<p>To say that Chicago has a good econ program would be a total understatement. I would say Chicago has one of the most highly regarded economics programs in the country. Columbia's econ used to be one of the best, but it slipped down a few decades ago. It's still trying to make up for that, but doing very well (recently burst back into the top ten). Columbia has a top-notch poli sci program, few (if any at all) will doubt that. But neither of these have anything to do with the undergrad experience. Columbia's campus is beautiful, but I've never seen Chicago's. People who have visited a bunch of colleges tell me that Columbia's is by far the nicest, except for some who would say that Yale has the best campus in America.</p>
<p>Your friend will study with a lot of smart people at Columbia, though that could also apply to UChicago.</p>
<p>if you choose polisci, also consider georgetown...it's in d.c., so if you ever decide to look for a job opportunity, you'll be at the heart of the polisci scence.</p>