<p>Using these anecdotes is pointless. Once you get to universities in the top 20, admissions can get pretty random. Admissions committees are looking to build classes that are diverse in talent; what one school wants may not be what another wants. I could probably find a kid who got into Berkeley and not Cornell, Penn, Northwestern, or any other school that you're talking about; does this make Berkeley any less of an institution? No.</p>
<p>Hmm 18? ***? I turned 18 while in college (I'm 18 now and just got done with my first year...)</p>
<p>Anyway, glad you admit Northwestern is "fabulous"....But still saying..the term "Ivy" means nothing shrimpie. </p>
<p>I mean c'mon--in 1993 Berkeley was ranked ahead of many of the "Ivies" including U Penn. </p>
<p>So you're looking for what? pre-med? John Hopkins has a superb science department doesn't it?</p>
<p>I' m assuming you're using USNEWS rankings; if so, why the heck are you using rankings that almost everyone who knows anything about undergraduate college quality thinks are crap? And from 12 years ago? That is such a weak argument.<br>
With the Ivy thing, most of the people I know going to Cornell (including on this board) do not care that it happens to be a member of a sports organization. Stop bringing that argument up when most people here don't even care.</p>
<p>If y'all are looking for an anecdote, here's my story.</p>
<p>Accepted:
Cornell
Cal
UCLA</p>
<p>Rejected:
Hopkins
Rice
Pomona College
Claremont McKenna</p>
<p>does this mean anything in terms of which schools are better than others? No. Although admissions selectivity can roughly give you an idea of how "elite" the school is, you cannot use it as a means to rank schools in relation to one another nor judge the candidate himself. In other words, just because i got accepted by certain schools and rejected by others, it doesnt mean that a certain school is better than the other or that someone else who got into the school that I didn't is better than me. I believe it is safe to say that when we get into the top 20 colleges, admissions is a bit random.</p>
<p>Sotons, please don't come on the Cornell Board with the attitude of "I'm going to put these upcoming Freshman in their place by crushing their self-pride and informing them that the Ivy term's origin does not have anything to do with academics ergo in my twisted logic Berkeley > All Ivys, and therefore I'm > you all." Nobody appreciates that, and nobody here appreciates you calling someone a "shrimp" because they're one year younger than you? Seriously, no one on this board is trashing Cal or is acting elitist, so for you to come in here and try to downplay the title of "Ivy League" and putting us Cornellians in our place is like Stevie Wonder fighting the darkness. So why don't we all get along and accept the fact that everyone here is attending a respectable school, and quit quibbling with one another over matters of pride. Thank you.</p>
<p>well put fellow Californian and Cornellian :))</p>
<p>Totally agree :)</p>
<p>well put!
cornell and berkeley are both great schools (although both are a little leftist :) )
when it comes down to it, an individual will go to a school that best fits his needs.</p>
<p>Ok Koro--AKA BARNEY--however, this board is called "Cornell v. Berkeley'"--note the VERSUS.</p>
<p>Someone purposely created this board so that these two "rival" schools can discuss and argue, whatnot. </p>
<p>Not to hold hands together, frolicking in the grass.</p>
<p>Oh, and the term "shrimpie" is a term of endearment. Also, I guess i'm NOT older than you guys. Considering I am 18, and most of you are 18 as well. Why can't I use such an affectionate name anyway, shrimpie?</p>
<p>Notice, also, that the OP wanted an evaluation of their economics programs, not overall academic quality or prestige.</p>
<p>Ok fine. Top economic programs are as follows (please click hyperlink for proof:however note that this is from 2001):</p>
<ol>
<li>MIT</li>
<li>Harvard</li>
<li>Princeton</li>
<li>Stanford</li>
<li>U Chicago</li>
<li>Berkeley</li>
<li>Yale</li>
<li>Northwestern</li>
<li>U Penn</li>
<li>U Wisconsin, Madison</li>
</ol>
<p>First of all, this is a graduate school ranking which does not answer the OP's question. He/she wanted a comparison of the two programs, not just a ranking; what would be more useful would be to discuss specific strengths and weaknesses of each. The link you provided even has a caveat: </p>
<p>"It should be noted that certain departments, such as George Mason University (Austrian Economics, Public Choice), have special strengths in particular areas. The best school for a particular specialty may not be among the very top schools overall, so be sure to check the specialty rankings and research school reputations in your area of interest."</p>
