<p>I'm really excited to have been accepted to these prestigious schools; however, I'm having a really tough time deciding on which I'd like to attend. To make things worse, I'm not entirely sure what I want to major in either (perhaps bio, premed, or liberal arts). I'd really like to know the pros/cons of each one regarding academics and campus life. I could really use some advice. Thanks.</p>
<p>Penn It Is.</p>
<p>just go to the one with the best basketball team or flip a coin.....</p>
<p>i jest of course....i hate these kind of threads cause how would a columbia student know any pros/cons about the other two schools??</p>
<p>it depends what type of person you are, each school is different enough to pick one on that basis.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>nyc (columbia) v. rural (dartmouth) v. smaller city (penn). nyc is more intimidating than the other 2 settings. if you're used to living in a big city or aren't intimidated by one, its a good place to be. out of the 3 locations, nyc has the most options uncontestably. then philly, then hanover. </p></li>
<li><p>what do you think college is about? alot of kids like columbia for grad school because by then you're older and you're facing the real world, you have a smaller group of friends, and its cool to go out to bars and clubs just like a normal 30 or 35 yr old person would do. so nyc is more for the grown-up real-life crowd. each campus and location influences the type of environment:
columbia = less school spirit, more individualistic, parties based in bars and clubs off-campus with smaller on-campus parties.
dartmouth - not sure about the school spirit, but parties are definitely on campus and i hear drinking is the main activity there.
penn - philly is a manageabley-sized city. there's stuff to do and at the same time, its arguable that penn has the most school spirit among the ivies. the times ive been there, i get the impression that a sizeable portion of the kids there are pretty trendy, so if thats you, penn could match you well. (of course theres trendy ppl everywhere, its just that at penn it seems to be more normal, not elitist or something). </p></li>
<li><p>reputation. though all 3 undergrad schools have great reps, some have better reps in certain areas than others. if you want to work at a law firm or business in nyc, columbia is the best option (unless you go to wharton - business or business law). in terms of the reps of the colleges themselves, i feel like ppl associate dartmouth with something selective yet outmoded, columbia as intellectual and the core of nyc, and penn as the place where smart kids have fun.</p></li>
<li><p>politically active campus award goes to columbia. their poli sci dept is also #1 in the world, well-above dartmouth's and penn's. </p></li>
<li><p>intellectualism: that goes to columbia. on the average, i get the feel that people there dont just know how to do well on tests, but theyre very politically and culturally conscious . its not just some kids like that, but the vast majority</p></li>
</ol>
<p>"don't know how to do well on tests" huh?</p>
<p>whatt? no i said not just do well on tests, meaning they do more than do well on tests (sat scores etc)</p>