. When I went to visit NYU I found the population was pretentious and not what I felt comfortable in. Honestly, the best advice I can give is to visit each campus and decide where you feel right. My friend said the perfect thing yesterday to me: you have to go to a school that you like and feel comfortable in because when you are happy you tend to be at your best, including in the classroom. If you’re enjoying your life then you will be more productive and get better grades. This same friend was forced into going to Bucknell by his parents, hated everyone there and fell into depression. He ended up transferring to not as good of a college but liking it better and getting much better grades. (St. Joes in Philadelphia)</p>
<p>I second droglieri. I wouldn’t pick a school that’s more prestigious. IMO, that’s a really stupid thing to do. If a school gives you a full scholarship, it means that they KNOW you’re going to do well there and that you have a high compatibility with the school… They don’t give out full scholarships to just about anyone. I attended a financial aid seminar and they said that you should go to the school that gives you the most scholarship, because if they want you to be there, chances are that you would succeed. </p>
<p>Also, Northeastern has a program named Co-op, that builds your resume while you study, which allows you to have a higher advantage over other students(even if they’re from super prestigious schools). You can choose to work ANYWHERE in the world(you can work in Russia, China, Germany, France, etc), at amazing companies such as Google, Apple, Microsoft(I believe there’s a MS office in Cambridge), Raytheon, medical centers, etc. There were a lot of students that were hired into hospitals(even when they graduated not too long ago), that usually don’t hire students. Also, NEU has small classes and highly devoted professors that really want you to succeed. Berkeley? Not really. Their ochem class has a size of over 1200 students, it’s harder to get rec letters for grad school, and the professors don’t even teach. Although it’s a good school, I think it’s harder to succeed at Berkeley.</p>
<p>Also, the school size is relatively large but not as big as Berkeley, which lets you mingle with the people you get along well with but not feel swept up in the crowd. </p>
<p>I visited NEU yesterday and I literally fell in love with the town and school. I’m sure you’ll love it there too! The campus is so beautiful, and the city is so amazing. If you’re in honors, you will be living in the International Village, and don’t even get me started about how freaking gorgeous the dorm is! First floor is cafeteria, which is a buffet-style restaurant with all sorts of food(from pizza to sushi to pasta to hamburger to frozen yogurt to smoothies), and there’s also a jamba juice in the building. Second floor is the gym, and since IV is their newest building, they have really clean interior and there’s a beautiful park inside the dorm! </p>
<p>In conclusion, COME TO NEU! It’s awesome. :)</p>
<p>Ya i have definitely been leaning towards Northeastern but i wanted to hear some other people’s thoughts. I think i would do better in a school where i can actually talk to the professors, and Northeastern would be good for that. I know you guys said prestige doesnt matter but i was wondering if anybody on that side of the country could tell me how employers or grad schools view Northeastern. Not many people on the west coast have even heard of Northeastern.</p>
<p>Well, anywhere outside of New England will be harder to get the recognition. I’m from the southeast, and no one knows of Northeastern either. This hasn’t changed my experience at all EXCEPT for recruitment at top employers for graduation. I’ll be honest with you- there are some companies that ONLY recruit at schools like Harvard, Stanford, Wash U, etc. They claim that other schools can submit resumes, but that rarely ever works (I work in HR at one of these such companies). Northeastern’s lesser name isn’t the reason why it’s hard to get into recruitment at those companies though, it’d be the same for BC, BU, even NYU sometimes. Berkeley on the other hand is a top recruiting school for the west coast.</p>
<p>But outside of that small ground of absolute top companies (in my head, I’m thinking Bain, McKinsey, etc consulting firms), it doesn’t matter much. I’m sure I could get a job back home much easier than any of my friends at big schools there even though they are ranked higher and known more. Most employers would see the co-op jobs and go nuts, rather than see you went to a named school but didn’t do any work.</p>
<p>That’s true, but NEU’s rankings are going up continually 
