just got off the waitlist from columbia: tough decision now

College Search & Selection
1

<p>so.....My problem is where to go???? Berkeley or Columbia University???
I'm in Berkeley school of letter and science and Columbia SEAS. one is liberal arts and one is engineering school. where should I go??? </p>

<p>my intended major is economics, physics, computer science, mathematics. any two out of the four. and I really wish to be in NY because it seems to me that NY has a lot to offer. But somehow I also feel that Berkeley is extremely strong in those majors in which I'm intended to be in... can you please give me some advice and pros and cons?</p>

2

<p>Are you in-state at Berkeley?</p>

3

<p>I'm someone who sometimes boosts Cal over Columbia because of the cost-differential, especially for students who think they'll be heading to law or medical school. NYC alone does not seem enough to overcome that differential.</p>

<p>But you're in the engineering college at Columbia and LandS at Cal, so you should look carefully at the different major possibilities that involves. I don't think you can major in physics or econ or physics at SEAS, though you can minor in econ, and you can major in applied physics or applied math or cs. Can you major in computer science in LandS at Cal? I'd suggest you take a careful look at which would give you the most flexibility for major and course choice. </p>

<p>Also, though econ and math and cs are great departments at Cal, they are great departments for grad students. You would have a more personal experience in math and cs at Columbia. (Take a look in the class directories for class size.) Econ is pretty much overwhelmed everywhere.</p>

4

<p>Make sure you know how you feel about the Core Curriculum at Columbia before applying. It's a huge part of the undergraduate experience!</p>

5

<p>How did you get off the waitlist, when Columbia hasn't started clearing the Waitlist yet?</p>

6

<p>Maybe Columbia just started tapping the waitlist. It has to begin somewhere, perhaps the OP was the start?</p>

7

<p>As someone who is travelling through NYC right now (writing this in Brooklyn), I can say that New York is a fantastic experience, and being there should trump a lot of considerations. </p>

<p>Even though Berkeley is extremely strong in the hard sciences you mentioned, so is Columbia. Columbia's economics department is stellar, with lots of Nobel Prize winning faculty (probably only Harvard, LSE, MIT & UChicago are better), the SEAS is really good...</p>

<p>Of course Berkeley is in NorCal with San Francisco nearby, and that is also an excellent environment to be in. And if you're in-state there is a strong financial incentive to go there...</p>

<p>Tough decision indeed. </p>

<p>Personally I would lean toward Columbia because I love NY so much, and also because it is a smaller college, but Berkeley would be incredible too, and you definitely can't go wrong here.</p>

8

<p>I would say if in-state => Berkeley; otherwise, Columbia.</p>

9

<p>I agree with gellino... though I might pick Columbia even if I WAS in-state at Berkeley...</p>

10

<p>Columbia for sure!!!!!!</p>