<p>I'm currently contemplating going on exchange for a semester next year in the USA. Currently, my best options seem to be the University of California (Berkeley and UCLA seem to be the best), University of Pennsylvania, Georgetown and Boston College. Which would anyone suggest I should choose?</p>
<p>I am currently planning to major in Political Science and Economics if that's relevant. </p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>In General: Berkeley, UPenn
Political Science: Georgetown</p>
<p>Well, it would depend on what kind of experience you are seeking. My take:</p>
<p>– UCLA and UCB are some of the best research universities in the country with very large student populations near (or within, in UCLA’s case) large urban centers. They will have moderate to warm weather year round. They will also have a huge majority of California students, so your exposure to students from other areas of the country will be limited. Since they are both generally regarded as strong in almost all areas, I am sure their Poli Sci and Econ departments will provide you with solid instruction.</p>
<p>– U of Pennsylvania is a highly selective private research school in the heart of Philadelphia where your experience will be thoroughly urban once you get off campus. The student body will be much more geographically diverse than at the UC’s. The school is large for a private, but smaller scale than the big UC’s. Weather will be more varied, but without a severe winter. Again, I am sure your subjects of interest will be well supported there.</p>
<p>–BC is a large Jesuit private school in a prosperous suburb just outside of Boston but with easy access to the city via public transportation. BC also draws students from across the country, but is a notch less selective than the other privates on your list and, because of its religious affiliation, tends to attract Catholic students (although there are many other faith traditions represented and respected on campus). Weather will be quite varied, warm in summer and cold in winter. Boston has a very high concentration of college students, cultural amenities, and American history that many think make it a particularly attractive city in which to attend college. I will let someone more knowledgeable address the issue of departmental strength.</p>
<p>–Georgetown is also a highly selective school in a residential neighborhood of Washington, DC which draws students from a national pool. It is the smallest school on your list, although I would still call it middle-sized. It, too, is Jesuit but some how feels a little less Catholic than BC. Weather will feature humid summers and mild winters. Because of its proximity to the seat of the American federal government, the opportunities for a Poli Sci major are possibly unique in the world. DC is also a city full of cultural amenities and American history, even more so than Boston, that someone wanting to learn about the U.S. would benefit greatly from. But DC is an atypical American city in that its chief function is government and not commerce, so the experience you have there will in some ways be less representational than in most other cities.</p>
<p>Good luck on your selection.</p>
<p>Thanks for your help so far.</p>
<p>I’ve been to the US a couple of times before and am familiar with DC, NY, San Fran and LA, however, I dont know that much about Philadelphia i.e. size, attractions, food, arts, opportunities for further travel etc. Could anyone enlighten me about this?</p>
<p>Additionally, I am planning to focus my poli sci major upon international relations if that’s of any help.</p>
<p>Also consider Johns Hopkins in Baltimore. Its International Relations Department is considered one of the finest in the world and HIGHLY selective. But the Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown is also very highly regarded. George Washington University and American University in DC are also highly regarded.</p>
<p>Other than that, any of the schools you are looking at would be fine. But don’t forget there are 3,000 colleges in the United States and many of them have outstanding International Relations Departments: NYU, Columbia and Fordham in New York, for example. Tufts, Harvard, and BU or BC in Boston; Northwestern, UChicago and Loyola Chicago in Chicago; Washington University and Saint Louis University in St. Louis; Tulane and Loyola New Orleans in N’awlins. USC, UCLA, UCSB, USD, Stanford, Berkeley (or as I call it: Berzerkley), Pomona, Claremont McKenna in California; the list is almost endless.</p>
<p>So it really depends more on you and what you are looking for and what kind of experience you want.</p>
<p>If you are doing IR and PoliSci look no further than Georgetown if you have an opportunity to go there. It will give you the best hands-on look at how the government operates in the US. Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service (SFS) exists solely for the purpose of international relations. I think GTown would be a hands-down choice for you.</p>