Who cares about the name value of Undergrad though? If you go to NEU, you’ll get into good grad schools, and with Co-op, that’s very possible.</p>
<p>The name value of undergrad does matter sometimes, and it’s usually when your desperate the most. It’s a little too carefree to claim it never matters.</p>
<p>For example with grad school: a big name school could (and usually does) mean that top researchers work there. Then you could work with them or people who know them, and get excellent recommendations for grad school. A big part of grad school admissions is where your recommenders went to school, how much sway they have over admissions, how much their opinion matters in the field, etc. Named schools usually have better funding, so they get more interns. There are plenty of reasons why it could be better to go to a higher ranked school. </p>
<p>But if there are other circumstances (like Berkeley’s low prof amount, bad funding, etc), this could be different. My point is just that you SHOULD take into consideration the rank, even if you don’t (and shouldn’t) base your whole decision on it.</p>
<p>I have talked to some people in the Chemistry department at Northeastern and they have said that there are always a few people each year who go to top notch grad schools (MIT, Stanford, etc.). Do you guys know how true that is? Also, neuchimie, I have also heard from people totally unrelated to Northeastern that for grad school the name of your undergraduate program doesnt matter, what matters is what you do while there.</p>
<p>Berkeley, hands down. Come to California! Assuming you are OOS, a Berkeley acceptance is a big deal, even my in-state friends with awesome stats (and ECs) got rejected from Berkeley but got into other high powered schools (Cornell, Stanford, etc). Berkeley sciences are world renowned, and I agree with those who say don’t go just for the prestige, but Berkeley’s rep will get you very far. My cousin hasn’t even graduated yet and has been flown all around the country to be recruited and interviewed, all expenses paid by companies like Microsoft etc. (He is doing EECS, obviously). Come visit, and see which you prefer! Rank and prestige aren’t everything, but there’s a reason people regard Berkeley highly!</p>
1 Like
<p>Your success in life will not be determined by the name of the school you attend. However, graduating with a ton of debt COULD drag you down during the most productive years of your life. A full ride is a big deal unless you are wealthy or Berkeley is offering you a strong financial package also. And Co-op is a big deal. Too many people forget that financing should be a critical part of your decision. </p>
<p>Finally, Northeastern is no run-of-the-mill college. It is a very selective private university that has grown by leaps and bounds in facilities, diversity, funding, and reputation. It has not reached Berkeley, but it is still a strong choice.</p>
<p>In general, that’s the assumption about grad school. Having a “name” school won’t get you into or prevent you from getting into any grad school. You’re right- WHAT you do matters a lot more.</p>
<p>I was merely pointing out that sometimes a rank is an indicator for what you can do. A school with a really weak department will have less research, no known professors, possibly an unsupportive department, etc. But there are some schools that aren’t big overall, but have top notch departments. It takes research into the departments and professors to really be sure.</p>
<p>I don’t know anything about the chemistry placements. I know for economics the highest we’ve ever gotten is UNC Chapel Hill- but obviously chemistry and economics are completely different subjects.</p>
<p>This is post is of epic length even for me, but you’re the first poster ever on these boards to express an interest in research, so I couldn’t help myself.</p>
<p>Berkeley is one of the best public schools in this country, and in the science world, it’s pretty top-tier. In the academic science world, Northeastern really isn’t much of anything. You mention employers, but if you’re honestly thinking graduate school, “employers” are all academics, and they’re an unusual bunch. They aren’t going to be as regionally biased as others, and their biases are going to be based on the research reputation, not the overall reputation. Usually I might say, “do you want to live in California, or in the east coast?” when comparing west vs east schools. But the regional bias is a little less significant in academia (ask an east coast scientist what the top molecular biology schools are? Probably going to hear something like UCSF, Harvard, Hopkins, and UChicago. A west coast scientist would say something similar).</p>
