<p>truazn, stop trying to build a Columbia-Penn rivalry. It's not worth it. We beat you guys where it matters, on the basketball court and football field. Prestige changes, so you can't say which is going to be better 20 years from now. In any case, it's all for undergrad and everyone says "it doesn't matter where you go." </p>
<p>Also, Columbia may be regaining "lost ground" in terms of Prestige, but Penn is starting to have a very respected undergrad reputation outside of Wharton to the point where USNWR ranks us above Columbia consistently. I know USNWR isn't perfect and shouldn't dictate where you go, but if school A is ranked higher than school B every year for nearly 10 years, it says something. And don't bring up things like yield adjustment (whats the point in admitting a student who shows no interest and has bad essays), using ED to boost numbers (Columbia uses ED too and has a slightly lower acceptance rate versus about half the number of students admitted ED), or gaming the system (it's at the point where Princeton can have a top 20 professional program). </p>
<p>At the end of the day, both are very good schools, but have different environments and strengths. It's up to an individual to decide which is a better fit.</p>