<p>I'm sure you will have all heard of the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), but my question is if you were accepted at Harvard or the LSE which one would you go for and why?</p>
<p>Is LSE's standing as a leading insitutuion the same as Harvard's? How is LSE perceived in the US?</p>
<p>Did anyone apply to BOTH these schools, what was their decison on your application and who did you go for?</p>
<p>Get a subscription to the Times rankings to view the relative rankings from the UK side of the water.</p>
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<p>Times world university rankings. An exerpt:</p>
<p>1 Harvard University US 643 17 17 50 243 1000.0
2 University of California, Berkeley US 665 6 7 7 169 880.2
3 Massachusetts Institute of Technology US 484 13 18 28 221 788.9
4 California Institute of Technology US 236 19 17 45 400 738.9
5 Oxford University UK 560 57 18 30 45 731.8
6 Cambridge University UK 541 65 19 31 46 725.4
7 Stanford University US 420 9 13 28 197 688.0
8 Yale University US 347 53 20 65 81 582.8
9 Princeton University US 353 18 18 19 133 557.5
10 ETH Zurich Switzerland 170 72 25 4 266 553.7
11 London School of Economics UK 257 79 100 27 6 484.4</p>
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<blockquote> <p>Is LSE's standing as a leading insitutuion the same as Harvard's? How is LSE perceived in the US?<<</p> </blockquote>
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<p>In my experience, everyone in the US has heard of Harvard. The average American janitor or day laborer has probably never heard of LSE. Most educated people in the US have heard of LSE but probably don't know that much about it. It is typically regarded as the third-best college in Britain after Oxbridge. It is perhaps most famous for being Mick Jagger's alma mater.</p>
<p>So to sum up I would say that, in the US, LSE is well-regarded but is probably ranked lower than Harvard. Perhaps it is the other way around in the UK.</p>
<p>If someone says LSE I am confused beyond the ability to think. But, LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS!!! Well, Bowie and Jagger went there. It is a world famous school. It is up there with Harvard. But I have noticed that only educated people will talk or know about it. You won't hear it from a lower class.</p>
<p>Thank you for replying to my message coureur and Sirwatson1. Mick Jagger only did four terms at the LSE, he never completed his degree. Many people do not know this.</p>
<p>I knew that Mick Jagger had dropped out of LSE without a degree, but I did not know how many terms he had completed. His enrollment there used to get mentioned in magazine articles in the US simply because he went there at all --> not quite consistent with the Rolling Stones bad boy image.</p>
<p>i understand, and agree, that "name dropping" wise, Harvard beats LSE hands down. But, LSE is one of the leading institutions in the UK, and probably the world, in all things social science. If that's what you're into, LSE is the place to be. Also, If you like cities, it's in an excellent location within central London. </p>
<p>But Harvard is Harvard -- and I guess it works for some, not for others. </p>
<p>one of my best friends from school did get offers from LSE (to read Economics) and Harvard this year -- after receiving a rejection from her first choice school, Oxford. In any case, she's chosen to go to Harvard for several reasons:
1. cost -- she's an international student, and therefore has to pay full fees to attend university in the UK; H has offered her financial aid
2. she's not sure if she still wants to study Economics. In essence, she is still undecided as to her course of study, and would like to expore different fields; as such the US is a wise choice for her.</p>
<p>Squidgy are you on the TSR? If so, what is your alias?</p>
<p>How is Cal ranked second to Harvard?</p>
<p>What does Caltech have to do with this discussion?</p>
<p>As far as comprehensive universities go, its Harvard, Stanford and Cal, and not necessarily in that order, with no other place close.</p>
<p><a href="http://thecenter.ufl.edu/%5B/url%5D">http://thecenter.ufl.edu/</a></p>
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[quote]
I'm sure you will have all heard of the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), but my question is if you were accepted at Harvard or the LSE which one would you go for and why?</p>
<p>Is LSE's standing as a leading insitutuion the same as Harvard's? How is LSE perceived in the US?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I wouldn't worry so much about the 'name-dropping' ability as someone put it. Ditto the comment on janitors...does it really matter to you if your average person you meet on the street would ooh and aah over the name of your college? These "comprehensive" 'world rankings' are pretty meaningless, except as a measure of that oohing and aahing factor.</p>
<p>What's more important is how your future employer will view the school, and that depends more on substantive comparison of the various departments. And to that end, Harvard would definitely be better if you intended to major in a non-social science field. If your major is likely to be economics, however, the London School of Economics is a very good place to go. One might argue that Harvard's economics faculty is at or near that of the LSE, but no sane employer in the US or elsewhere will look down on an economics degree from LSE. I don't think you can fairly say that one or the other is 'better' in that sense.</p>
<p>FWIW, LSE is most often known in the US as a school for graduate work. I believe it's fairly uncommon for US high school graduates to attend LSE for regular undergrad study.</p>
<p>Don't choose it based on the rankings. Decide where you'll be happier. Chances are, an employer will like Harvard better if the employer is a Harvard alum, and same goes for LSE. Other than that, both are extremely prestigious and will help your future.</p>
<p>If you want to work in the social sciences (in the broad sense of that term) then LSE is the place to go- after all that is what it does, whereas Harvard does a bit of everything. However outside of that nobody can match the Harvard brand name.</p>
<p>Havard is everybody and LSE is only professional. If you talk LSE to lower educated people, unfortunately they do not know. But I am sure top professionals mark LSE one of the Top.</p>
<p>Either Harvard or LSE are very good. You work US - Go Harvard. You work UK - Go LSE. Both are very good in Asia.</p>
<p>Hands down LSE.</p>
<p>It is a tremendously prestigious university (and is seen and ranked ahead of Oxford and Cambridge in social sciences here in the UK), is brilliantly located within the diverse City of London (so you have everything you could possibly want for an amazing university experience) and its Economics course had one of the world lowest acceptance rates for a course.</p>
<p>Acadamic quality - i dont know
but for the reputation, i would still go for harvard anyway.
its a no-brainer for me.
everyone in the world knows harvard.</p>
<p>LSE has been my dream since 7th grade. Its incredibly beautiful. London is an amazing city. I’d definitely go for LSE <3</p>
<p>I was under the impression that LSE admits stupid, spoiled, rich foreigners in droves–especially at the undergraduate level.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, its national and international reputation is unquestioned…</p>
<p>Reminds me of Berkeley.</p>
<p>“I was under the impression that LSE admits stupid, spoiled, rich foreigners in droves–especially at the undergraduate level.”</p>
<p>You were misinformed. The entry standards are incredibly high and most programs have at least 10 applicants vying for each place (15 or 20 for the most competitive programs). If anything the LSE is more of a University of Chicago/Wharton School hybrid that happens to be located in London.</p>