<p>Wow, I got in Brown and U of Chicago, but I’m so confused.
I am planning to major in Applied Math and Political Science, or Econ…
Actually, I don’t have any ‘exact’ studying path…</p>
<p>I know that my first major will be applied math or pure math,
but I’m not sure if I would change my major or not in University.</p>
<p>Chicago is the best at econ+math, isn’t it?</p>
<p>Plz help me, where should I go?</p>
<p>Chicago is definitely better for econ, but Brown:</p>
<ol>
<li>Is more flexible academically</li>
<li>Has a LOT less work, a lot more grade inflation</li>
<li>Is a lot more fun</li>
<li>Is more prestigious</li>
<li>Is in a better location</li>
<li>Has far cooler people attending</li>
</ol>
<p>So I'd say without a shadow of doubt go to Brown unless you are really, really set on economics (which it doesn't look like you are). Maths is about the same at both. You will have a far better overall experience, and probably even a better academic experience, at Brown. </p>
<p>btw I am not affiliated with either school lol, I am just trying help you make the smart choice :)</p>
<p>I got accepted at U of C early action and wait listed at Brown. Although I like both schools, I think Brown is my first choice simply because of the open curriculum. But they are both super schools.
Let me address some of your points:</p>
<p>Brown definitely is more flexible academically, has less work, and more grade inflation. But I don't think it has a lot less work. Any elite school you go to you will have to work hard. Chicago students just like to complain about it more. It's part of the culture. Plus it's the only campus I've seen with a used co-op bookstore. Also, the fun factor depends. You would have more free time for extracuriculars at Brown, but if you find learning about what you are interested fun, Chicago would be fun too. I think that although Brown might be more commonly thought of as slightly more prestigious to the common man, Chicago is held in equal or greater regard in academic circles. They are ranked the same in us news and world reports for what that's worth. I have to disagree about location. Although Providence is a nice mid size city, it pales in comparison to the plethora of cultural and entertainment possiblities of Chicago, one of America's most interesting cities. The actual area around the University, Hyde Park, is nice. Some of the surrounding city is not so good, but you can take the subway anywhere including downtown. Also, in terms of people, I think they both have great and interesting student body. Obviously, Chicago is more attractive to the nerd type and Brown to the liberal free-wheeling type, but they are both great sets of kids. I love them both, but I hope I get off the waitlist and into Brown.</p>
<p>"But I don't think it has a lot less work. Any elite school you go to you will have to work hard. Chicago students just like to complain about it more. It's part of the culture."</p>
<p>This is a very accurate description. Brown students work hard, but since we pick our classes and therefore are interested in the work we do, we generally complain less. However, a lot of the pride and school spirit at Chicago comes from this culture of complaining about how much work they have (since they spend so much time completing the Core, taking classes that they don't necessarily like).</p>
<p>Also, a lot of Chicago students seem to have a chip on their shoulder about not being in the Ivy League. They complain that they are not recognized nationally as being just as good as an Ivy League school. This is true -- they are just as good as an Ivy school (although they are not as selective), and they are not sufficiently recognized outside of academic circles. However, they like to say that they are better than the Ivy Leauges, and see anyone who goes to an Ivy as "selling out" and "elitist" and "pretentious." This, in my opinion, just makes them sound more elitist and pretentious, saying that they're too good for an Ivy-Leaguer like me. A lot of Chicago kids look down on Brown specifically, because they see Brown students as "not serious" and "slackers" because of our open curriculum.</p>
<p>Obviously, the above are just generalizations from my personal experience. However, I do spend a LOT of time living on the UChicago campus, since my boyfriend goes there and I have been visiting him there for the past two years. I've met a lot of people there, and I have liked almost all of them. However, their attitude about their school, about their work, and about other schools just does not mesh with the way I see the world.</p>
