Hi guys I got admitted to Brandeis and American University Honors Progam and having difficulty in selecting one of them.
I have heard that the AU Honors Program is highly selective (25 honors students vs approx 1700 freshmen) and that professors and the school really invest their resourses, time and effort in the honors students. However, I dont know whether the program is so highly regarded by employers and graduate schools that I should give up a more pretigious school like Brandeis. P/s: Fin aid package are the same for both schools.
Any advice is highly appreciated!! 
So, both schools will cost you approximately the same amount after your financial aid packages. What are you looking to study and where would you like to settle after college? Have you visited either school, and of so, what were your thoughts?
What would your major be?
American has a good name in the international studies business, but it is not a top tier label. Brandeis has a renowned political science - international politics faculty and program. And there is the international business school where you can take classes too. The business school just won a major international banking competition on Wall Street, outgunning Stanford and Wharton. From Brandeis, it is an easy jump to Woody Woo or Fletcher, perhaps the two best IR schools in the country.
Thank you so much for your reply!
I intend to double major in International Studies and Psychology. Brandeis’ flexible curriculum makes it easier for me
to double major and it is more pretigious but American Uni is really famous for its International Studies major. Such a difficult choice to make!! I haven’t thought about where I would want to settle after college, my goal now is just to
successfully graduate from college and then get a good job in the US. And I haven’t got a chance to visit any of the schools I applied to. Can you give my some advice?
You said FA package is the same for both, but is net prive the same for both?
Go to the admit student weekends if you can. Even if you have to take a Greyhound bus. Also, I believe there are cross-registration arrangements with Tufts, another IR powerhouse.
@cutepug thank you so much!!
@ myos1634 : Yes net prive is the same for both. Since I’m an international student, I cannot afford to go to the US to visit the two campuses before May. That’s why I really need your advice 
The feel of the two campuses is very different. My daughter visited both and has friends who graduated both - she attended American University and was in Honors before they restructured the program. Brandeis is rated higher by US News and World Report. When my son chose a college he was all about the US News and World Report rankings. My daughter was happier at American than my son was at the higher ranked school he attended. American also has wonderful internship opportunities due to it’s location in DC and also has a large international student population. I really don’t know enough about Brandeis other than the tour we took five years ago and it may be the better option for you. It is unfortunate that you can not visit the two schools as that is the best way to tell which is the right choice for you.
@NewJerseyMom thank you for your detailed answer i will note down the points you mentioned about both schools!