<p>So there’s the question. I’m going to major in neuroscience/premed and i have NO idea which one to choose. I’m also planning to join theater and dance clubs for EC</p>
<p>Definitely Brown. Cognitive neuroscience/premed here :)</p>
<p>Brown > Penn</p>
<p>I would go with Penn. From what I’ve heard both have great premed programs but PENN’s program is truly amazing. I know this for a fact since I got a friend there. If you are interested in research then Penn’s research environment is way better than Brown’s. No comparison’s there. Perhaps Brown would be slightly better for the ECs you mentioned but again PENN’s theater and dance programs are very popular and famous as well. Another point worth mentioning is that PENN will definitely give you better prospects from a Grad /Med school perspective, and I am very sure of this.</p>
<p>Overall, I’d say stick to PENN.</p>
<p>^ Interesting that all your posts are attempts to get people to choose other schools over Brown.</p>
<p>Anyway, neuro is excellent here. There’s a post on the main forum about the strengths of Brown’s Neuroscience department. In fact, the textbook used in many Intro Neuro courses around the country was written by Brown professors. I’m majoring in a field that has a lot of crossover with Neuro, and I’ve been impressed.</p>
<p>I can’t speak to Penn’s strengths or weaknesses, but I understand, from the many that I know there, that the environment is extremely pre-professional. If that’s your thing, and you think you will be motivated by the business ethic, definitely go there. On the other hand, if you’d rather not experience that, you should consider Brown more strongly.</p>
<p>I’m not premed, but I have many friends who are (and are not PLME). Everyone cites Brown premed as intense but not cut-throat in the same way as other schools tend to be. People who have taken premed requirements at other universities over the summer have noticed a considerable difference. Nonetheless, Brown graduates get into excellent med schools (Harvard, Yale, etc.) out of Brownschool name shouldn’t matter because so much of med school admissions is a numbers game. </p>
<p>Also, our Orgo curriculum is really, really crazy.</p>
<p>Academically, they’re both quite strong. Focus on the environments and cultures of each school when making your decision.</p>
<p>go to penn! the med school is top 10. and you’ll have access to all these resources, including the hospital --which i can’t say the same for Brown! I adore brown, but i’m going to penn as well. (:</p>
<p>I’m obviously biased (but I do have friends who are going to Penn), and I want to be corrected if I’m wrong, but here are some more thoughts.</p>
<p>To back up thefunnything:
I’m taking Neuroscience class right now that is comprised mostly of undergraduate and grad students. The textbook was written by two Brown professors and one from MIT. 
I was interested in neuro before I was interested in Brown. I did some reading on Penn’s Biological Basis of Behavior program and, guys, correct me if I’m wrong please, but the impression I got from its website and from posts about it on CC were that it’s geared more toward grad students. I’ve also heard how scary Orgo (at Brown) is. </p>
<p>manfromtheOC, an admissions director from Brown visited my school last semester. Brown actually recently got a HUGE research grant, and, even though I’m not in LOVE with research, I plan on at least exploring some behavior/neuro labs there. Also, since Brown’s undergraduate school is bigger than its grad school, and from what I’ve heard about Penn’s BBB program, I would probably say that undergraduate research at Brown (at least in neuro) is more accessible than it would be at Penn.</p>
<p>I’ve been in a neuroscience lab for the past couple of years and have been lucky to work with a very talented professor. We’ve talked about Brown and neuroscience, and she has supported my choice 100%, especially because of my interests in liberal arts. </p>
<p>Brown’s incredible focus on undergraduate studies, the open curriculum, and its atmosphere were the huge draws for me. I think the word “cut-throat,” while considering your first steps in education toward becoming a care taker, is too much. I don’t want to spend the next four years in a crazy competition with my extremely talented classmates. I want to do extremely well, and that’s why I chose Brown ED (and maybe why I was lucky enough to get in), but the idea of a frenzied, over-stressful pre-medical education didn’t appeal to me at all. </p>
<p>One more note–I’m assuming that Neuro at Penn would fall into their CAS? The impression at my high school is that science at Brown is more prestigious than Penn’s CAS. </p>
<p>I hope you make the right choice. Be sure to visit both! I’m telling all of my friends who have to make difficult college decisions to call both schools asking for advice. You might do the same. :)</p>
