<p>Hey everyone.
I have just gotten into Northwestern via waitlist. I'm quite content with just going to UCLA but still I'm not quite sure which to choose.</p>
<p>I'm planning on majoring in biology so far (but I may take classes from other areas to see what I find interesting) n I like challenging myself academically.
I'm probably going to participate in intermural sports.
Other than that I'm rather flexible.</p>
<ul>
<li>I'm Asian (have gone to an international school in China), have no relatives in the US, but have friends that are going to UCLA.</li>
</ul>
<p>Some variables for your consideration---UCLA---strong academics, weather, your friends, size of school-large classes in the core curriculum---vs--NW--strong academics, weather, new friends to be made, smaller school-therefore classes are smaller. Does finances factor in your choice? Did you visit both schools? If so, did you get a chance to talk to other students? Did one seem to just fit better than the other? My D had the same choice-you will make a good choice, too. Good Luck-and coongratulatons on getting accepted to both!</p>
<p>Neko- Have you visited NU? If you have, what did you think of the students? I just recently visited and found them to be very friendly. You can't go wrong either way though. Two great schools.</p>
<p>Unfortunately I haven't had the chance to visit so I have little idea about the people there.
Finance does factor in a bit but is there a huge difference between the tuitions of the two schools? (after my calculation there seems to be about $5000 difference or less? Not sure)
I'm a bit afraid of teh cold I have to say though ~</p>
<p>Which is better in terms of biology? And option of majors/classes to choose from?</p>
<p>I also have a question about the two schools. Which school's undergraduate economics program is stronger? Would either school give you an advantage when applying to a MBA program or law school? I understand work experience will be the main determinant, but which school's degree do you think will compliment that work experience better?</p>
<p>Sorry have a few concerns other than the price difference and course offerings.
Does anyone know where I can find out the Graduate school Acceptances and internships/research opportunities granted by both schools?</p>
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Which school's undergraduate economics program is stronger?
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</p>
<p>Not to say UCLA's econ dept isn't any good or anything but Northwestern has a significant edge over UCLA in terms of prestige. It's like comparing Berkeley with University of Chicago. Both are very good programs but everyone knows Chicago as THE innovator for Economics program. Wharton is to Business as Chicago is to Economics, and I'm sure Northwestern isn't too far behind Chicago's dept.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Does anyone know where I can find out the Graduate school Acceptances and internships/research opportunities granted by both schools?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I would think that graduate school acceptances are more a function of the individual student's grades and GRE scores, rather than just the undergrad school they attended. If you go to either school and do well, you will most likely reach your goal of a prestigious grad school.</p>
<p>UCLA
More people means more fun
the majority of people at northwestern are very uptight and spend most of their time( including weekends) studying. UCLA is in California, which by reputation is more laid back. If you want to go pre-med, Northwestern will require even more work and you will leave the library, or dorm, depending on where you like to study, even less. Have you ever spent a winter in Chicago?</p>
<p>
[quote]
Not to say UCLA's econ dept isn't any good or anything but Northwestern has a significant edge over UCLA in terms of prestige. It's like comparing Berkeley with University of Chicago. Both are very good programs but everyone knows Chicago as THE innovator for Economics program. Wharton is to Business as Chicago is to Economics, and I'm sure Northwestern isn't too far behind Chicago's dept.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I really don't know how true this is.</p>
<p>For one, Northwestern's prestige is a bit more limited on the West Coast and abroad. That, and UCLA's econ department is probably stronger than Northwestern's in most areas.</p>
<p>And really, "prestige" doesn't mean a better undergrad education. I think that Cornell is more "prestigious" to laymen than Smith, but I bet that Smith does a better job of preparing its undergrads for grad school.</p>
<p>Oh, and as for Wharton, I would imagine some HBS grads would argue that with you...</p>
<p>
[quote]
Does anyone know where I can find out the Graduate school Acceptances and internships/research opportunities granted by both schools?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>This kind of information is almost never collected well, and is even harder to dig up. I recommend you e-mail specific departments at the schools and ask if they have anything like that. I can tell you this much: it's almost impossible to find good data on the subject.</p>
<p>What are you talking about? I've never seen UCLA's econ being ranked higher than Northwestern's. </p>
<p>According to US News, NU's econ is ranked the 8th with peer assessment score of 4.6/5.0 while UCLA's is 11th with the score of 4.2/5.0. NU team also won the national title of College Fed Challenge 3 times in a row in the last 3 years. NU is also well-ranked (21st) in WSJ feeder ranking.</p>
<p>OP,
At NU, Weigberg students have 90 percentage admit rate to one or more grad schools and 63% got into their first choice. Most are premeds or prelaws.</p>
<p>USNWR's rankings of departments is dismal, in my opinion. It captures some sort of overall soupy aggregate measure, but rarely tells you strength from within specific areas. I said that UCLA's department is probably stronger in most areas, but not that it's necessarily ranked higher. </p>
<p>Northwestern's strongest area is probably their microecon theory, and UCLA does best in labor and macroeconomics. Honestly, I'm not saying that NU has a bad program. On the contrary: it's clearly a top 10 program. I'm saying that UCLA's program is probably stronger overall. </p>
<p>Again, I don't see how NU being well-ranked is an indication of the strength of the department. I think it just shows that NU is an excellent school overall.</p>
<p>I would rather go to northwestern over anything compared to ucla</p>
<p>my only choice is ucla right now, and still on waiting on waitlist for cmu and washu
i hope i make it in to those schools so I DONT have to go to ucla</p>
<p>even though more people means more fun,
would anyone not have fun at northwestern?</p>
<p>I dont know,, maybe Im from east coast thats why....
not many people think ucla is like a terrific school here
since when i visited ucla for engineering open house in april,
I felt alot of difference between los angeles and boston...</p>
<p>I know i am very being wierd but,,
when I enter harvard's campus i could actually feel intellectual atmosphere,
but I did not feel too much for campus of ucla</p>
<p>something must be wrong with me? hahaha</p>
<p>I dont think a public school education is worth without the in-state tuition
i mean this person is international.
dont you think so?</p>
<p>I've lived on the East Coast as well, and I've had mostly good experiences with the reputation. Sure, you get some East Coast snobbery, but it's not like a UCLA degree is just seen as chaff to be thrown out. Employers know that UCLA is a good school, and you won't have any problems marketing the degree.</p>
<p>No, it does not have the same intellectual atmosphere as Harvard. But Harvard is Harvard. CMU and WashU are not Harvard either, I hope you realize. You're not going to get that kind of "drop dead" academic atmosphere in many other places, so don't think that UCLA is unique amongst the many thousands of schools in the US.</p>
<p>Remember, there are thousands of universities in the US. UCLA is one of the top 25 or so. That's no small thing.</p>