<p>What would be better is to ask the OP what his/her specific area of interest really is and to gather information based on that.</p>
<p>hahahahaha... SotonsSaintsvPompeyScum you really remind me of someone.. :) Unlike my OTHER Cal buddies who I think are amazing, you are way below their maturity levels.</p>
<p>Oh wait, maybe I'm not mature enough to talk with you? :o</p>
<p><em>interrupts semi-entertaining thread with an OT point</em></p>
<p>Being part of Cornell's class of '09 is music to my ears. [/steps off podium]</p>
<p>OP:
Both schools are comparable for econ. You might want to compare factors such as class size (berkeley classes are super big and taught by TAs) and tuition (in-state at cali?). In terms of rep they're similar.</p>
<p>dude with long name:
If we are to judge a school based on the students they admit (which you did btw), then can I say that Berkeley houses students with 9th grade maturity levels? Berkeley is a good school but you're not exactly helping your cause.</p>
<p>Totally agree :)</p>
<p>Auracon----uh do you know me? (suspicious) Wow, this is kind of creepy. This is my hidden "perverse" form of entertainment, one that I like to keep hidden from reality--yes, posting on the internet about universities is a form of entertainment. And no, I am not a nerd nor do I look like one...</p>
<p>But back to the main issue here--how you guys are wrong, and I'm right. If you want to "mature" early, fine with me. Life is already short, so why rush to end it quickly with your "maturity" and whatnot? While you guys are scratching your balding, wrinkly heads--I'll have my fun with "immaturity" as you denote it. </p>
<p>So back to my main point: Big economics classes are nice and thus Cal's classes are lovely, because 1. They don't take roll...so you can "study in the library" 2. "Diversity" 3. Makes you realize you're nothing but an ant in society and nobody cares about you (which is what you'll realize eventually when you get out into the real world). 4. TA's can be very attractive 5. Class curves teach you to be competitive (or that you're a miserable failure.)</p>
<p>But hey, one of you fellows clue me in--where on the rankings list for economics did you see Cornell? ....................</p>
<p>
SotonsSaintsvPompeyScum, if this to you answers the OP's question, then I am sorry. It's not that rankings don't matter at all-- they certainly provide a general guideline in some cases-- but as you and I would know, some ranking criteria are hazy and dubious. I'm not going to go further with the cliched "rankings-- valid or not?" argument because I don't profess to know enough about the ranking formula to criticize it. But the point here is that the OP asked how the economics programs at Cornell and Berkeley compare, not who topped who in the rankings. If that was the case, I'm guessing the whole thread would've been done in a couple of posts because it's simply a question of numbers. But there are so many intangible factors when we're discussing the quality of the education that both places are able to provide-- for one, the level of intellectual engagement of your peers because let's face it, most of us would be affected to different degrees by how motivated our friends are when it comes to studying. And then there are those who teach the classes and how passionate they themselves are about what they teach, or how accessible they are outside of class time to answer your queries etc. Just because these can't be magically computed to give a final score doesn't mean that they are not important when it comes to picking the "right" college.</p>
<p>Berkeley is a great school but I think we could all be proud of our colleges without dissing others'. <em>applauds Devil May Cry</em> I'm not one to preach how you should act, but hey surely there're better things to do than jumping onto other colleges' forums for the fun of dissing them? Of the others points you mentioned, I'd say Cornell has the whole "diversity" thing going pretty well too :) It's always a humbling experience to be schooling with so many brilliant people (to the point where "you realize you're nothing but an ant in society") but the next part you said about "... and nobody cares about you" seems way off judging by the things I've heard from other Cornellians. </p>
<p>I suspect you're just here to stir trouble and this is all "just for kicks", but I'll say this much:</p>
<p>The day our education rises and falls by SATs, GPAs and sheer numbers will be a very sad day for us. Very sad.</p>
<p>-Leigh (who happens to have a good <em>but not overwhelming!</em> volume of hair. LOL!)</p>