<p>A question that I am sure a lot of us have come across is really how relatively prestigious is Princeton compared to other schools? Certainly, HYPS stand in the summit but by how much? Is there much of a difference really between Princeton and the #10, say, Columbia/University of Chicago? Or is this merely exaggerated?</p>
<p>It's the last thing you should be worried about with test scores in the mid 600's.
WHy don't you focus on finding a school that is a better academic fit as well as a school that tailors towards your desired major.</p>
<p>There is no difference.
As you will soon learn, college is all about the networking.
a 4.0 from Columbia will not be treated as inferior to a 4.0 from princeton
a 4.0 from Columbia will be held in a higher regard than a 3.5 from Princeton
Of course the vice-versa definitely holds true as well. </p>
<p>In the real world........ aside from the "snob-appeal", guess what? NO ONE CARES IF YOUR COLLEGE IS #1 or #9, especially if the other school is Columbia University or the UNiversity of Chicago...</p>
<p>There is no significant difference in prestige among Princeton, Columbia and Chicago for graduate school or employment opportunities.</p>
<p>^i'm a columbia student, and i have to say that as far as perception goes, princeton is seen as marginally more prestigeous whether for grad school placement or employment, i'd also say it's marginally tougher to get into than columbia and tougher to get into than chicago. As far as getting an education goes, that's upto you to find what fits best and where you'll thrive. If you're much better suited to learn from and thrive in a chicago/columbia atmosphere, you'll certainly do better on graduation than you would by going to princeton. also worry a little about department strengths, it make a difference.</p>
<p>I think confidentialcolll is right. there is no matter what you say, a difference between the HYP and other Ivys. but when you get down to columbia vs. chicago, there is just no difference and would depend on which school suits you better.</p>
<p>Prestige/rankings should not influence your decision. Anyone who allows those to have a major impact on the colleges to which he applies does not deserve to get in. Apply to the schools you liked, not the ones you thought were the most prestigious.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Anyone who allows those to have a major impact on the colleges to which he applies does not deserve to get in.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>That's a bit harsh...I'm not going to disagree here that prestige is negligible, and anyone who turns down Columbia for Princeton SOLELY based on prestige is probably making a rash decision. But the truth is that it does matter at times, and that doesn't make that student a bad or necessarily stupid person. What if you had a choice between Yale and X Community College/Y low-quality State School? Sure, an extreme, but it'd be hard to argue that prestige is THAT unimportant...I think people on CC might be a bit too quick to dismiss prestige in deciding where to go.</p>
<p>That said, the difference between schools in the top 25 is virtually negligible, and top 50 fairly small. Columbia-Chicago-Princeton certainly isn't a trio where you should make your choice based on prestige.</p>
<p>I think it all depends on your major. Perhaps in science and mathematics, Princeton is regarded as a much greater advantage to a school such as Yale, but in social sciences, the opposite holds. But only marginally, not too big a deal. For another example, Princeton generally is regarded superior to Cornell, but Cornell's engineering department is probably considered of equal prestige to Princeton's engineering department. I'm just a HS senior though, so don't take my word for it, but I think this is more or less common sense.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Perhaps in science and mathematics, Princeton is regarded as a much greater advantage to a school such as Yale, but in social sciences, the opposite holds.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>A degree in any subject from either Princeton or Yale would be considered coequal by any graduate school, institution, or employer. As an aside, Princeton's social science program is, on the whole, equal to Yale's (slightly stronger in some areas, slightly weaker in others).</p>
<p>In general, the degree of 'tilt' given to an applicant from any elite college corresponds with not with the quality of the academic program per se but with the quality of the student body. That said, this 'tilt' is extremely small at best. At least in Wall Street recruiting, which I'm most familiar with, as long as you go to a 'target' school and have a sufficiently high GPA, you'll be given essentially equal consideration. The only case here where going to Princeton or a super-elite school is unusually beneficial is for the extremely competitive and scarce jobs in hedge funds, private equity companies, and other extraordinarily selective firms. Even then, the advantage accruing to students at these schools comes not from the name of the institution but the fact that the most desirable candidates naturally gravitate to the very top schools. A math major at, say, Johns Hopkins, who shows truly immense knowledge and ability, would be far more likely to get such an exclusive job than a well-performing but not extraordinary Princeton student.</p>
<p>1MX, that's pretty harsh. Even if KQI's scores are up to par, discouraging an applicant based solely on test scores is unfair. Besides, the question only pertains to prestige, not your opinion of the poster. That kind of response makes sense in a chances thread, but even then, you're being disproportionately cruel.</p>
<p>^But the thing is KQ1 is asking premature questions.. on all boards.. why cant he get into both Columbia and Princeton first and come back here to ask those questions..</p>
<p>I think that Princeton will loss the #1 rank due to the removal of ED. It's yield will be lower because Princeton will not be able to lock ED applicants it would otherwise be. Applicants, who apply Princeton RD this year, more likely also apply Harvard and Yale RD just to increase their chances.</p>
<p>I think that Princeton may lose its #1 rank, but it certainly isn't a big deal. Do I think it is a better school than Columbia and Dartmouth, etc? Among the extreme top/bottom students I would say no, but for the average students, I would argue yes. But that is just anecdotal experience, someone with statistics should certainly step in.</p>
<p>"someone with statistics should certainly step in."--ArcadeFire</p>
<p>I think that's an invitation that only GR Elton can accept, lol.</p>
<p>Creating and comparing student quality 'gradients' for elite schools is an enormously complicated enterprise that I wouldn't dare undertake. However, there is good reason to believe that what he says is true (i.e. most employers care most about where you place within the context of your school--summa cum laude, magna cum laude, cum laude, etc.--and treat applicants from the top 15, 20 schools the same). I'd offer the proviso that the very best students are likely to be found at HYPSMC, but that's a very small and unique group.</p>
<p>"Do I think it is a better school than Columbia and Dartmouth, etc? Among the extreme top/bottom students I would say no, but for the average students, I would argue yes."</p>
<p>I think it's indicative of the mindset here on CC that you've taken the difference between Princeton and Columbia/Dartmouth to be a function of the quality of the student body. Certainly strong students are an integral part of a quality undergraduate experience, but there are SO many other far more important factors. It's those things, not SAT average/top 10% of class average etc. that sets Princeton apart.</p>
<p>I don't think those things uniquely set Princeton apart. I do think Princeton's fantastic undergraduate professors set it apart. I think its enormous endowment generally sets it apart (when it is not throwing $20,000 Great Gatsby parties). I think Princeton's history sets it apart from many schools. </p>
<p>Please don't categorize me with the "typical mindset here on CC." I am speaking simply from personal experience--my experience at Princeton and many of my friends' experiences at Columbia. And as GR Elton pointed out, it is an incredibly hard generalization to make. The alternative is much easier, to say that both schools are equal. But I don't feel that would be completely true, or fair to the readers of CC, no matter how much they may already hold the "typical mindset here on CC."</p>
<p>I agree with GRelton's post #16. A retired acquaintance whose national company was headquartered in California praised the hires from Chicago over all other schools. The original OP queried whether there exists a "significant" difference of prestige among Chicago, Columbia and Princeton; and my opinion is that there is not a "significant" difference. But, as GRElton suggests, any significant difference would depend more upon class rank/standing and major than school name. Remember that employers and grad schools are not as obsessed with USNews type prestige rankings as those of us on CollegeConfidential may be.</p>