<p>I think that this business of who acts more pretentious is frankly rediculous. I mean it goes on both sides of the isle and it's just stupid. I think that if everyone would stop being so pretentious in the first place we wouldn't have to argue about who was more pretentious. Ivy kids see Chicago kids as being people who only study and complain all time and are miserable and the Chicago kids see ivies as sell outs and slakers or whatever. It's just rediculous. Why can't we all just get along and admit that, although our methods differ, we both want the same thing- a good, deep, well-rounded education.</p>
<p>Math is the same at both... I don't think so. Chicago has a much better Math program... Pure Math at least.</p>
<p>Some additional thoughts:</p>
<p>If you are sure you will want two majors, definitely sit down and look at the core requirements and the requirements for the majors at Chicago. My daughter's final decision last year was between Chicago and Brown. Although Chicago had more courses in a second field, she counted it out and realized she would lack the time to TAKE any more than were available at Brown. The core would take the better part of two years and she wasn't really interested. Since she liked the open curriculum idea and what she heard of the atmosphere at Brown, she picked it.</p>
<p>If you are considering econ at Chicago, ask yourself if you are a follower of the Chicago school.</p>
<p>Chicago is colder. Whenever my daughter would tell me how cold it was in Providence this last winter, I would look up Chicago and usually it was 10 degrees colder.</p>
<p>There are a number of web sites where different colleges are assessed, like studentsreview, princetonreview, campus dirt, and theu. You can also go to your local bookstore and read the selections in some of the "what these colleges are really like" books. Chicago and Brown seem like very different places. I would think after some reading you will find yourself with a preference.</p>
<p>scrapiron215 -- I wasn't trying to say that Chicago students ARE pretentious, per se. I said they SOUND pretentious when they claim that their education system makes them better than everything else.</p>
<p>I think one thing that's great at Brown is that we generally <em>don't</em> think we're better than everyone else. We love the open curriculum, but we know that although it may be the best for us, it's not best for everyone. I respect Chicago's core, but it's just not right for me, and I don't like the attitude that there's one educational system that's the "best." I respect their educational path, and I resent that a lot of them seem not to respect mine.</p>
<p>Applied math and poli sci - wild!</p>
<p>Two big differences in the schools. core vs. open. Self motivated vs. competition driven.</p>
<p>both applied math and poli sci and great departments at brown</p>
<p><a href="http://www.dam.brown.edu/%5B/url%5D">http://www.dam.brown.edu/</a></p>
<p>and this is a cool, interdisciplinary center that combines both:
<a href="http://www.pstc.brown.edu/history.htm%5B/url%5D">http://www.pstc.brown.edu/history.htm</a></p>
<p>I don't think it's fair to say Chicago is competition driven. I think that people there just learnhg for the benefit of learning. At least that's my impression from what I could gather. Believe me I think I would want to go to Brown, but I have to speak for the other side since no one else is.</p>
<p>Go to Brown - this is undergrad not grad school. Picking Chicago because of the Econ dept isn't the right reason in my opinion. Ask yourself - are you a Chicago or Brown type of person. Chicago students tend to wear their intelligence on their sleeve, while Brown kids are much more likely to view their intelligence as one component of their vibrant lives.</p>
<p>Umm...:) still considering..
but thanks for all posts!</p>
<p>I'm waiting more posts..</p>
<p>Well I agree with most of what is going on in this thread and have to say as someone with friends at Chicago, at least comparatively, it is TREMENDOUSLY more competition driven than Brown. By the very nature of having to take many of the same classes, there is a fostering of greater competition. Outside of that, both are great schools and are well enough respected amongst people you should be concerned about (those that would hire you, or know much anything about schools).</p>
<p>I'd assess the curriculum and the student body's general interests and compare them to your own, as well as exploring the availibility of certain programs at each. For instance, if you like sports, you'd find that almost no one at UChicago takes part in their intramurals, which is completely false for Brown. But you may find a club or society at UChicago that we don't offer that you're interested in. These are the type of things that can make or break your college experience. What do you like to do with your Saturday nights? Brown's average activities then vary greatly from Chicago's. I think there is more we need to know about how you are as a person before I can fairly even make a recommendation (which is still biased and worthless since ultimately, it's your choice, as you know).</p>