<p>I can see where you're coming from..
But that doesn't mean at ALL that Columbians are not happy or not motivated...</p>
<p>I appreciate both approaches in education... </p>
<p>I'll just see where I'll get in :)
Can't wait till December 12th or whenever it is...!!!!</p>
<p>By the way.. people.. I didn't post this thread to start up an argument...
Yes, I know it says Brown vs. Columbia.... but I just wanted to talk about objective differences that are not negative.... and I certainly did not want to start up a "Brown is better.. ..NO.. Columbia is better" fight..</p>
<p>Silver_wavez notes, "By the way.. people.. I didn't post this thread to start up an argument..."</p>
<p>I just wanted to add that I am from NY originally. Columbia has a terrific reputation for excellence. None of my posts should be viewed as knocking Columbia in any way. However, I simply like Brown's approach better for the reasons mentioned above.</p>
<p>Yep :) Gotcha!</p>
<p>Silver_Wavez. I just read your profile in which you listed as your hobbies art and photography. You may prefer Brown over Columbia because of RISD's art and photography program. In fact, according to US News and World Report, RISD has the second best program in photography in the US just behind School of Art Institute in Chicago.</p>
<p>I think it's great that students think about these curriculum differences and figure out which appeals to them more, Columbia's or Brown's or something in between. What I worry about most are kids who just apply to schools because they're Ivies as if they're all the same.</p>
<p>It is not true, by the way, that Columbia, and Chicago share Penn's reputation (largely because of Wharton) for being more pre-professional. There are no pre-professional majors at either Columbia College or U of C. There are many students who do go on to medical and law school, of course, just as there are at Brown and all the top schools. </p>
<p>Another element that often gets missed when talking about a core curriculum, is that it is more than a strict set of distribution requirements. The basic core classes (Lit Humanities, Contemporary Civilization, Music Hum and Art Hum) are also small and discussion oriented. They are meant to be a kind of group exploration around the basis of Western Civilization. (In response to this heavily European bias, Columbia also requires students to take two courses that explore another civilization, which can be taken in many different departments, from music to economics.) But there's no doubt you have to at least be able to tolerate a heavy dose of the Ancient Greeks to enjoy the core. I suggest anyone applying to Columbia take a look at the reading list, first.</p>
<p>For someone in visual arts, the RISD/Brown connection sounds just great.</p>
<p>I am not only unqualified, but unwilling, to participate in a discussion of which college to choose on the basis of where the women are better looking.:rolleyes:</p>
<p>LOL, I never said that they are better looking, just good looking. Moreover, hopefully, my post emphasised the curriculum differences and access to RISD. The fact that they have a good looking student body is a small factor in the post that folks tend to be "jumping up and down" about.</p>
<p>Confused.................</p>
<p>I'm going to quote myself from my other post "Brown is awesome"</p>
<p>Brown is Awesome
"Well, I just want to let everybody know that I've just witnessed something incredible here at Brown that makes it distinctive from many schools. In my hall, many people are in Neuroscience 1, and we had this massive test on Tuesday. Sure enough, people were going crazy studying on Monday night, but we were writing on the wall tiles with dry erase markers, helping each other learn the pathways of the nervous system among other things. The next morning, we got up and stared at our masterpiece- it was amazing, our side of the hall was covered with dry erase marker (which eventually came off quite easily). The point is, it was then that I realized how wonderful a school Brown is. I don't think you see this kind of unity and genuine fun anywhere else. At Brown, we're not as cutthroat as the other Ivies because the only people we compete with are our own selves.
People may knock us because of our different approach to education, but they shouldn't bash it before they try it. It has offered me so many perspectives and so much insight as to how I'd like to take on my college career. The S/NC option is there to help students explore their options, so you can go and take that Ancient Sanskrit class on a whim and not have to worry about it taking up all of your time.
Honestly, I wasn't that enthusiastic about coming here when I was accepted, but I assure you that now, I could not imagine myself happier any place else. I wholeheartedly recommend Brown to anybody who's got the flair, compassion, and self-motivation that characterize Brown's student body."
"The thing is, Brown and Columbia are polar opposites. Columbia, which prides itself on its strong core curriculum, is best for a particular kind of student. On the other hand, Brown's nonexistent core attracts students who like to have total say over how they spend their college education. It's just a matter of what you prefer, but I think the students definitely reflect the curriculums of their schools."</p>
<p>"The thing is, Brown and Columbia are polar opposites. Columbia, which prides itself on its strong core curriculum, is best for a particular kind of student. On the other hand, Brown's nonexistent core attracts students who like to have total say over how they spend their college education. It's just a matter of what you prefer, but I think the students definitely reflect the curriculums of their schools."</p>
<p>Columbia students also have a total say over how they spend their college education... by choosing to come to Columbia, they choose to take the Core classes. Like sac said, the core isnt a distribution requirement as much as a bunch of small fun classes that everyone at some point takes. I won't bother to make the same argument over and over, but i do agree that both forms of education can be favored by different individuals and both have clear merits. And I never meant to say that Brown students are unlikely to succeed or anything like that... i meant that if a Brown student has no career goal in mind, the school doesn't offer anything to for the student to build off of, he or she must take his/her own initiative. </p>
<p>and ofcourse, no offense meant anywhere, it's all in good fun.</p>
<p>One of our PS professors, arguably the most popular professor at Brown, put it best:</p>
<p>If a little part of your soul doesnt have that edgy, funky, romantic flair, go to Princeton.</p>
<p>hahahaahahahhaahaha!!!!!!!
no offence to princetonians or whatever they're called but yeh.. i really didnt like princeton when i visited.
seemed so boring!!!!</p>