<p>Hey all!</p>
<p>I was somehow admitted to these three schools. I've visited all of the campuses, and I still am unsure of where I want to go (however, I'll be going to admitted students days very soon). I'm not sure what I want to major in, but I have some general ideas. I'm considering comp. lit/english, film, biology, and philosophy. I've lived right next to NYC all my life, so the plain "WOW!" factor of New York isn't really coming into play for me with Columbia. I want an intellectual student body that is also very celebratory of diversity. Oh, and Princeton and Chicago gave me virtually the same amount of money, while if I go to Columbia, my family will have to pay like 12 thousand dollars more yearly, and I will have to do workstudy for at least two years, whereas at the other two schools, I won't be required to work at all (however, I have heard that columbia will match it's peer institutions' $ offer? any truth to it?). </p>
<p>I'm open to any and all advice you may have. Thanks!</p>
<p>U Chicago, no doubt. First of all, don’t pay 48k for Columbia–use that for graduate school. As for Princeton vs U Chicago, I say U Chicago because it definitely fits what your looking for</p>
<p>While Columbia is a wonderful school, I would agree that you should not have to pay $48,000 more for it than the other two schools on your list.</p>
<p>In terms of the Chicago/Princeton comparison, there are certain differences that might be meaningful to you. Chicago has a core while Princeton does not. Chicago is on a quarter system, which means that you have finals and midterms much more frequently than you would in Princeton’s semester system. Since money has been mentioned, traveling back and forth to your home from Chicago will be much more expensive and potentially more stressful than traveling to the NYC area from Princeton. Princeton has twice as many undergraduates as graduate students, while at Chicago the percentages are reversed.</p>
<p>In terms of Princeton, I would definitely say that Princeton has an incredibly intelligent and diverse student body. The school provides an extraordinary undergraduate experience and has a commitment to the liberal arts. You might be interested in the Program in Humanistic Studies [Undergraduate</a> Announcement](<a href=“http://www.princeton.edu/ua/departmentsprograms/uahus/]Undergraduate”>http://www.princeton.edu/ua/departmentsprograms/uahus/) which offers interdisciplinary courses linking history/art/religion/literature/philosophy. In terms of philosophy, Brian Leiter, who ranks graduate programs in philosophy, has Princeton ranked as number 3 (and the teachers in the graduate program are the same teachers who teach undergraduates) [The</a> Philosophical Gourmet Report 2011 :: Overall Rankings](<a href=“http://www.philosophicalgourmet.com/overall.asp]The”>http://www.philosophicalgourmet.com/overall.asp) Moreover, Leiter notes that “some ranked PhD programs have good reputations for undergraduate education, like Princeton, Yale, Brown and Rice, among many others.”</p>
<p>Princeton’s English department is extremely strong and if you have any interest in creative writing, the program is one of the best in the country, with courses taught by authors such as Joyce Carol Oates. But forgetting rankings and hype, I would say that the Princeton campus is vibrant and awash in music, theater, film showings, lectures, symposia etc. and the students are engaged, extremely intelligent, kind and very happy.</p>
<p>Ultimately, you can’t make a wrong decision with the choices you have and I wish you good luck!</p>
<p>My decision last year came down to UChicago and Princeton. CC user JHS sent me a very helpful PM that I’d be happy to send your way if you PM me. </p>
<p>Best of luck with your decision!</p>