<p>Hello,
I am having a tough decision choosing between Brandeis or Wake Forest. Both are highly ranked schools (according to USNWR, WFU is #28 and Brandeis is #31). BUT, this is seemingly where the similarities end. Both are VERY different schools in terms of social scene, environment, the students they attract, etc. etc. Anyways, being a future Law School Applicant, what do you think is the better school for feeding into a top Law School? I would most likely be a Finance major at Wake and an econ/poli sci major at Brandeis. Does one school have an edge in prestige over another? Should I consider not doing business at Wake? Any feedback would be thoroughly appreciated! Thanks!</p>
<p>The school you go to wont matter. Your GPA and LSAT score will. I’ll be very honest. Out of those two, just choose the one where you think you’ll be happier. It wont make a difference about law school. I know kids from many lower ranked public schools (ranked worse than 100) who got into Harvard and Yale Law. I also know kids who went to NYU and Cornell, and are attending cheaper/less prestigious law schools. (not that prestige matters in the end) So since these are both top notch schools academically, pick the one where you will have more fun socially as well as which is more cost efficient with fin ai d and scholarhips, etc. remember prestige for undergrad really doesn’t matter. (please take this seriously)</p>
<p>I agree. Both are good, reputable schools so, assuming you do equally well, it won’t matter at all. But they are quite different.</p>
<p>Brandeis is just outside of Boston–probably the best place in America to go to college. Wake Forest is in—well, at least it has a pretty campus.</p>
<p>You don’t have to be Jewish to go to Brandeis nor Baptist to go to Wake Forest, but in each case the campus life will retain a flavor of its heritage. You can decide that you’d be more comfortable in one place or the other, or that you’d like to stretch yourself by being involved is a culture that’s different from what you’ve previously known. Boston is the world’s greatest college town, and the North Carolina weather is far better than Massachusetts’. But the academics shouldn’t have to be a deciding point one way or the other - you’re in good company at either university.</p>
<p>^^</p>
<p>Best place in America to go to college? Boston? No way. I hated the town. I’d take Ann Arbor or Minneapolis over Boston. Definitely Toronto. But nothing beats going to college in San Diego.</p>
<p>Plainsman, Boston is a great city, don’t you dare ruin the greatness that is Beantown :)</p>
<p>However, I would pick Wake Forest</p>
<p>As someone who lives close to Boston, Brandeis isn’t exactly a 10min commute. They have a commuter rail station nearby, but they’re not on one of the major lines. There is a campus shuttle, but if you’re looking to have direct, easy access into Boston somewhere like BC would be better, as it’s right on the green line. Brandeis is way out in the suburbs, and the surrounding area is pretty drab and uninteresting.</p>
<p>Subjectively, I’d pick Wake Forest. I’m not a fan of the atmosphere at Brandeis.</p>
<p>
It’s not Boston, but Winston-Salem is a nice enough city. There’s plenty to keep students busy.</p>
<p>Don’t forget that Hanes Mall, which is the largest mall in North Carolina, is only 5 minutes from Wake Forest! Also, the weather in NC will be better…</p>
<p>Boston is ranked 5th in North America for college towns. Similarly #1 was Amherst MA. It’s safe to say MA is the best place to go to college.</p>
<p>Also, Wake Forest has its own law school on campus…</p>
<p>thanks for the replies, lots of insight here…i guess the general consensus is for me to go where i feel most comfortable because they are both very comparable academically and prestige wise…? </p>
<p>maybe it’s just me, but i get the feeling brandeis may have the edge in prestige. it seems like a more serious school…</p>
<p>I would say wake forest is an up and coming school that is improving over the years meaning both ranking and prestige are still going up. Brandies is pretty stagnant and is not going anywhere in terms of prestige/ranking. However those are both silly things to look at in colleges and really have no baring on the colleges actual academics</p>
<p>In terms of academic prestige versus sports prestige, the OP is clearly correct—it is Brandeis over Wake Forrest. Brandeis is known for its illustrious faculty both historically and presently. The availablity of top-notch scholars in small classes has attracted talented, serious students over the years. Those students have become amazingly accomplished and influential alumni from many fields–e.g. Nobel and Pulitzer prize winners, Emmy and Tony winners, renowned columnists, authors, professors, college presidents, actors, producers, business leaders etc. It is no coincidence that acceptance rates of Brandeis students into the top med schools, law schools and other grad schools are excellent. </p>
