<p>Alright, so I was accepted to all of my top choices (I really did not expect that to happen). I have narrowed it down to MIT and Columbia, after examining which of my choices would help my potential career as an engineer. However, I would like help in deciding which one through their social atmospheres. Are the rumors true, that Columbia can be a cold place to be? All feedback is greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>[YouTube</a> - Columbia University!](<a href=“http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZG7gThoGME]YouTube”>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZG7gThoGME)
come to columbia!
it isn’t a cold place at all. we are warm people :)</p>
<p>For engineering, I’d go with MIT to be honest. MIT has a better engineering program, but Columbia is just as prestigious. Just given your choice of major though, I’d go with MIT.</p>
<p>Help me choose??
<a href=“Please help me choose!!! - College Search & Selection - College Confidential Forums”>Please help me choose!!! - College Search & Selection - College Confidential Forums;
<p>If your main criterion is to help an engineering career, choose MIT.</p>
<p>But both schools are excellent, so either choice is a good one. Both are in big cities in the same type of climate. At MIT, you will be surrounded by science/engineering majors, while at Columbia, you will also get to know social sciences and arts majors.</p>
<p>What about the administration and its relationship to students as well?</p>
<p>A major advantage at MIT is the ease of transfer between schools. If for whatever reason you decide to switch from engineering to science or even Business or Econ, it is very easy to do. The GIRs are identical for all majors. Double majoring between engineering and another major is easy and encouraged by the school. </p>
<p>If on the other you are admitted to the Fu School of Engineering at Columbia it is extremely hard if not impossible to transfer to Columbia College. The requirements are vastly different. </p>
<p>While I don’t know the specifics at Columbia, at MIT, undergrads are given considerable amounts of freedom in regards to course selection (minimal or no prerequisites), number of classes per semester, living conditions (choices in selecting dorms and roommates, no mandatory meal plan). Students in general have quite a lot of power and undergrads are generally treated the same as grad students. They have access to the same research opportunities in the labs and can take graduate level classes, generally without restriction. The environment is also very non-competitive among students with pass/fail for freshmen, exploratory options, very late drop dates, no ranking or Latin honors, essentially no grading on a curve and most work done in teams.</p>
<p>MIT, hands down</p>
<p>cellardweller- thanks for the great, indepth post!</p>
<p>MIT for vastly superior engineering academics-opportunities-post grad options, admin support, closer knit student body, setting.</p>
<p>The next question is, Columbia is giving me about 5k more in aid… do you think I could appeal to MIT? Columbia and brown have given me no federal loans, Brown no workstudy, and Columbia workstudy every other year. There is about 20k difference in the debt I would accumulate over 4 years between MIT and Columbia.</p>
<p>MIT (or brown)</p>
<p>I would still go to MIT. 20K isn’t nearly enough to turn down MIT.</p>
<p>Plus, when you become the next billionaire-engineer, you can pay it back!</p>
<p>its like 11k per year to go to MIT or 6k per year to go to Columbia.</p>