<p>Either Columbia or Wash U.</p>
<p>I really enjoy wash U, but I'm a name recognition guy, so I pose the question:
how recognizable is Wash U's name?</p>
<p>If you’re “a name recognition guy”, you’re best off at Columbia. WashU doesn’t have what you’re looking for, and you wouldn’t fit in very well either.</p>
<p>Just the fact that you’re asking seems to indicate you’ld be “happier” at Columbia – of course I’m assuming this is the only factor of importance to you.</p>
<p>Did you “really enjoy” Columbia, too? Time for some soul-searching maybe. </p>
<p>Or maybe YOU can help make WashU a household name! Ah-ha! A challenge to take on!</p>
<p>Isn’t it a little late to be deciding?</p>
<p>Does seem like you answered your own question by the very parameter you set out.</p>
<p>it is |<---------this------------>| recognizable</p>
<p>^ haha</p>
<p>^^^Think OP is a transfer student (based on other posts).</p>
<p>I do enjoy Columbia, and New York, but I think I preferred Wash U a bit more. I’m not trying to make a statement about the fickle college rankings and how absurd decisions of that nature are, I just believe that name recognition is important to a college, however absurd a measure. </p>
<p>I know Columbia is a more recognized school, and considering the choice is so close, I was just curious what other people though of the weight of Wash U’s name.</p>
<p>I think our deal is similar to that of UChicago’s: nearly zero man on the street name recognition, and those who think the name to be familiar do so by mistaking us for somebody else (like U Washington or GWU); plenty of recognition by grad school adcoms and important decision makers in the working world.</p>
<p>I appreciate the input, that’s really the most important thing. Anyone else care to share their opinion? I’m really looking for a nice sampling of feedback here</p>
<p>H/G/genius - we’re all getting as tiredof this as you are. Please move on and go to Yale or Columbia or Dartmouth or wherever. WUSTL is not a fit for you.</p>
<p>An average joe will recognize Columbia (omgsh its like an ivy league omggg), but will think that WashU is located in “Washington.” But anyone who even slightly cares about colleges and has done his/her share of research will recognize WashU and most importantly the people that matter the most (adcoms) will greatly appreciate a WashU degree. </p>
<p>Funny story- when I told my friend that I really like WashU and that it’s a great school, she went blank. I told her it’s ranked #12 and she’s like no Northwestern is #12 haha. The funny thing is that she literally memorized the U.S weekly rankings but it’s funny how she overlooked WashU…but now she knows about WashU…</p>
<p>
[QUOTE=tiredof]
I really enjoy wash U, but I’m a name recognition guy, so I pose the question:
how recognizable is Wash U’s name?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>It kinda depends on who you want name recognition from, as Madirocks pointed out. From your girlfriend: pick Columbia. From an employer: it’s tight enough that there really are more important criteria you’d need to look at. I know where I’d be, but that’s not the same decision for everyone…</p>
<p>I can tell you that around here MOST people only recognize the names of HYPSM - that’s all! They would have no idea where Columbia was located or how it ranks academically. They also don’t know a thing about Northwestern (think it is Northwestern State University), University of Chicago, OR Washington University in St. Louis. They’ve never heard of Cal Tech - think it is a technical college. They think University of Pennsylvania is Pennsylvania’s state school. They’ve heard of Duke because of basketball and Notre Dame because of past years of football glory. Most would not know that these schools also have excellent academics - sad, but true. Our oldest was in the honors program of our StateU (ranked in the 80s by USNews) and our youngest attends WashU. People say “ooooohhhhh” when I mentioned D went to StateU and say “where?” when I tell them youngest is at WashU.</p>
<p>You have to have a pretty strong personal constitution to not worry about the rankings and name recognition, and just attend the school you feel is the best fit for you. WashU had everything my D was looking for and she could care less whether or not someone knows how outstanding the schools is - she knows and that is all that matters.</p>
<p>Someone once told me that those who are “in the know” know all about WashU, and that is true. People who are aware of the top national univerisities know all about WashU’s amazing reputation.</p>
<p>Personally, I would take Wash U and its campus environment for my college years. You can always go to Columbia for grad school. Wash U has great name recognition for grad school admissions.</p>
<p>I agree with some of the posts up there, that the people who really matter will know about WashU. For example, most adults who I talk with don’t know much about WashU, but when I went for two doctors appointments, both doctors knew immediately and was impressed: “Congratulations, Its an excellent school”. So, yes, Columbia has much street name recognition (everyone knows it), and its an Ivy League, but I would suggest you go where you fell you truly belong :). I was choosing between UPenn and WashU, and I chose WashU, because I felt more at home there and love it more there than I did at Penn! Good luck! Both are excellent schools.</p>
<p>IMO, what really drives name recognition is a couple of things. Graduate schools, athletics, and research (marginally–to the academic crowd). WashU is not well known for its graduate schools or athletics (which is what the average Joe on the street would recognize) but is well known for its research. </p>
<p>How many of those things relate to your undergraduate education?</p>
<p>Er… WashU is very well known for it’s grad schools. And professional schools.</p>
<p>See, I disagree.</p>
<p>Obviously the Med School and the Brown School are both among the top in the nation but the other grad schools are not as good.</p>
<p>Sports…yeah, we’re no Notre Dame, but as far as DIII goes, we’re as big as can be. We just won back to back basketball championships.</p>
<p>As for grad programs, Med School isn’t our only strength. We’re #1 in social work, top 10 in BME, top 15 in Political Science (including #7 in Methodology) and Psychology, top 20 in law, top 25 in business (at the MBA level), ect.</p>
<p>With regards to research, we’ve got nothing to be ashamed of either.</p>