<p>A lot of people I’ve met know about Boston College of at least have heard of it but not that many people know about Brandeis.</p>
<p>Why?
Why why why?</p>
<ol>
<li>Boston College is much larger</li>
<li>Boston College plays Division 1 sports and is competitive on a national level.</li>
<li>Even if you don’t exactly know much about Boston College, the name pretty much tells you it’s a college in or near Boston. “Brandeis” is not as self-explanatory.</li>
</ol>
<p>oh, and FYI among those who matter, Brandeis is well known.</p>
<p>Soze is of course correct. Boston College and the other Division I major sports programs are far better known among the general population than is Brandeis, Amherst, Williams, Middlebury, Brown etc. etc. Among that same population, Penn State is far better known than the University of Pennsylvannia and, in fact they are often confused with each other because both are universities in Pennsylvannia.</p>
<p>Oh Ok but the academcics are comparable right?</p>
<p>@leksas:</p>
<p>You are asking a very generic question that does not have such a simple answer.</p>
<p>If a simple answer is what you are seeking, I’ll give you this data point:
According to the USNWR National University rankings, Brandeis is at 31 and BC is at 34, so in that regard they are “comparable.” </p>
<p>But you really need to compare the specifics of what’s important to you.</p>
<p>My friend got accepted to both BC and Brandeis, and he is attending Brandeis. He is international.</p>
<p>With respect to academics, I believe you’re comparing apples and oranges. BC has nearly three times as many undergraduates as does Brandeis-nearly nine thousand versus just over three thousand. Brandeis functions as a small liberal arts college in the midst of a world-class research institution. I belive it is the smallest student body of the top tier universities (perhaps other than CalTech). Its theater arts, music and fine arts programs are also renowned. In terms of its intellectuality, it is much more comparable to its UAA bretheren, the University of Chicago or Wash U, or other small research universities like Johns Hopkins, than it is to BC. With respect to prestige as it affects success rates in admissions to the best graduate schools, including med school and law school, it would be hard to beat Brandeis. However, if you’re looking for a prestigious Div I athletics program, it’s BC hands down over all other schools in the Boston area. I would compare BC more closely with its more prestigious Catholic bretheren, Notre Dame and Georgetown.</p>