Hey I have quite the decision to make. I was accepted RD (with a likely letter) to Yale, and I received a conditional offer from Trinity College at Cambridge to read economics. However, I just found out yesterday that I got off of the waitlist at Harvard. I am American, but I hope to work in England and live there after college. I feel like this decision is almost impossible and was wondering if anyone had any suggestions.
UK vs US: all econ all the time or a range of classes with a specialization in econ?
UK: the big firms in the UK recruit heavily from Oxford & Cambridge- it is not unusual for Oxbridge students to have contracts for jobs in the name brand firms by the autumn of their penultimate year (usually conditional on a 2.1). Assuming you are eligible to work in the UK you can expect to go straight from uni to the City. Also, all your internships during undergrad are paid in the UK 
But- Harvard. Yale. Quite the choice!
Congratulations on your offers, I assume you have firmed Cambridge with the assumption that you can ask to be released from your offer should you decide to go to Harvard or Yale. I think it would be simpler if you decided which you preferred out of Harvard and Yale, doing this first would allow you to focus more on which style of teaching you prefer, what type of institution you would like to go to, and what you would like to do after college. Looking at your choices it doesn’t matter where you go in terms of employability or reputation; what you have to consider is which environment will you benefit from most from? Under which environment will you thrive and prosper the most?
There is no wrong decision here, and no one knows more than yourself. Your final decision will be the right decision but a difficult one.
Yeah i have chosen Harvard over Yale, but i’m really torn between Harvard and Cambridge. I guess my main questions are what is the reputation of econ at cambridge as well as the reputation of Trinity college? Thanks!
It doesn’t really matter: Cambridge is Cambridge. Truly. People who know the Cambridge colleges (which is pretty much nobody in the US) might know that Trinity does well in the Tompkins Tables, but no employer cares unless they happen to be a Trinity grad. And the difference in reputation between Cambridge and Harvard in undergrad econ is meaningless.
Truly: your best decision factor is to look at the courses you would take if you do econ at Cambridge- there is a lot of detail online: does it look like a great plan to you? compare it to what courses you would take at Harvard. Also, Cambridge terms are very short and very very (hard to emphasize how very) intense, and the only marks that count are the (cumulative) final exams at the end of each year: does that style of work suit you, or are you better at continuous assessment, and a relatively even work load? And, can you cope with a certain amount of slagging and a lot of misinformation about all things American?
@yxkjihgf, what did you decide in the end?
haven’t decided yet; really really torn
If you want to work at UK I’d go Cambridge. There are more connections/recognition there, though both are amazing
Forget about prestige. They are both extremely prestigious. And the Harvard degree would serve you well all over the world.
Colleges at Cambridge are pretty unique, but so are houses at Harvard.
The key question is this: do you want to study econ and only econ (and related quantitative classes) or may you change majors or want to double major or take classes in other fields?
BTW, very few people will care about your “bravery” in deciding which to go to.
HARVARD
Hello I am in a very special position for colleges. I have offers from Harvard and Trinity College Cambridge for Economics. I I am extremely torn between the two. I hope to live and work in the UK and Africa but I am American. In particular I am somewhat nervous about social and academic adjustment at Cambridge whereas I am familiar with Harvard after attending a nearby boarding school. I feel as though Cambridge would the the “braver” choice, but both are amazing schools. What do others think?