Hey guys! I don’t really need help ranking the other factors in making this decision (including location, size, classes offered, certain majors, etc), but I would love if you could rank Uchicago, Cornell, and Cal solely based on prestige (undergraduate). Thank you!
Relative prestige and how much it matters depends on:
a. Your major.
b. Region.
c. What your post-graduation plans are.
Essentially comparable in prestige. And prestige depends on your audience, which is relevant to item c. in post by @ucbalumnus. Are you talking about academia, employers, general public? Though really about the same, I’d say UChicago, Cornell, Cal. But all three are outstanding and any prestige differences are negligible when compared to other factors.
I’d say Cornell, Uchicago, Cal
Sorry @ucbalumnus forgot to include that. Region: CA, major: business/biology/computer science, post-grad plans: graduate school.
If solely on prestige, I’d say: UChig, Cornell, Cal
For biology and CS, they all seem to be respectable enough to go on to PhD study in those fields.
Business is usually pre-professional, not pre-PhD. Also, Chicago does not have an undergraduate business major, and Berkeley business is competitive admission in your second year.
If you are not direct admit to your major, consider how difficult it will be to enter your major at each school.
UChi
Cornell
Cal
For business:
UChicago Econ
Cal Haas
Cornell
For biology:
Cal
Cornell
Chicago
For Computer Science:
Cal
Cornell
Chicago
I think prestige in general would be UChicago, Cornell, Cal
Same
For employment right from undergrad, Cornell wins across the board. Cal close second. Prestige is sometimes unmarketable.
Thanks for your replies everyone! I’m basically between Cornell and Cal at this point, and I really like Cal for its international reputation/strength in business, biology, and CS, and Cornell for its ivy league status/better national status (both among other factors not mentioned). What would you guys see as more important (excluding other contributing factors)? Also, Cal being the number 1 public school vs. Cornell being the worst ivy league–thoughts? Thank you!
Chicago > Cornell > Cal