<p>I enrolled into Columbia SEAS but Princeton tapped me off their wait list. </p>
<p>I love Computer Science, Physics and Math, and looking to live the "American Dream" when I graduate. What should I do?</p>
<p>Funny you mention Princeton in regards to Computer Science. When I began the college search, I asked my brother, who’s in the tech industry, to ask a friend he has at Microsoft what colleges they look for. Here’s what he said: </p>
<p>"Princeton has the smallest class size and most faculty on campus and they are the best hires for MS. "</p>
<p>Not that that means you should go there, but I thought you might be interested in that. Personally, that’s what I’d pick (I’m almost interested in CS) if I had that choice.</p>
<p>Whatever you do do it quick because it might free up a space at Columbia for other waitliters.</p>
<p>“Whatever you do do it quick because it might free up a space at Columbia for other waitliters.”</p>
<p>ok, the decision is a serious life-affecting one for ivyleaves, I would suggest taking some time, doing some more research and re-visiting the campuses if you can, it doesn’t matter if he decides now or in a few days.</p>
<p>Ivyleaves, princeton is top notch in all three you that you mentioned, but columbia is also very strong in all three. I doubt there’s much of disadvantage to studying those three from here, people get into top gradschools and get top jobs all the time, mmeyers was talking about MS, which is not completely applicable to BS, but still relevant.</p>
<p>Princeton is a very different campus and has a very different feel to it. One of my best friends spent a week at princeton and then 4 days at columbia with me. He found a stark difference between the two. He was a little disgusted by princeton’s “arrogance, affluence and exclusivity.” He said he felt like an unwanted guest at an eating club when he met people. He felt at home at columbia calling it more laid back, friendly, diverse and balanced. He is obviously an extreme case and clearly either had a horrible experience at princeton or just was a complete misfit. But worry about fit, because they are very different student bodies.</p>
<p>princeton is more academic, more undergrad focused, less liberal, more resource rich, has better alumni connections.</p>
<p>Columbia is more well rounded, less undergrad focused but still heavily undergrad focused, more diverse and liberal, more into community service, more political, more beauraucratic, more involved with off campus stuff, more enterprising, less elitist, and close but not as strong in the academic disciplines you mentioned.</p>
<p>If you chose princeton, it’ll suck to see you go, but the choices are great either way.</p>
<p>This gives me a chance to pimp one of my favorite posts i’ve made on this board:</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/columbia-university/237231-columbia-vs-princeton-ed.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/columbia-university/237231-columbia-vs-princeton-ed.html</a> (post #5 might be the best thing i’ve written on here)</p>
<p>There’s also this thread:</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/columbia-university/228909-columbia-vs-princeton.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/columbia-university/228909-columbia-vs-princeton.html</a></p>
<p>Hope those help.</p>
<p>I’m not familiar with the programs you are interested in at either school, but I did have to make a Columbia/Princeton decision, so I’ll try to give you a quick breakdown of my personal opinions/observations.</p>
<p>They are definitely two very different campuses, and if you have a chance to visit both it would definitely help you.</p>
<p>Columbia is obviously urban, which is a pretty stark contrast to Princeton, which is located in a smaller town, but with access to the city for the occasional getaway.</p>
<p>In regards to the mentioned “arrogance, affluence and exclusivity” :
Personally, I did not see much arrogance or exclusivity on my Princeton visit… everyone I met seemed pretty friendly. Everybody views the eating clubs differently, so that really is more about personal preferences. Some may see it as elitist and exclusive, others view it as a way to bring together social life on one street and bringing much of the campus together. I’m not sure how I feel about it yet, but it’s not one of my major concerns. However, I will admit that there is definitely a feel of “affluence” about the place. Its style (as far as what people wear) is probably a bit more preppy, though I didn’t sense a prevalent “preppy” attitude. I definitely saw a few ‘alternative’ people, so I think there is a niche for those who lie outside the mainstream. I do think Columbia has a much stronger liberal presence, and is more politically active (there is some political activism at Princeton too, but definitely not as much)</p>
<p>I think Columbia is a great school, if you’re looking for a more urban campus. It has a much bigger feel to it than Princeton does, and I do think the location gives it a “fast-paced” and “bustling” feel, too. Princeton is a more typical campus, almost idyllic (IMO, it looks like Hogwarts). I don’t think one is necessarily better than the other, and it’s completely subjective.</p>
<p>I hope this helped you… remember that these are just my first impressions, so it may not be entirely correct.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>I have not been taken off the waitlist for Princeton (yet!), but at the moment I am leaning towards Columbia because
- I’m very much a city person and would feel somewhat uncomfortable being in the “Princeton bubble”
- Going along with the city theme, it seems that there are better local internship opportunities at Columbia.
- Unless I misunderstood something, Columbia’s bulletin lists almost three times the number of CS classes as Princeton. (Columbia has 6 different CS “tracks” in which you can specialize.)
- At Columbia, single rooms abound. I’d prefer a single.</p>
<p>That said, I’m still wondering if I would go to Princeton because of its superior resources ($$$), its smaller student body, and its broad range of student activities/organizations (I don’t think Columbia has a Robotics Club or a Macintosh Group, for instance).</p>
<p>Fun fact about Princeton: There’s an active Laptop Orchestra, PLOrk (<a href=“http://plork.cs.princeton.edu/)%5B/url%5D”>http://plork.cs.princeton.edu/)</a>.
Fun fact about Columbia: Its campus can be found in GTA IV (<a href=“http://www.bwog.net/articles/digitization_is_the_sincerest_form_of_flattery)%5B/url%5D”>http://www.bwog.net/articles/digitization_is_the_sincerest_form_of_flattery)</a>.</p>
<p>You should put this thread in the Princeton section too. (If you havn’t already). There is obviously going to be a bias toward columbia here.</p>
<p>I’d go with which curriculum, campus culture and student body appeals to you most. Physics, math, and computer science are all very good departments at Columbia and give their students opportunities to work with professors and in labs. Princeton does devote more resources to undergrads. But a student who excels at either place will have excellent opportunities post-graduation.</p>
<p>as a note, princeton does not allow double/triple majors, which was a a huge turn off for me. just something to keep in mind if you’re ambitious about these subjects.</p>
<p>I’ve never really understood people having a problem with not being able to double or triple major at a particular college. Does it really matter that you can’t get formal recognition that you have studied more than one field to a substantial level? So long as you take the classes in the different fields and make sure you learn the different materials, that should be sufficient, even when you start looking for jobs.</p>
<p>“I’ve never really understood people having a problem with not being able to double or triple major”</p>
<p>I’ve never really understood colleges having a problem with allowing people to double major, if you finish all the requirement for both, they should give you both. It’s both about recognition and pedigree, it makes a difference. you don’t need to make majors easier, some kids are just that good.</p>
<p>Princeton’s independent work requirements junior and senior year makes double majoring very very difficult. But you can do it. Triple majoring? Whatever for?</p>
<p>no, you can’t do it. the school simply doesn’t allow it.</p>
<p>triple majoring so you can pursue three subjects that you’re really interested in.</p>