Cambridge v Princeton v MIT for Mathematics

<p>Any advice?</p>

<p>I already gave my opinion and I’ll stick with it. Cambridge. (Check the Cambridge/Princeton thread you made for my main reasons)</p>

<p>I want to add though, if you don’t want Cambridge, choose wherever you’re getting better FA if you choose between Princeton/MIT. If money is not an issue, choose what school you really like more, MIT or Princeton.</p>

<p>If cost is an issue, you can’t lose with any of these and should go to the most affordable. If you prefer the social environment at one and can afford it, you should go there. Otherwise, I suppose it would depend on what you want to study. The maths tripos at Cambridge is easily the best-known mathematics degree in the world, and you will be doing just about all mathematics. If that focus appeals to you, it would be the natural choice. If you would prefer to experiment more with other subjects or perhaps switch majors, one of the US schools might be a better fit.</p>

<p>I think Princeton would offer the most financial aid. Cambridge would cost a bit more.</p>

<p>Bump. I’m surprised how fast this forum moves. I guess all seniors are posting frantically as May 1st is approaching…</p>

<p>Is this just a hypothetical or have you been admitted with all financial aid offers on the table?</p>

<p>I have been admitted to all three. Not a hypothetical. Posing a hypothetical with these 3 schools would be pointless as I am not guaranteed to get into more than one, and thus would not have to choose between any schools.</p>

<p>bump. this forum moves quickly.</p>

<p>2 more days to decide.</p>

<p>Bump. 10 char</p>

<p>If money is not a factor MIT.</p>

<p>i thought british schools usually give conditional offers?
between princeton and MIT, which one do you like more?</p>

<p>Yah, it’s conditional.</p>

<p>So I need to choose between MIT and Princeton first.</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>What is your Cambridge acceptance offer conditioned on ?</p>

<p>Personally I think that Cambridge may offer you more in-depth training in mathematics than either MIT or Princeton, especially if you stay there for Part III of the Maths Tripos (4th year), which would be equivalent to advanced graduate coursework by U.S standards. </p>

<p>The drawback about Cambridge is, however, that you will pretty much study only one single subject, that is math, for 3 or 4 years (with a certain amount of theoretical physics thrown in though as part of some of the required “applied math” modules).</p>

<p>At MIT, on the other hand, as a math major, you will also take chemistry, biology, physics properly, as well as humanities/social sciences classes and pretty much anything else that you might want to explore using your free electives (typically up to four classes). You won’t get as much depth in math per se as you would get at Cambridge, but you may get more breadth in terms of general knowledge.</p>

<p>okai, so (assuming money’s not too big of a hassle), you might want to double-deposit at Cambridge and one of your American schools. That way you have the UK option open, and if you don’t meet the conditional offer, you still have your American school.</p>

<p>@Derivate: did you get any financial aid offer from Cambridge ? I understand UK universities don’t normally extend financial aid to international students. </p>

<p>Cambridge is also pretty pricey for overseas students. If you add up university fees and college fees, it may go up to 15,000 pounds/year, which corresponds to roughly US$ 23,000 at current exchange rates (and may go further up if the dollar falls within the next 3 years when you will be attending). On top of that, you’ll need at least another 6 to 7 thousand pounds/year (i.e US$ 10,000) to cover living expenses. </p>

<p>In other words, Cambridge is still not quite as expensive to attend as Princeton or MIT, but considering you normally get generous financial aid from the latter and none whatsoever from the former, Cambridge ends up being “de facto” the most expensive choice for a U.S student out of the three aformentioned schools.</p>

<p>I would choose between Princeton or Cambridge. Princeton tradionally has been known for its math department. However, passing up a school as internatioally renown as Cambrige would be hard to do, especially since you can get a great European flavor to your education. Good luck. These are all fabulous choices.</p>

<p>If money is an issue then: Cambridge because it’s cheaper (with no aid).
If money is not an issue then: MIT or Princeton, these are better.</p>

<p>A lot of people here have no idea how much more superior American schools are to British schools.</p>

<p>^ You are making sweeping generalizations. Yes, US have many more schools that are world-class than the UK… but everyone knows that. However, I would not, by any stretch of the imagination, call MIT and Princeton “much more superior” to Oxbridge. I think they’re pretty close.</p>

<p>Ignore IvyPBear, it is clearly a ■■■■■ and has no idea what it is talking about. Cambridge is justly famous for math[s].</p>

<p>Princeton and MIT have very different surroundings. Have you visited them both?</p>