Hey!
I am an international student from Asia.
I got accepted to 4 universities for the Fall 2016 (undergrad) session- Stanford, Columbia, Northwestern and Vanderbilt.
All these are great places to attend, but I had decided beforehand I would choose Stanford over everything else if I got accepted there.
However, what I did not expect was for Columbia to offer me admission to The Egleston Scholars Program. This is an opportunity given to only about 17-19 freshmen applying to the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. The benefits include summer research stipends, career counseling, and priority access to Columbia’s best research facilities. I am really at a fix having to choose between the two.
Has anyone else had difficulty choosing between the Egleston and another university before? I know I cannot go wrong choosing either one, but I would just like to hear from anyone else who has had to make this decision before.
Which did you choose? And are you satisfied with your decision? What do you consider are the pros and cons of choosing one over the other?
A friend of mine was in a similar situation (Egleston at Columbia vs. Stanford, Harvard, couple other good ones). He ended up going to Stanford, and is quite happy there. But it really depends on what you want - both schools offer a very different experience, so get to know both before making your decision. I doubt having Egleston here would make too significant a difference in your experience.
@ADUniPrepF16 Out of the schools you mentioned it is Stanford hands down overall, and especially for engineering it is a no-brainer. I dont think the Egleston scholar program at Columbia really makes a difference when you compare it with a place like Stanford. The only schools that are worth turning down Stanford for are MIT,Caltech for engineering, sciences and Harvard for some sciences and everything else. And even with these schools , it would be a hard dilemma. for all other schools vs Stanford it is a no-brainer I feel. The access to resources, opportunities and international prestige and recognition both overall and in you field are much higher at Stanford than the other schools you mentioned, including Columbia.
@Penn95 FYI I turned down Stanford for Columbia, and I’m happy I did so. But my circumstance and field of study are very different from OP’s.
It appears UPenn95 has a pecking order for colleges that all people should adhere to. In this exalted pecking order, only Harvard beats Stanford. Nonsense.
I know I would have zero interest in going to Stanford. There are several colleges I would prefer over Stanford. And if my kids ever had the privilege of having that kind of wonderful choice, I would hope they go to Columbia.
@morningside292 just stating the truth here. of course columbia is an excellent choice but there is a reason the overwhelming majority of people faced with the Columbia vs Stanford decision choose Stanford. especially for a field like engineering where Stanford is clearly superior the choice is rather clear, provided that there are no financial aid issues or that a person does not have a subjective preference for columbia, and wants to go there no matter what.
@ADUniPrepF16 congrats! Just wondering (since it could affect the answer), what area are you looking to study?
No doubt Stanford is very strong in engineering. On the other hand, if there’s a chance you might want to change to studying/working in investments, Columbia definitely has the advantage as a launching point into Wall Street (internships and otherwise).
Stanford is a great school, but if a prospect wanted to experience:
- Four seasons
- New York City
- The Ivy League
- A strong core curriculum
… then clearly the choice here would be Columbia.
If you want California weather, a laid back atmosphere, and non-Gothic architecture, choose Stanford.
Obviously, also try to hammer down program specifics and figure out what the difference in price will be over four years.
Luckily, should you change your mind and select a different major, you’ll be at either of two of the finest all-around universities in the world.
I am planning to pursue Electrical Engineering as a major. I haven’t locked onto it though.
I don’t believe it is likely that I’ll choose a career in finance over one in engineering.
@ADUniPrepF16 As a Columbia student, I don’t know SEAS too well, being a music major, but it seems like Stanford would be the obvious choice given your situation. When I visited for Admit Weekend, it really seemed like a dream come true for those who are interested in engineering - music, maybe not so much. Good luck in your decision!
And, nitpicking, @prezbucky, Columbia’s architecture is classically inspired, not Gothic.
I didn’t say Columbia’s was Gothic; I said Stanford’s was non-Gothic. 