<p>i apologize for my intrusion but I am also in great need of help…I plan to major in neuroscience…i also want a liberal arts education and a good background to get into the peace corps and grad school…hows browns atmosphere and location?i visited but did not get a good idea specially when compared to the other 2…</p>
<p>I feel your pain. I have to choose Columbia or Brown and I just don’t know which. I also want to go into Pre-med and I know they both have wonderful things to offer… what 2 do, what 2 do :/</p>
<p>As a physician, let me assure you that no one goes “into” premed. You can major in ANYTHING you want ANYWHERE you want as long as you take calculus, bio, inorganic and organic chem, and physics. Biochemistry also recommended. Pick the school you LOVE, not based on PREMED- they are all the same, usually with large “premed” classes. Some of the best physicians I know were classics majors at small liberal arts colleges. Brown, Penn, JHU, all great places. All culturally different. Pick the one you LOVE, not the one you think is “best.” Research opportunities abound at all three- I’m on the faculty at JHU, so I know a little bit about this…</p>
<p>timedout214,
Brown will fulfill your need for liberal arts and, to my understanding, is very focused on community service. I also don’t want to sound pretentious, but idk why you would pass up the ivy league. :/</p>
<p>daferna, I would take sdgore1’s advice. Visit and choose the place you love. Maybe call</p>
<p>Brown probably gives you as good if not better of an education and definitely offers a better college experience</p>
<p>I would love to visit both of them but I can’t afford to right now. As for the ivy league part… I thought they both were. Sorry if this is a stupid thought but it’s just what I thought. Thank you soo much though!</p>
<p>Daferna, Columbia and Brown are both ivy league schools. I told timedout214 that I didn’t know why he/she would pass up the ivy league (Brown) for Tufts or JHU.
I understand travel expenses. D: I still say you should call professors from both schools and ask about your academic interests’ prevalence at each school. I’ve heard talking to faculty helps prospective students choose.</p>
<p>Penn > Brown</p>
<p>Penn is much better for pre-professinal studies. Though Brown will probably give you the better college experience.</p>
<p>Forgive a parent for wading in. Just my two cents. I’m very biased but I’m trying to be fair.</p>
<p>There’s no wrong choice between Brown and Penn. </p>
<p>Here are some factors to consider
IMO, Philly is a nicer city than Providence, though Providence is fine.
IMO, Brown is located in a nicer part of Providence than the part of Philly UPenn is in.
Brown has frats,but they aren’t very strong. Only about 10-15% of students belong. Greek life is much stronger at Penn and one result is the students tend to self-segregate more. So, there are Jewish, Asian, etc. frats. If you think you’d LIKE Greek life then Penn is the better choice.
Penn has a wider variety of students because it has separate schools–nursing, Wharton, etc. At Penn though, Wharton is seen as THE best school. A&S isn’t viewed as being as elite. At Brown, there’s just one big school.
Penn sports teams, overall, are better than Brown and students are more interested in sports.
Brown offers the S/NC option, ‘Brownspeak’ for pass/fail. This is, IMO, a Godsend for premeds. The semester you take organic chem, you can drop down to 3 courses and take 2 of them S/NC so you can focus your energy on Organic chem. You can also take REAL courses outside the premed requirements, choosing to take some of the tougher ones S/NC. At Penn and most college, you’ll find yourself choosing lots of guts to keep up your overall GPA. (While most colleges tell you can a certain number of courses P/F, in reality profs can decide whether you can take their courses P/F and many profs do NOT allow this as an option.)
Performing arts are stronger at Brown than at Penn.
Hope that helps!</p>
<p>Rankings also affirm to the fact that Penn > Brown</p>
<p>hi guys, this is quite different from what the OP was asking but since there are so many neuro students here, i’d like to ask what kind of careers neuroscience majors tend to take on? i’ve always been very interested in the subject but don’t see much practical use for a degree in it because as respectable as it is to be a leading researcher, i know that’s not the kind of life i want for myself. (currently more interested in investments. wondering if a neuroscience background can help in terms of being a biotech/healthcare investment fund manager or something…)
thanks in adv.</p>
<p>Amen brother, I’ll see you at Brown this fall lol</p>
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<p>Rankings also refer to us as the biggest dooshers. I don’t believe it :P</p>