<p>Thanks so much for all your help. I guess I’ll start enquiring/researching Georgetown, unless anyone has any other ideas.</p>
<p>I don’t really have the opportunity to pick any school I want as there are only a limited number of exchange partners.</p>
<p>Georgetown all the way for Poly Sci. It’s in Washington, DC… You can’t beat that.</p>
<p>I’d highly suggest Georgetown for its location. Wash D.C. just have that cachet that other cities don’t in relation to fields you are interested in. You are only here for one semester, so you don’t need to be so focused on ranking and research. I think you want to be in a city where you can enjoy and have fun. Wash D.C is also probably my favorite city in the US. I am a foreigner from Hong Kong and I like how it feels more international there than other cities. It’s pretty and very walkable with a lot to offer. With the school work and other social activities, one-semester isn’t probably enough to just visit all the museums there. By the way, Georgetown is in arguably the nicest area of DC.</p>
<p>Boston and Berkeley would be my second choice. </p>
<p>I wouldn’t go to Philly; it’s unattractive and kinda dirty to me. It just feels kinda poor. You seem to travel quite a bit and if you are used to seeing other top cities around the world, Philly simply doesn’t measure up and will likely disappoint. Baltimore is even a step down. You are much better off staying in Sydney or Melbourne!! I wouldn’t do UChicago or Northwestern; Chicago is a cool city but those two schools are on quarter system. One quarter is probably too short.</p>
<p>Sam Lee, really can’t agree with you about Philly. Don’t know where you were but you must have missed Center City, Manyunk, Chestnut Hill etc. Can’t go over them all, but if you like “walkable with a lot to offer”, Center City among others areas is your place. Much like down town Boston only bigger. Moreover to find something walkable and enjoyable in D.C. you are pretty much restricted to Georgetown and DuPont Circle. The public transportation is very limited. Frankly to me D.C. is very spread out and seems to be dominated by suburbanites who drive their cars and and then quickly leave. Depends on your tastes, but that doesn’t appeal to me at all. By contrast Phllly has a large presence of college age and young professionals that choose to actually live in the city and provide a vibrant 24 hour a day presence.</p>
<ol>
<li>Public transportation is better than Philly, at least as far as the train goes (don’t know about the buses). The metro in DC is one of the best subway systems in the US. On the other hand, SEPTA (spelling?) in Philly looked old and dirty (I took it from CC to where Temple U is). I was told by couple locals that it’s not very reliable either and rather limited before my trip and my experience was consistent with what they said. I vaguely remember that SEPTA technically is more like a commuter train and therefore Philly technically doesn’t even have a subway. I guess that alone should end the debate. Are you sure you don’t have it backward? </li>
<li>DC is more than just Georgetown and Dupont Circle. Foggy Bottom is nice. Capitol Hill isn’t bad and Logan Circle has been gentrified. Eastern Market is a nice cute neighborhood (technically part of Capitol Hill). All of these are easily accessible by the metro.</li>
<li>I stayed in Center City, right in the middle of it on 12th and Spruce. I was not impressed. Not that it was bad but considering it’s supposed to be one of the nicest areas in Philly, I thought it was just okay. Even that area had litter problem (maybe it’s not a problem for others but we all have different standards). I love food and I found Asian eateries in CC were very limited. I can see why it’s nice to some people but to me, but it’s definitely a notch below, say, Dupont Circle.</li>
<li>I am not convinced Philly has a larger presence of “young professionals”. According to Census, only 17% of people aged 25 or above have college degree in Philly. The percentage is doubled for Wash DC. DC seems pretty white collar and the people I met in DC tend to be highly educated. Same can’t be said for Philly.</li>
</ol>
<p>If you are coming to the US for one semester and political science is your focus, then Georgetown is the place to be. Politics is this city’s primary industry and reason for being. You will be surrounded by people who share your passion and by opportunities to see American politics in action. Visit congress when a bill is being debated. Visit the supreme court when it’s in session. The embassies host functions often (go meet the folks at the Austrailian embassy and see if you can swing an internship). All the international development organizations have offices here. There are NGOs and lobbyists and corporate ‘govt. relations’ staff here. This coming year is an election year and there is no more exciting place to be.</p>