<p>Hey guys!
I am so confused right now. I got into UCB, Northwestern, Cornell, UPenn, and Brown. I plan to major in Industrial Engineering in all of them (Economics + Mat.Science at Brown). I do not concern about $$$. I really care only for social life, research opportunity and chance to get into grad schools. Also, professor accessibility also matters. Could you guys please help me narrow down my choices or choose the best one for me? Thanks ! :)</p>
<p>isn't the answer obvious if your main concerns are research opportunity and professor accessibility?</p>
<p>FYI, IE+Econ is very popular at Northwestern and you can easily finish that in 4 years.</p>
<p>Go to Penn:
--best location of the lot: Philly-- a great, historic city, with plenty of restaurants, bars, clubs, museums, theaters etc. to ensure you have the best time. You really don't want to be stuck in Ithaca where there's nothing to do, Providence is a very small and limiting city, Berk+Evanston although somewhat close to major cities on their own provide very little. Also, Philly provides you with the second best weather of the bunch, after Berkeley. Philly being the biggest city of the lot, also provides you with the maximum internship opportunities. You are also conveniently located in the Northeast corridor with easy access to major cities like NYC and DC, both of which are only 1.5 hours away.</p>
<p>--Penn=The Social Ivy</p>
<p>--Penn (and Cornell) will give you the best research opportunities and access to grad schools of the bunch. Berkeley is a large state school and research opportunities are pretty much limited to grad students. Brown has the smallest research program in the ivies. Northwestern, though also good in these areas, doesn't fair as well as Penn and Cornell.</p>
<p>While this is subjective, I'd bet 9 out of 10 people would say Chicago is better than Philly. To me, it's not even comparable. I was there in Sept and while i didn't get killed (nick=Killadelphia), I was kinda disgusted by how dirty the streets were, even in the middle of Center City; while Center City is considered the most happening place in Philly, it is nothing like some of the Chicago's vibrant neighborhoods, which are cleaner, safer, bigger, and richer. I didn't feel safe to walk after dark in CC even though it's supposed to be one of the safest areas in Philly. But I feel perfectly fine in Chicago's neighborhoods like Lakeview. Philly to me is like a smaller, poorer, and more dangerous version of Chicago.</p>
<p>Regarding research opportunities, NU has a top-5 program in IE and I don't think Penn's is ranked. It's also smaller than Penn. What you wrote doesn't seem to have any basis.</p>
<p>^just reread your post more carefully and i noticed you intentionally compared berkeley/evanston with philly. well, even with that, i'd still choose berkeley or evanston over where penn is anyday. berkeley/evanston are not that far from sf/chicago. evanston shares the city limit with chicago; while downtown chicago is 12 miles away, the most vibrant chicago neighborhoods are all north of downtown and therefore closer to evanston. berkeley is only about 5 miles from san fran. when i lived in sf, i never thought of berkeley as some sleepy and distant suburb. both are pretty vibrant collegetowns with lots of eateries and shops. for example, there are close to 100 restaurants in evanston and most of them are located in downtown evanston. in that area, there's also an 18-screen (or 21?) theater complex that was named the best movie theater in chicago area.</p>
<p>I think it's between Penn Brown and Berkeley. I eliminate Cornell based on location and not wanting to be a human popsicle much of the year. Plus Penn trumps Cornell reputation-wise. Northwestern simply is not on the same level as these other schools. Now, Brown is attractive because of no core/ge curriculum it is a laid back but rigorous academic environment. The "hippie" Ivy if you will. Cal has similar qualities on a grander scale and offer the big U experiences (sports, large school, diversity, great social scene) it is the best of both worlds in many ways. Penn is well Penn. It is on par with Stanford, U of Chicago, Columbia etc. I mean when a dude named Ben Franklin starts your school you are going to have some serious prestige backing you. Now professor accessibility is likely best at Brown. Grad school will not be a problem from any of these places. When you say social scene what do you mean? Small kickbacks with a few friends (Brown), Drink until you puke (Cornell), Frat and Sorority scene (Northwestern and Penn), or kicking it with cool laid back hippies (Cal and Brown). My order 1) Penn, 2) Berkeley/Brown tie, 3) Cornell (especially for industrial) and 4) Northwestern. Good Luck and Congrats on some great options. PS I love Chicago, but NU is not the overall place that Cal is.</p>
<p>UCLA, Ph.D.,</p>
<p>Your logic is kinda funny to me. In terms of graduate rankings, NU is ranked higher than Cornell, Penn, and Brown in IE, econ, and mat sci. At the undergrad level, they are on par with each other; if you really want to differentiate, NU is second in terms of SAT average. Please check the facts before calling it "simply not on the same levels as these other schools".</p>
<p>I would go to Brown.</p>
<p>If you want to know which way others have gone, see</p>
<p>The</a> New York Times > Week in Review > Image > Collegiate Matchups: Predicting Student Choices</p>
<p>Tough choices...</p>
<p>I would choose based on cost.