<p>Also, given the OP’s interest in business, he should know that next year Brandeis is launching a new, innovative undergrad Business major in conjunction with its graduate International Business School. The international focus of the grad business school–incredibly appropriate for the international economy in which we live–undoubtedly will add international flavor to the new undergrad Business major. That major will have a liberal arts focus (consistent with Brandeis’ emphasis in tht area) unlike a lot of undergrad Business programs. Here’s a link to an article discussing it:</p>
<p>[Brandeis</a> Business is practical, unique - Op-Ed](<a href=“http://media.www.thejusticeonline.com/media/storage/paper573/news/2009/03/03/OpEd/Brandeis.Business.Is.Practical.Unique-3656072.shtml]Brandeis”>http://media.www.thejusticeonline.com/media/storage/paper573/news/2009/03/03/OpEd/Brandeis.Business.Is.Practical.Unique-3656072.shtml)</p>
<p>I think reputation and prestige are also related to what area of the country you are in. Here in VA, Wake Forest is very well-known and respected. Many have barely even heard of Brandeis. Both are great schools with strong reputations and will allow you multiple post-grad opportunities as long as you do well. Go where you will be happiest.</p>
<p>I’d be wary about Brandeis right now due to its precarious financial condition. They lost their shirt when they entrusted their endowment to Bernie Madoff. They’ve been forced to make some radical, meat-axe cuts to their budget, including closing their vaunted art museum and selling off the collection, and now eliminating faculty pension contributions:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/22/education/22college.html?_r=1&ref=education[/url]”>http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/22/education/22college.html?_r=1&ref=education</a></p>
<p>Brandeis says the elimination of faculty pensions is temporary. We’ll see. I think it’s a dangerous warning signal. If they can’t pay competitive salaries and benefits, they won’t long be able to retain and recruit top faculty. And without top faculty, the entire enterprise is at risk. College administrators understand this. That’s why elimination of faculty pensions has to be taken as a “danger” sign—it signals something close to desperation.</p>
<p>Time out, wasn’t there talk of Brandeis going under because they were so invested in Bernie Madoff? I’m from MA and from what I hear Brandeis is in ruins right now, their sellin off all the art in the museum and reducing class selections. It was once one of the best in MA,however, now Madoff has destroyed it, look more into wake</p>
<p>The previous poster’s information about Brandeis’ budget situation is incorrect. First, it is not correct that Brandeis invested any of its endowment with Madoff, unlike Tufts and some other schools that lost tens of millions by investing with him. Although one of Brandeis’ donors did lose money with Madoff, his pledges to the university already were paid off. It is also incorrect that Brandeis has made “radical meat axe cuts” to its budget, plus it is incorrect that Brandeis is selling off its art collection. To the contrary, Brandeis is taking reasoned measures–including the temporary suspension of employee 401 (K) matching-- in order to avoid cuts that could hurt its core mission of maintaining first-rate faculty to teach first-rate students. At the same time it’s stepping up fundrasing specifically to benefit students–and, recently, it gained a $15 million grant for scholarships. Plus Brandeis’ growth continues. It just completed a new $200 million science center, it’s nearing completion of a new admissions center and its breaking ground on a humanities complex.</p>
<p>The reports of Brandeis’ budget issues lack context and have been overblown due to the administration’s inartful handling of its proposal to sell a few paintings from its world-renowned Rose Art Museum–which has caused international attention to be focused on this issue. Brandeis is hardly alone in this economy. According to news reports, many universities, even the wealthiest like Harvard, are making budget cuts in response to severely diminished endowments and donations. Brandeis has pledged to maintain financial aid and maintain, or improve, its world-class education by resisting the type of budget cuts that could undermine its core mission. The possible sale of a few paintings and the temporary suspension of employee 401(K) matching contributions are part of this reason (and hardly desperate) approach. The key here is that Brandeis is prioritizing students over things.</p>
<p>WAKE FOREST.</p>
<p>That is all.</p>
<p>
Like eliminating 10% of its faculty, increasing size by 12%, and potentially requiring a summer term?</p>
<p>[The</a> Brandeis Hoot Budget balancing strategy changed](<a href=“http://thehoot.net/articles/4720]The”>http://thehoot.net/articles/4720)</p>