<p>As to money, if I read your post correctly, Fordham will be the cheapest (after aid), then UConn, then AU and finally, Brandeis would be the most expensive (since you didn’t mention aid). So if money is your most important factor, that would pretty much answer the question. I would go to Fordham over UConn anyway if money wasn’t a factor, and assuredly so if Fordham is cheaper to attend.</p>
<p>As to your other factors, they are much more subjective. Prestige is a pretty amorphous term, and it depends a lot upon who your target audience is. For example, if you are talking about general academic reputation among academic faculty, I suspect that the order would be Brandeis, Fordham, American and UConn. But if you limit that to political science faculty, the order might be Brandeis, American, Fordham and UConn. But if your target audience is Catholic parents, I suspect the prestige order might be Fordham, Brandeis, American and UConn. Jewish parents, on the other hand, might go Brandeis, American, UConn and Fordham. You get my point.</p>
<p>Location is also subjective. Brandeis is in Waltham, 9 miles west of Boston. Most people (but not all) view Boston as the best college city around, and I tend to agree. But Brandeis is not right in Boston. It is on a commuter rail line but the trains run at somewhat odd times (mostly around rush hours) and not late at night. But you can argue that Brandeis gives one the best of both worlds–a nice, suburban type campus but with a skyline view of Boston.</p>
<p>American is right in DC, but on the outskirts of the city, close to the Maryland line. DC is also a great college city, but for different reasons than Boston. DC is not oriented around students like Boston is, but go to school in a world capital is a lot of fun. Most museums are free, and the federal area, with its side avenues and beautiful circles, is quite special. The neighborhood around AU is nice (and expensive), almost suburban, so in some sense it is not all that different from Brandeis’ location. It is, however, more convenient to get into the city center from AU. The nearest Metro stop is by the AU Tenley Circle campus, less than a mile from the main campus at Ward Circle.</p>
<p>Fordham may be in New York City, but it is not in Manhattan (except for the Lincoln Center campus, but I think most if not all undergraduates are at the Bronx campus). The Bronx is, well, the Bronx. You either love it or hate it. Put me in the latter category. Fordham has a pretty campus once you are inside it but, from the outside, it reminds me of a fortress. I guess that is necessary to keep the students safe from the neighbors. But as sketchy as the neighborhood might be, the good part of NYC is easily accessible. NYC has the best public transportation system (by far) in terms of size and frequency. </p>
<p>UConn’s location is very different from the others–pretty rural. You either want that or you don’t.</p>
<p>I can’t compare the housing. I suspect they are all pretty comparable but I don’t really know. They look similar from the outside.</p>
<p>As to college life–I know people who went to all of these schools and, for the most part, they all speak favorably of their experiences. With few exceptions, college life is what you will make of it. You can have a good time at any of them. UConn is the only big time sports school (mostly basketball). AU and Fordham will occasionaly have good basketball teams, but not in UConn’s league. Brandeis is Div. III so not really comparable. You don’t go to Brandeis to watch sports.</p>