<p>I am having a really hard time choosing between schools.
Before I show you the schools, I am an intended (like 99% sure) math major looking to do serious research as an undergrad, living in NY, 10 miles from NYC.</p>
<p>1) UNC-Chapel Hill with a full scholarship
2) University of Michigan
3) Georgia Tech
4) Northeastern
3) Waitlist at U Chicago, but likely to get off
4) Waitlist at Columbia, no idea how that would work</p>
<p>Any ideas for combinations of situations considering getting off the wait-list, etc?</p>
<p>Oh, and staying close to home is somewhat of a priority, but I can get over it..</p>
<p>I totally agree with the poster above! Go with UNC. If your had gotten into Columbia I would say go there but you didn’t and if it’s not likely your going to get off then you need to focus on what you have.</p>
<p>A free ride at an amzing public school like UNC is hard to pass up.</p>
<p>What is the issue with money? Did other schools offer you anything?</p>
<p>My Order: Columbia > UNC > Chicago > Northeastern > Michigan > Georgia Tech</p>
<p>I think Columbia is the best and you do want to be close to home.
Then UNC because it is a free ride and great oppurtunity.
Chicago and Northeastern because of location. Urban is a plus (at least to me) and they are closer to home than Georgia Tech and Michigan
Michigan after those becaus it’s a good school, but it’s a huge public school and I feel it trails behind your other options.
Lastly Georgia Tech. Really far from home and I don’t really know that much about it or you.</p>
<p>Well that’s just my 2 cents. Congrats and good luck!</p>
<p>Well, Chicago’s Math department is generally considered the best among the universities in question. But with a full ride at UNC, my vote would probably go to UNC, then UChicago.</p>
<p>Chicago (#6), Michigan (#8) and Columbia (#10) all have top 10 Mathematics departments, making them the strongest academically. In the case of Michigan, did you get into the honors program?</p>
<p>Given the small number of Math majors at those three universities, classes will be small and taught by tenured faculty. But UNC for free is hard to top.</p>
<p>My pick would be UNC unless your parents are wealthy, in which case, go for one of the three Math powerhouses listed above.</p>
<p>Even if you get into Columbia, go to UNC. You can’t beat free tuition, especially in these times. Northeastern over Michigan because of location? You’ve got to be kidding me!</p>
<p>“Chicago and Northeastern because of location. Urban is a plus (at least to me) and they are closer to home than Georgia Tech and Michigan”</p>
<p>Another example where the American educational system is failing in teaching basic Geography. Chicago is farther from NY than Ann Arbor, not that it really matters.</p>
<p>rjkofnovi your right. it doesn’t really matter, especially considering the difference in the distance between Ann Arbor and NY and Chicago and NY is very minimal. (Only a couple of hours) Besides you would most likely be taking a plane ride to get there so it’s not that big of a deal. And even if you did drive it’s only a couple of hours difference. </p>
<p>After reading my comment I believe I should have been clearer. I put Chicago and Northeastern over Michigan because of location and by that I meant strictly the urban environment. I have been to Chicago(twice), Boston, and Ann Arbor(twice) and I prefer both Chicago and Boston over Ann Arbor any day. The closer to home statement was specifically meant for Northeastern, even though I used the word “they.” Sorry</p>
<p>“Northeastern over Michigan because of location? You’ve got to be kidding me!”
I believe that location is a great reason to pick one school over the other. You’ve got to be kidding me, lol.</p>
<p>Anyways I still agree with my earlier post and it was just my opinion.</p>
<p>Lol. I hate that I felt the need to defend myself over the internet…</p>
<p>Mirrorimage, in a car, Ann Arbor is 5 hours closer to NYC than Chicago. By plane, it is 30 minutes closer. I agree it is not a major difference, but a difference nonetheless.</p>
<p>I also agree that location should play a part in one’s college decision. Choising one school over another because of location is perfectly reasonable…assuming the two school are approximately equal in terms of academic excellence and cost of attendance. Chosing Northeastern over Michigan would be equivallent to chosing NYU over Yale or USC over Princeton or American University over Cornell. I realize you were stating an opinion, but I hope you consider other factors than just location when making your own decisions.</p>
<p>As for the OP, his order in the opening post is the right one. UNC for free is too good to pass up, unless his parents can easily afford paying $50,000/year for college, in which case, Michigan may be a better option.</p>
<p>I would take the full ride at UNC. And the rest would be based on location Columbia then Chicago would be my next choices. Congrats UNC and a full ride is awesome!</p>
<p>I would choose Ann Arbor or Chapel Hill for college over NYC or Chicago anyday. I just love college towns moreso than large, impersonal cities. To each his own.</p>
<p>mirror image-you have different number as far as the trip?Have you ever taken it? Because I have and it is a 5 hr drive from ann arbor to chicago</p>
<p>In regards to the poster, I would take UNC as the number 1 because if you are truly interested as a math major with serious research that means you would want to go to grad school(probably Ph.D right?)</p>
<p>If that is the case, then save your money!! ALL of the schools listed are top notch. However, you can not bank on getting in at UofC and UofM will cost a fortune. Go to UNC, enjoy your time, get top marks and have fun aiming for a top grad school :)</p>
<p>don’t be fooled by the absolute rankings which make michigan and columbia look relatively competitive with chicago. there’s a big gap between the top 5-6 programs and the ones below. 4.8>>>>>4.4</p>
<p>i would be looking at chicago and unc, and the latter only because you have a full ride. but if you’re serious about studying math and money wasn’t a consideration, the choice would be simple.</p>
<p>bayvcrobert, Chicago’s Math department is excellent, but it is not superior (let alone “far superior”) to Michigan’s or Columbia’s. The difference between a peer rating of 4.8 and 4.5 is negligible.</p>
<p>And I completely disagree with your statement about the choice being simple if the OP is serious about studying math and money is not a consideration. In fact, if that were the case, the choice would be very difficult. Chicago, Columbia and Michigan each have incredible Math departments, but the environment at those three universities is very different. Between those three schools, I would recommend the OP go for fit. </p>
<p>What would be simple is if money were indeed an issue. If that is the case, then UNC is the only viable choice.</p>