<p>I have a big dilemma here! I want to apply ED for either Columbia University, UPenn, or Cornell University but cant make up my mind on which one. I am trying to get into their engineering schools.</p>
<p>What factors should I be looking at ? Any experiences you guys have, campus life, city life ?</p>
<p>I am a city kind of guy and don't really get too excited by rural areas. </p>
<p>Please help :).</p>
<p>If you want a city, Ithaca is not going to do much for you there. Personally I think Columbia is in a good spot in NYC. What do you want to do, for example if you want to major in Finance I would say Penn. However for journalism, I would say Columbia.</p>
<p>Have you visited any of them? Many people would discourage applying ED without a clear first choice, and applying ED without even visiting is downright foolish. Many posters have had a college be a perfect fit on paper but despise it after visiting (and vice versa). You’re going to be living and learning 24/7 at this college for the next four years, so it’s well worth checking it out for yourself.</p>
<p>I personally think Penn has a good mix of the campus life of Cornell with an urban location like Columbia, and it has reasonably strong engineering programs to boot. What appeals to me, however, may not work for you.</p>
<p>it would be amazing to visit them, but I have limited financial resources to make a trip from Canada to America. I haven seen all the videos of the three universities. I want to do Engineering or maybe a dual degree with Engineering and Finance 
however my primary option still remains to be engineering.</p>
<p>For pure engineering Cornell is the way to go. It’s also the easiest to get into so if your stats aren’t godly and you don’t feel like taking a risk then I recommend Cornell.</p>
<p>For finance + engineering and the big city feel I recommend Columbia. Fu Foundation may not be ranked as highly as Cornell but it is still quite reputable and is better for getting into Wall Street.</p>
<p>If finances are an issue, why apply to these expensive schools when you can go to Waterloo? All three are not need blind to internationals and have limited aid to give them.</p>
<p>If you would be applying to a joint program at Penn for finance and engineering, that would be the toughest of the 3 to get into. Cornell engineering alone will probably be the easiest. So take a hard look at your grades, scores and ECs and assess where you have the best shot.</p>
<p>According to the research i did on my own, their websites mentioned that they were need blind universities. Is it wrong, please guide me. if they are need aware universities, then I am definitely not applying here ?</p>
<p>Cornell : [Cornell</a> University - Admissions - Overview](<a href=“http://www.cornell.edu/admissions/]Cornell”>Admissions | Cornell University)
“I would found an institution where any person can find instruction in any study.”
Ezra Cornell, 1868</p>
<p>In keeping with Ezra Cornell’s vision, the university practices “need-blind” admission. Your ability to pay has no bearing on whether you are admitted. For eligible students, Cornell tries to provide a predictable aid package throughout the years of college.</p>
<p>UPenn: [03/28/06</a>, Penns Commitment to Need-blind Admissions - Almanac, Vol. 52, No. 27](<a href=“http://www.upenn.edu/almanac/volumes/v52/n27/admissions.html]03/28/06”>03/28/06, Penns Commitment to Need-blind Admissions - Almanac, Vol. 52, No. 27)</p>
<p>Expanding its effort to alleviate the financial burden on low- and middle-income students and to continue to attract top students with diverse economic backgrounds, Penn will provide grants for undergraduate students from economically disadvantaged families with incomes of $50,000 or less, President Amy Gutmann announced last Thursday.</p>
<p>Columbia University : [International</a> Financial Aid | Columbia University Office of Undergraduate Admissions](<a href=“http://www.studentaffairs.columbia.edu/admissions/international/finaid.php]International”>http://www.studentaffairs.columbia.edu/admissions/international/finaid.php)</p>
<p>What is the financial aid policy at Columbia?</p>
<p>All admitted students, including international and foreign students, are granted financial aid based upon the same principles:</p>
<p>Financial aid at Columbia is need-based. There are no academic, athletic or talent or otherwise merit-based institutional scholarships.
