MIT v Harvard v BC v BU: FIGHT!

Colleges and Universities A-Z Massachusetts Institute of Technology
1

<p>Alright so I'm posting this only on the MIT forum because you guys are amazing seriously. I've narrowed down my colleges to these four, and all are in Boston area (yay!) I either want to study cognitive sciences or chemical engineering, but I'm not sure at all yet; I'm definitely getting a 2nd major or a minor in philosophy though. Here's the lowdown:</p>

<p>MIT with 0 aid :(
Harvard with 13k
BC with amazing program and 38k honors (I would probably do physics with chemistry here)
BU with 38k and lots of service (I love service)</p>

<p>I love all the campuses, but the atmospheres are so completely different I know. I really want to know what you guys think of this situation, so I can be as informed as I can be when I make this decision. ANY input is appreciated greatly! I love you guys (seriously).</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

2

<p>How can you love BU’s campus when it’s basically nonexistent?</p>

3

<p>Excuse you? Just because it’s urban doesn’t mean it’s ‘not a campus.’</p>

<p>Anyway, have you visited the campuses yet? If you’re coming to CPW you could just wait until then to decide. Also at CPW you can talk to the financial aid people and maybe convince them to give you a more competitive aid package.</p>

4

<p>That’s the thing. I visisted all the campuses, but I can’t go back. In other words, no CPW, which makes me sad :(</p>

5

<p>I will just address the merits of these colleges independent of the financial considerations, since that’s not something a random poster on CC (me) can advise you and your family on. </p>

<p>First off, if you’re interested in chemical engineering/cognitive science, MIT wins in that category. As far as I can tell from the Harvard handbook, students at the College cannot concentrate in chemical engineering, but I could be totally wrong. What I do know is that MIT does offer degrees in chemical engineering for undergraduates, as well as degrees in cognitive and neuroscience. Both MITs and Harvards departments in neuroscience are very strong (USNWR Ranking those departments on the graduate level, Harvard is 1 and MIT is 4), but it is most likely easier to find research opportunities for both chemE and neuro/cog science at MIT than Harvard. Surprisingly, MIT also has a very strong program in philosophy, which you can take as a double-major or a minor (you can also do this at Harvard).</p>

<p>I have a brother who goes to BU, and he really likes it (he’s in the College of Fine Arts). However, I do not believe you can get a degree in chemE as an undergrad at BU. Furthermore, I believe Harvard, MIT, and BC all have stronger cognitive science programs than BU does (at least based on rankings). BU is also a very large school with a much less cohesive campus than Harvard, MIT, or BC, and you may find it more difficult to score research positions there. Again, without financial considerations, it sounds like you want to study science, so Harvard or MIT would offer you the best possible science educations out of your choices.</p>

<p>Another thing to consider: location. They’re all in the Boston area, which is excellent, but there are day-to-day differences you’ll experience based on your location. Talking to my friends at Harvard, they are located right next to Harvard Square (obviously), which is a really nice area. However, they’re farther away from Boston central compared to MIT and BU, so it turns out they make it into the city less. MIT is located a short distance from Boston AND Harvard Square, so students here tend to go to both these areas. Most MIT frats/sororities/ILGs are in fact located in Boston, many directly adjacent to BU territory. MIT is right on the river and if you go there you’ll have great access to Boston and Cambridge. BU is right on the river on the other side, and it’s super easy to do whatever you want in Boston, and my brother tells me BU kids sometimes make it out to Cambridge as well. BC kids go into Boston all the time too, but they have to take a 20-30 min trip on the Green line to get there, so that’s kind of a pain. </p>

<p>AND there are lots of other intangibles you should definitely explore and find out which school is right for you in terms of culture, housing, academics, etc. But out of all these schools, anywhere you pick you’ll get an excellent education.</p>

6

<p>MIT literally created the field of chemical engineering and has dominated the speciality ever since. In cognitive science it has the largest lab in the world and some of the very finest faculty. There is simply no contest.</p>

<p>As far as the cost, remember that the majority of MIT students also had options elsewhere with full rides and scholarships and chose MIT anyway. I realize 50K/year is a lot of money for any family, but I have never heard of an alumnus or parent claiming the investment in an MIT education was not worth every penny.</p>

7

<p>Some great advice I heard once was “If you are having trouble deciding which college to choose, you’ll probably be happy at any of the ones you’re considering.”</p>

<p>I’d recommend taking the money and going to Harvard. From the previous posts in the thread, it sounds like they’re about equal to MIT in the relevant areas. Given that, there’s no need to make your parents grumble for the rest of their life by making them pay an extra $50k.</p>

<p>(By the way, lots of people turn down full rides elsewhere to go to Harvard – an MIT education might be worth the full $200k, but so is a Harvard one.)</p>

8

<p>Harvard doesn’t even have chemical engineering or neuroscience as a concentration so it can hardly be called equal.</p>

9

<p>I think you can concentrate in neuroscience:</p>

<p>[FAS</a> Handbook for Students: Chapter 3: Fields of Concentration](<a href=“http://webdocs.registrar.fas.harvard.edu/ugrad_handbook/current/chapter3/psy_neuro.html]FAS”>http://webdocs.registrar.fas.harvard.edu/ugrad_handbook/current/chapter3/psy_neuro.html)</p>

<p>[FAS</a> Handbook for Students: Chapter 3: Fields of Concentration](<a href=“http://webdocs.registrar.fas.harvard.edu/ugrad_handbook/current/chapter3/psy_soc_cog.html]FAS”>http://webdocs.registrar.fas.harvard.edu/ugrad_handbook/current/chapter3/psy_soc_cog.html)</p>

<p>But these concentrations do seem slightly different from neuroscience at MIT:</p>

<p>[MIT</a> Course Catalogue: Course 9](<a href=“http://web.mit.edu/catalogue/degre.scien.ch9.shtml]MIT”>http://web.mit.edu/catalogue/degre.scien.ch9.shtml)</p>

<p>Something to consider.</p>

10

<p>Thanks for the input. Really is helpful. Anybody else care to comment? Also, Harvard lets its students design their own “special” concentration, so essentially I could take the same classes that Course IX offers or ChemE offers and just do them at Harvard…</p>

11

<p>Seems like a no brainer, MIT. You can cross register at Harvard too</p>

12

<p>OMG you have to go with BC! One of the top 50 schools in the country for such a cheap price ($12,000 per year estimated)!!!</p>

13

<p>If money’s a huge issue, BC. If it’s somewhat important, Harvard. If it doesnt matter then MIT. But eh what do I know.</p>