PLEASE HELP--BU, Brandeis, or GWU?

<p>I am planning on studying psychology, and I’m trying to decide which of these to go to. GWU offered the most money, but I was wondering if anyone had advice on psychology at BU/which of these you would recommend. Thanks in advance!</p>

<p>As someone dying to get off the waitlist at Brandeis, GO TO BRANDEIS!! :)</p>

<p>Where are you from?</p>

<p>Honestly, you should try and go visit the three schools. BU and Brandeis are close to each other so you could do one trip for that. Visit the schools, see them first hand, talk to people in the psych departments, etc. This is potentially the next 4 years of your life so visiting would probably be the best way to get a feel for the schools. </p>

<p>I have a friend who goes to Brandeis and I’ve visited once, the student life and environment is completely different from BU so I’m sure you’d prefer one over another.</p>

<p>Don’t know much about GWU.</p>

<p>If you got the most money from GWU I would attend there.</p>

<p>For what it’s worth, my S is at the same decision point, only for PolySci. Merit aid is pretty much the same for all 3, w/in $5K of each other. GWU has DC as it’s hook, but there’s a ton of polysci majors there. BU’s hook is the honors program, while with Brandeis, it is more intimate and quieter than inside the city. Also loves both towns, and although Brandeis is in the 'burbs, it’s a free shuttle trip into the city. </p>

<p>Lastly however, the wallet tells him to do Polysci in-state at UConn, where he got in Honors as well and has an excellent DC-intern program with CT-legislators.</p>

<p>In a way, I’m glad BC came back accepted but with lowsy FA; it made that decision much easier. We have 6 more decisions to come in, but you can tell he’s already getting overwhelmed.</p>

<p>Brandeis has it’s admits day on 7-April. and BU has one on the 10th. We should have a good gut-check after that (I hope).</p>

<p>Bu babyyyyy</p>

<p>psyc is one of the most popular majors at Brandeis and it’s truly a very strong department here. i would email the psyc udrs for more first-hand info [url=<a href=“http://www.brandeis.edu/das/programs/udr/reps_08-09.html]08-09”>http://www.brandeis.edu/das/programs/udr/reps_08-09.html]08-09</a> UDRs | Brandeis University<a href=“of%20course,%20you%20should%20do%20the%20same%20at%20BU.”>/url</a> abe maslow was a founding member of the psyc faculty. i feel that Brandeis is much more prestigious than BU and since they’re roughly the same price, i’d go to Brandeis. as you said, hopefully you’ll learn a lot from admitted students day</p>

<p>Brandeis and GWU are more prestigious and are ranked higher.</p>

<p>I don’t want to sway you, but…</p>

<p>BRANDEIS IS DISGUSTING!</p>

<p>True, it doesn’t win the most gorgeous campus award. It has a very '60’s feel to it and could use a facelift. Any similar feeling about the programs, or is it the asthetics?</p>

<p>Certainly, everyone needs to make their own choice, but, for me, the choice is easy. In terms of both prestige and education, I would pick Brandeis. See comments in the similar thread under the Brandeis forum: </p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/brandeis-university/678762-help-brandeis-bu-gwu.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/brandeis-university/678762-help-brandeis-bu-gwu.html&lt;/a&gt; </p>

<p>In Psychology, Brandeis not only is the historical home of world-renowned psychologists Abraham Maslow (professor) and Eliot Aronson (alumnus), among others, it’s current department is very strong. You can do your own research on the current faculty and program. As for polysci, Bob Art and others are renowned (I believe Art also teaches at Harvard) and have trained illustrious Brandeis alumni (e.g. Robert Galluci, longtime head of the Georgetown School of Foreign Service and the new President of the MacArthur Foundation).</p>

<p>It’s no coincidence that Brandeis recently was ranked 15th among research universities and 30th overall among all private univerities and LAC’s. It’s a testament to its focus on undergraduate education. Larger schools, including some Ivies, were ranked much lower. </p>

<p>As for the campus, I think it’s very pretty–although under construction. Its architecture is eclectic modern/post-modern plus there’s a cool medieval castle. Even if the architecture is not your cup ot tea, the natural beauty of the campus still compares favorably with the inner-city campuses of BU and GW. Plus Brandeis is very close to downtown Boston.</p>

<p>Good luck with your decisions!</p>

<p>if you only care about a pretty campus, then you probably shouldn’t pick brandeis. the psyc department at Brandeis is simply much more prestigious than at BU and GWU. you also need to think about fit, socially. if you want to be in the middle of a city then BU may be better. it doesn’t sound like you are passionate about being in a political environment, so then GWU may not be the best fit. what clubs did you do in HS and what kind of social life do you want?</p>

<p>FYI, odds are that if you’re at Brandeis, you won’t be going into Boston that much. That’s the reality, kind of like saying Northwestern is next to Chicago, which is true but you won’t go into the city much.</p>

<p>Brandeis is the better choice academically. It’s dramatically smaller and is more self-consciously about intellectual things. I don’t care a whit about prestige and don’t know whether any particular department is better from school to school or whether the difference is actually meaningful (probably is not). Speaking of the whole schools, Brandeis is more consistently intellectual. I would bet the psych department is good given the school’s Jewish milieu but that’s beyond my knowledge. </p>

<p>As for political science, GW has an advantage being in Boston. BU is otherwise considered very good in that area.</p>