Help me please: Carleton College vs NYU Shanghai vs U of Edinburgh

Colleges and Universities A-Z Carleton College
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<p>Please, help me with choosing the school I will attend this fall.</p>

<p>A few words about me: I come from East Central Europe. Though still undecided about my major, I am especially interested in natural sciences (STEM) and economics/business. At this moment, I would like to do engineering (chemical? mechanical?) as an undergraduate and obtain the MBA degree. Also, I don't know yet whether I will stay in the country I will have been studying in or come back to my home country.</p>

<p>Carleton College:
I feel that the Carleton really wants me :) I received huge FA offer, so the costs will be comparable to those of Edinburgh. I'm not even scared of the weather there. Advantages: liberal arts education, rigorious study, typical American college experience and football that I really love. On the other hand, Carleton does not offer engineering (only 3+2 programs or possibility of learning engineering at another university, after graduation). I have the impression that the Carleton isn't recognized not only outside of the USA, but it is not that known even in America.</p>

<p>University of Edinburgh:
I got offers for economics, biochemistry and chemical engineering. Though they are conditional, I will probably fulfill all requirements. It's a prestigious university, recognized all around the world (I know, it's not the main reason to choose the school, but it's definitely an advantage considering application to the MBA program or first work). I will not have to pay tuition fees there, so the costs seem pretty low. Also, its location is an advantage - I will be able to visit home more frequently than 2 times a year. The only flaw is that the Edinburgh isn't in the USA haha</p>

<p>NYU Shanghai:
Brand new college in China under NYU sign. I visited it 2 weeks ago and feel like I really could live there. Graduating there, I will be holding the NYU and ECNU degrees, fluent in Chinese and having more stamps in my passport than after any other college. At this moment, they don't offer mechanical engineering (probably will), but majoring in economics or finance in Shanghai is very tempting. On the other hand, it's still a bit risky venture. I asked them for a better financial aid offer, since the proposed one doesn't let me study there.</p>

<p>I hold an offer from University of Glasgow too, but I decided to attend Edinburgh if staying in Europe. Also, I am waitlisted at the Middlebury College. Knowing that the odds are against me, I want to ask if possible admission there is worth it in comparision to Edinburgh, NYU Shanghai or Carleton.</p>

<p>Please, help me. Write, which school would you choose and why. Thanks for reading this and your answers so much :)</p>

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<p>If you are certain that you want to be an engineer, then perhaps Carleton is not the obvious first choice. If, however, you value a well-rounded undergraduate education at a rigorous school where the professors are focused on teaching rather than research, then you should seriously consider Carleton.</p>

<p>As a small, private liberal arts school, the name “Carleton” is not widely recognized in the U.S. the way that “Harvard” or “UC Berkeley” are. However, people knowledgeable about higher education, including graduate schools, are very familiar with Carleton’s reputation for excellence.</p>

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<p>Agree with Pootie. Carleton’s rep with grad schools and big name employers is stellar and chemistry and economics are two exceptionally strong departments. But, if you’re reasonably sure you want to major in Chem or Mech E, I’m not a big fan of 3+2 programs, generally discourage LACs under those circumstances, and would tell you to head off to Edinburgh now and save the US for grad school down the road.</p>

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<p>Very odd that I am deciding between three schools, two of which are Carleton and NYU Shanghai. What are anyone’s thoughts on NYUSH?</p>

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<p>Posted this on another thread 2 weeks ago and will re-post here:</p>

<p>“Taking us on to China…
NYU Shanghai may seem “the adventure of a lifetime,” but I’d suggest you could have that adventure without sacrificing another. I know nothing of the details of the new Shanghai school, but I have followed the controversy surrounding its opening (and that of similar satellite campuses). NYU faculty last week cast a vote of no-confidence in President Sexton for a host of reasons, one of which centered around concerns that Shanghai and related campuses are not ready for prime-time - worry that academically they won’t hold up to the rigor, depth and breath of the NY campus and that the Chinese government’s vision of academic freedom might not parallel US standards.”</p>

<p>But the primary reason I avoided mentioning NYU Shanghai in my earlier post to you involved your major interests. I wouldn’t recommend pursuing a STEM major at a school first getting its sea legs with a bare-bones staff and curriculum. Absolutely wouldn’t recommend this if interested in engineering. Be careful not to fall prey to the hype. It may be the Kool Aid talking.</p>

<p>Still would go with Carleton or Edinburgh.</p>

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<p>Thanks a lot :)</p>

<p>@1190 - I have already seen your post in the “NYU Shanghai” thread as I recollect.</p>

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<p>I don’t believe Carleton’s relatively low profile is an issue in this case. What is more significant to you is that Carleton is known and trusted by two higher profile schools, Columbia and WUSTL, upon which you could rely to give more prominence to your engineering degree should you complete it. In general 3+2 students from LAC’s in engineering programs are well thought of (see [3-2</a> Engineering Degree Programs](<a href=“http://www.thecollegesolution.com/a-hidden-jewel-3-2-engineering-degree-programs/]3-2”>A Hidden Jewel: 3-2 Engineering Degree Programs - The College Solution)) so you ought not worry that you would start an engineering program “one-down” to the other students. </p>

<p>You do need to be aware of the requirements that guarantee admission to the next step. If you get to a point where you don’t meet them you might have to consider an alternative route to an engineering degree. In addition it is also the case that many students who come with the intention of completing 3+2 degrees often change their mind later in the program as the added time and burdens of moving to a new school after three years at their first can make completion less appealing. You might want to talk to either someone at Carleton or a 3+2 student (with a reference from Carleton) about this.</p>

<p>One question I would think is more important to answer is would your FA follow you if you to complete your 3+2 program away from Carleton and, if it doesn’t, would this prove a barrier to completing your degree?</p>

<p>There is also some consideration that should be given to the fact that you will be out “in the world” one year sooner at Edinburgh (I believe the Scottish degrees go four years) than in a 3+2 program (or two years sooner than in a 4+2 program, which is another Carleton option). On the other hand the Carleton site does mention the possibility of ending up with a masters in engineering at the end of the program, which might put you further ahead. Have you investigated what is involved with the latter option?</p>

<p>Assuming these are not deciding issues, I note your positive regard for a liberal arts curriculum. If someone is willing to pay you much of the cost of having an experience you deem valuable and probably won’t ever be able to have again then I would suggest you give strong consideration to this possibility.</p>