<p>I am transferring universities and i'm trying to decide on a school to my degree for the next two years. I want a school with a great undergraduate program for mathematics and a a good chance of landing a good paying job upon graduation. U.S News ranks Boston University # 41 and University of Rochester # 32. I know the Benefits and drawbacks of a smaller school vs. a larger school. I also know Boston University is located in not only a city but a college town and there is a lot to do. Give me your opinion on the best overall school for a math degree.</p>
<p>US News ranks BU’s graduate math program as 46 while rochester’s is ranked 68. Other than that I can’t really tell you much about the programs.</p>
<p>have you already been accepted to both?></p>
<p>@Ctesiphon Yes, I need to make a decision soon and I can’t find much information in terms of which school has a better undergraduate mathematics programs. </p>
<p>@Vlklngboy11 I am looking for undergraduate rankings, Masters school doesn’t matter if you are an undergraduate at that school. I do know That Both schools have great professors though but UR is suited more towards research.</p>
<p>doubt there is much of a difference. look for professors/fit etc. Since your doing math at a private university, see which one has the smaller class size. </p>
<p>I think you’d get a lot more personal attention from professors at Rochester. Rochester has better students. </p>
<p>My neighbor is a BU science professor. He doesn’t think highly of the undergrads. None of his kids went there. He has a higher regard for the BU Academy kids (a private HS for gifted students within the univeristy) than for the undergrads. </p>
<p>@ClassicRockerDad This may be the wrong way to think about it but if I’m a hardworking student and I go to BU wouldn’t I stand out and get the high grades? If I went to RU mostly everyone is a hard worker (Many of them attending because they couldn’t afford the Ivy leagues) wouldn’t I get a lower GPA than normal? </p>
<p>I understand the RU has a better reputation than BU, however BU is a better known school because of it’s size and that it accepts many international students.</p>
<p>In the end does it matter? Will an employer ever see that I went to Boston and decide that I’m lazy?</p>
<p>It doesn’t matter. Both are great schools. Any research university will have a respectable mathematics program, and one from Boston University is fine. I doubt there is any much of a disparity between the, uh, “quality” of each program. It won’t matter in the end.</p>
<p>Although, what type of job would you be looking for as a graduating math major? A lot of jobs that hire math majors are usually to fill finance positions, from which a finance or related business degree may be superior.</p>
<p>It’s hard to make good grades at BU so you definitely would stick out if you do, BU even acknowledges this on their transcripts, FWIW. Why would an employer decide you are lazy? First, they wouldn’t even know what other school you are considering. Second most people consider BU to be a good school and definitely would not look down upon someone who attended there. I was using grad school math departments as a proxy for the strength of their math department though you can use something else. You are going to be challenged by BU, the difference in the strength of the undergrad students will be negligible, especially in math and if you aren’t in CGS.</p>
<p>I’m not saying you should definitely go to BU but you shouldn’t decide not to go there due to the belief that BU students are morons and that employers will look down upon you.</p>
<p>You’re thinking too hard. Forget what everyone else will think, and forget the idea that you will do better at one than the other, the schools are too close in comparison to think that will happen. There will be excellent students at either one. Instead, the questions you should be asking are which offers the better program FOR YOU and which school environment is better FOR YOU. The only incorrect answer to those questions is picking the school that is better based on external factors that don’t involve you vs. your particular needs.</p>
<p>You need to decide on other factors: do you want a campus or not? Closer relationship with professors or not?
URochester has a campus and closer relationships with professors, but the town itself isn’t as good as Boston.
If your primary concern is doing well academically, I’d pick URochester. Visit Boston for Fall Break. :)</p>