U.Chicago vs Cornell vs Berkeley vs Duke

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Alright, I plan on becoming an Econ major at one of the 4 schools listed in the title of this thread (U.Chicago, Cornell, Berkeley, Duke). </p>

<p>Unfortunately, I'm having an exceptionally difficult time deciding which will ultimately be best for me, so I invite you all (please and thank you) to share any insights on/experiences at any of the 4 colleges listed.</p>

<p>What is the rigor of the classes (not just in Econ but in any field)? Research/Study Abroad opportunities? How is the social life and atmosphere (ie: independent spirited vs community oriented)? Food quality? Dorms (construction nearby at 2 AM)?! Please do tell. All these schools do such a good job of advertising themselves that it's very hard for me to tell the difference between some of them, so please do not be afraid to be critical.</p>

<p>Again, thank you in advance for any comments.</p>

2

<p>For Econ. I would say Chicago. But if you can visit as many of the schools as you can.</p>

3

<p>i think its a no-brainer to narrow it to UChicago and Duke.</p>

<p>from there, you have to see where u fit (which shouldn’t be too hard since UC and Duke are totally different environments)</p>

4

<p>i would narrow it between Chicago and Cornell.</p>

5

<p>i would narrow to cornell and duke haha</p>

6

<p>I would choose to not be involved in econ or anything business related at all.</p>

<p>That will make things a whole lot easier =)</p>

7

<p>I probably wouldn’t pay OOS tuition for Berkeley, you might not feel like you’re getting your money’s worth. </p>

<p>Assuming money’s not an issue, I’d just follow your gut instinct. You’ll have plenty of opportunity at any of those schools.</p>

8

<p>Dang, those are all stellar for econ. It will just come down to which campus and atmosphere you like. My votes goes to Cornell of course haha</p>

9

<p><em>bump</em></p>

<p>@Grumpster (and everyone else)</p>

<p>Unfortunately, money is a big issue for me right now. Chicago and Cornell cost about 30k more than Berkeley for me (I’m in-state), and Duke costs about 20k more than Berkeley. To add to the issue, USC has offered me a full tuition scholarship. I would prefer to have a well-balanced undergraduate experience, but I would like to get the best value for my money and get into a good grad school as well. Also, I prefer private out-of-state colleges to public in-state ones, but are the costs of my current out-of-state options enough to justify their locations/better fit? Help!</p>

<p>How would you had to rank these 5 schools (Chicago, Cornell, Berkeley, Duke, USC) based on Econ reputations/ease of getting into a good grad school?</p>

10

<p>For Chicago, Cornell, Berkeley, and Duke, I don’t think any one or the other has a leg up on the others in terms of graduate school, be it a professional program or PhD study. </p>

<p>In terms of econ department ranks I would generally consider Chicago and Berkeley in the top tier, followed by Cornell, and then Duke. </p>

<p>But a full ride at USC or in-state tuition at Berkeley might be too good to pass up.</p>

11

<p>In this case, I would go to USC or Cal and do the math. Go with the less expensive option. Save your debt for grad/mba programs.</p>

12

<p>If finances werent an issue, the best choice for you would be Chicago, but no school is worth 30K per year in loans just to attend. Save that money for grad school, law school, or any post undergraduate interests. You seriously don’t want to get into debt while being so young. </p>

<p>USC’s offer is too good to pass up. If you don’t feel USC is the environment for you then pick Berkeley. You can’t go wrong with either.</p>

13

<p>Berkeley plus $80k or more is easily better than any of the other schools, except perhaps the USC offer. They may not be an economics powerhouse, but certainly good enough to get you into a good grad. school if you put in the effort.</p>

14

<p>Cornell has so many economics related majors: Economics (general), Applied Economics and Management (business economics), Industrial and Labor Relations (labor/legal economics), Policy Analysis and Management (governmental economics), all equalling an unbelievable array of courses at one of the most comprehensive (and beautiful) universities in the world</p>