<p>I agree with you and neuchimie-- it tends to be more important what you do, not where you went to school. I always say that to the pre-meds that stop by these forums. However, when your goal is to go into science phd programs, where you do your research DOES matter. A bigger research institution is going to have a better group of scientists, with better funding, and more opportunities.</p>
<p>A few things matter in graduate admissions. In this order.</p>
<p>1) Research experience. Quality, substantial research experience. First, a publication is not necessarily indicative of substantial research, so don’t believe the hype about where it’s “easier” to publish. It is a cherry-on-top, and it will help you stand out, but not having a publication as an undergrad is more the norm, and plenty of people have really incredible research experience that didn’t result in a paper. In my experience, a publication involves a ton of time (mine took two years), dedication (how much do you enjoy failing at the same exact 3-day experiment dozens of times?), and luck (landing a position with a supportive mentor who has a pub-bound project that (s)he lets you work on). You can get solid research as an NU student both through co-op at one of the nearby big-names (Harvard/MIT/Dana Farber/MGH) or through on campus labs. However, to stand out in graduate admissions, you’re better off seeking out a big-name than a northeastern lab.</p>
<p>2) Letters of recommendation. Stellar ones. The kids from big-name schools, or kids who landed coveted summer research programs (google it) will have letters from better-known scientists. Research is not without its politics-- a letter from a well-known scientist holds weight. One Stellar letter is generally sufficient (once people find that stellar mentor, they stick with them, as I did), while the other two just need to be good.</p>
<p>Berkeley certainly has these “famous” scientists. Northeastern does not. However, it’s also more difficult to earn a spot in a berkeley lab than it tends to be at NU. That’s a benefit of NU… you can get into a lab on-campus, then leverage this into a position for co-op and work your way up the ladder. (However, I DO know there is some excellent research going on at northeastern in some of the more chem/nanotech related fields, but the quality overall doesn’t compare to bigger research institutions).</p>
<p>3) GPA. The kids you mentioned, who get into top-notch grad programs, are the jerks who set my curve in biochemistry. They’re smart, and they’re excellent students. They also were very dedicated to research and because of it, were able to score spots in great labs. GPA is not nearly as important as research. A good GPA is meaningless if you don’t have the research. But, a bad GPA will keep you out of graduate school.</p>
<p>4) Personal statement that effectively shows your passion and dedication to the tedious and frustrating world of lab science, which is complemented by a strong research background.</p>
<p>Which do I think you should choose? Oof. You have a full-ride at northeastern (congrats), so I assume you’re going to rock college academically, and will be able to find some great research opportunities, and a student like that from NU can do really well in graduate admissions. But, compared to berkeley, which is a badass school, in a cool area, with a super-solid science department? I dunno man.</p>
<p>Also- don’t underestimate the difference in locations. Going from California (I’m from Florida) to Boston is not “oh it’ll just be a little colder and I get to see snow”. People legit get depressed in the winter here because of lack of sunlight. On the other hand, some people can’t imagine living farther than two hours from ski slopes (which I guess Berkeley technically is too…).</p>
<p>Hey im just here to let everyone know I officially chose Northeastern! After talking to someone who does hiring for Stanford (turned down caltech for University of Redlands and went to Stanford for grad school) , I learned that research experience is much more important than the name of the school for your undergraduate degree. Since it is easier to get into a lab at Northeastern and the fact that I can get job experience in school, we both agreed it would be a better fit. For anyone who replied on here that goes to Northeastern, I hope to see you in the fall!</p>
<p>Yay I’m glad you picked NEU, good choice! I’ll be seeing you next fall!</p>
<p>Where did you decide to attend if you don’t mind sharing?</p>
<p>Didn’t see the page 2 before I posted that… Congratulations on your decision! I’ll see you there, CS major myself. Go to NEU and never look back, best of luck on your undergrad and grad school endeavors. Maybe I’ll see you at Stanford in 4 years too ;). Check out the NEU facebook app if you haven’t.</p>
<p>Congratulations!</p>