If costs are similar, choose environment.</p>
<p>Your private school choices will give you more care and feeding than Berkeley. Berkeley has a very good engineering department and opportunities from Cal are phenomenal. What are your career goals?</p>
<p>Personally, I like Brown and Northwestern - different, since I've experienced Berkeley. Penn has Wharton and if you got in to Wharton, I may decide to go there...All your schools are great and have their plusses and minuses...only you know what environment will make you happy. You won't go wrong with any.</p>
<p>Based on your objectives, the clear choice should be between UCB and Cornell. Both have beautiful clock towers, so good luck with your decision!</p>
<p>Sam Lee, Northwestern is very strong in very specific areas and yes it is has great grad programs, but actually you should do your homework, because they are very very average in most majors. No doubt a GREAT university, but a notch below the Ivies and Cal.</p>
<p>
[quote]
yes it is has great grad programs, but actually you should do your homework, because they are very very average in most majors. No doubt a GREAT university, but a notch below the Ivies and Cal.
[/quote]
</p>
<ol>
<li>I take it you meant graduate ranking; if that's the case, NU has great majors in what the OP is interested in: econ (#8), mat sci (#3), and industrial engg (#5).</li>
<li>In terms of graduate rankings (I don't know what else you could have meant by "majors"), NU > Brown. </li>
<li>The OP also mentioned profs accessibility. NU has the second lowest student:faculty ratio among those five. Did you even pay attention to what the OP wants?</li>
<li>At the undergrad level, they are all on par. If you are going to nitpick, please be informed that NU is third (behind Penn/Brown) in WSJ feeder school ranking and second behind Brown in Fulbright winners this year; as said before, it got the second lowest student to faculty ratio. It also has the second highest SAT average (behind Brown and yes, just a tiny bit above Penn). On the other hand, NU's PA score is the lowest (tied with Brown); it's the second lowest (not the worst though) in preference ranking. So it's better in some criteria and worse in others but for it to be "simply not at the same level", it has to be <em>consistently</em> the <em>worst</em> in most things, if not everything, and that's totally not the case here.</li>
</ol>
<p>^ It's like BedHead said, Cal is one of the true great world universites...NU is plain vanilla, boring, but no doubt one of America's very competent institutions. ;)</p>
<p>What's so great about it at the undergrad level?
Since when BedHead's statements carry much weight? I thought you can be more original than that. :rolleyes:</p>
<p>^ Undergrad business and engineering programs are tops. Opportunities are there, you just got to look for 'em yourself. Berkeley puts hair on your chest.</p>
<p><em>Expect snide comment about hairy liberals</em></p>
<p>
[quote]
Since when BedHead's statements carry much weight? I thought you can be more original than that.
[/quote]
Since I remember how BedHead's statement got under your skin...;)</p>
<p>I don't recall admitting that NU was actually quite competent. ;)</p>
<p>I am in Chicago typing this right now, and I would agree with Sam that Chicago is a great city -- even if NU is merely competent. :)</p>
<p>I'd cross Cornell off the list unless you specifically know you want to live far away from cities of note. </p>
<p>I'd say among the other three, it's a fit issue. And I always recommend difference. Go to a place that attracts you that is different from what you are accustomed to.</p>
<p>UCB, I think that's an overstatement. :)</p>