<p>Those are my three acceptances, so far. I'm an international student from New Zealand, so I'm relatively unfamiliar with all three of them, and I have no idea which one to pick as yet.</p>
<p>Right now I want to major in either Electrical or Computer Engineering; for both Penn and Duke I was accepted to their Engineering schools. I'd also like to keep my options open, though, in case I decide to switch to science (probably something physics- or computer-based).</p>
<p>At this point I plan to do a PhD, although if there's a realistic chance of going straight into work after an undergrad degree, I wouldn't mind that. I'm a bit concerned that with Swarthmore, I won't have that freedom.</p>
<p>General advice would be appreciated. My specific questions:</p>
<p>Which has the best academics, in the areas I mentioned?</p>
<p>Which would give the best college experience? I'm not exactly a hard-partying type, in general, and it's a bit of a concern that Duke and Penn both have reputations for that.</p>
<p>Which would get me into the best postgrad program, or job?</p>
<p>Any other hooks or really attractive things about any of them?</p>
<p>I am from Philly, and let me tell you that both Penn and Swarthmore are really great schools. (I got into Penn for Class of 2017.) However, you don’t just want to go to a school because its good. You want to go to a school because it’s good for what you want to do. Swarthmore is a liberal arts college, whereas Penn is a whole university. Both will have plenty of resources for you to use, so it’ll probably turn out deciding whether you want a large university vs a smaller liberal arts experience.</p>
<p>I teach at Penn; my daughter went to Swarthmore. I really like both schools but they are quite different. Because of the Quaker consortium, you can take Penn classes as a Swarthmore student (my daughter took many.) Penn students rarely travel to the consortium schools, but that is also possible. Swarthmore has an incredibly beautiful campus (it is an arboretum.) My daughter was not an engineering major at Swarthmore, but many of her friends were. </p>
<p>Penn’s campus is urban, a very different feel. Penn has more of a corporate atmosphere, although you can certainly find the artsy/cerebral pockets at Penn. Swarthmore is more intense academically, and as a rule the students tend to more intellectually engaged-- not that you won’t be able to find intellectuals at Penn. If you’re into greek life, Penn is probably a better bet. Penn is much more of a party school than Swarthmore. </p>
<p>As for graduate schools/employment, both Penn and Swarthmore have excellent career services. Message me if you have other questions.</p>