Columbia meets 100% of the demonstrated financial need for ALL students, including foreign students. And we continue to meet 100% of your demonstrated financial need for all four years of study.</p>
<p>if engineering is your goal, then i say cornell</p>
<p>Columbia provides financial aid to international students on the same basis as domestic students.</p>
<p>Cornell provides financial aid only to US citizens and permanent residents.</p>
<p>Penn “is able to offer financial assistance to a limited number of students who are not citizens or permanent residents of the U.S., Canada or Mexico. Therefore, most non-citizens should plan to meet expenses for their entire schooling before applying for admission.”</p>
<p>So when it comes down to finances, is it better to apply for Columbia since its complete financial aid rather than Cornell or UPenn?</p>
<p>Yes engineering is what I am aiming for. I know for a fact that I CANNOT PAY for my university to the extent of 50000 per year hence why i am looking for financial aid. It looks like Columbia is the best option for me financially. Even though Cornell is known as the best for engineering, Columbia shouldn’t be that bad either, correct ?</p>
<p>So, putting aside the fact of campus life and such, 4 years of my life need to be a financial burden free as well. Plus, I am not a rural type person, since I have lived in the city for the past 18 years. Please do advice on this decision. I think I should go for Columbia ED ?</p>
<p>^ Penn provides complete financial aid for Canadian citizens and permanent residents, at the same level it does for US citizens and permanent residents (see the quote in post #9). Columbia offers no advantage over Penn is that regard.</p>
<p>This does get confusing. Schools can be need blind in terms of admittiing, but it does not mean they meet need for all. I have not seen Columbia on lists of schools that meet need for internationals.</p>
<p>^^ Interesting for UPenn and Canadians. Anybody know what the difference is between the Canadian FA application and the US? [Penn</a> Admissions: Financial Aid for International Applicants](<a href=“http://www.admissions.upenn.edu/applying/aid.php]Penn”>http://www.admissions.upenn.edu/applying/aid.php)</p>
<p>This Columbia aid for internationals seems relatively new. With these developments, it would seem Columbia would be the top choice.
@red roses, yes it is weird. cornell can accept you but may not give you enough money to actually enroll and so you don’t end up going there. also like you, its my first time to see columbia having this policy for internationals…yes, it’s there in their website and it is a good development for internationals. Penn is still stingy, wonder when they will change their policies just like Columbia?</p>
<p>The issue is they just don’t have the money in these hard times and they can achieve their desired ‘diversity’ by accepting just a fraction of the scores of international applicants who can pay. It’s a relatively new notion to accept internationals who are not rich and powerful, a notion born in rich financial times in the US. Many love the concept, few can afford it.</p>
<p>It reminds me of when top colleges started commiting to accepting more blacks. The majority that ended up there were wealthy blacks.</p>
<p>if financial aid is very important to your family I would suggest not applying ED … apply to all the schools regular admission, see where you are accepted, compare the FA packages, and visit the schools … and then decide.</p>
<p>Just to remind the OP that your needs are what schools defined, not what you think you need. More often, students complain the aid package is not enough to cover COA!</p>
<p>Cornell: </p>
<p>Pros</p>
<p>Easy to get into (relatively)
Good for Engineering</p>
<p>Cons</p>
<p>Crappy weather/area
poor social scene</p>
<p>UPenn</p>
<p>Pros</p>
<p>Easy to get into (especially for ED)
Most reasonable option?
Good for Business</p>
<p>Cons</p>
<p>Low Prestige
In a crappy city</p>
<p>Columbia</p>
<p>Pros</p>
<p>High Prestige
Good for Finance</p>
<p>Cons</p>
<p>Hard to get into</p>
<p>Post # 16 –> @ 3togo</p>
<p>My main concern was to get admitted through ED because there is a high percentage that gets admitted that way, and at the same time get offered financial aid as well.</p>
<p>Post # 18 –> @ GreedIsGood</p>
<p>Thank you for the Pros and cons. Did you do research on them, or are they on personal views? because i really want to follow solid hardcore information so i can make the decision of my life time.</p>
<p>You seriously believe he did research for that nonsensical list of his? Oh brother!</p>
<p>First off, anyone that considers Cornell and Penn easy to get into is so full of **** it stinks. Secondly, Columbia does not have a Finance major - you would either be in the engineering school or majoring in economics at the college. At such a large school like Cornell, the social scene is very active and diverse - just think about it! And Philadelphia is not a “crappy city.” It’s not as large as NYC, but it’s still an impressive and culturally/historically rich place. Now if Penn was in Harrisburg, PA or Scranton then I would agree that the city is unremarkable but Philadelphia? Wise up to the BS of others Americanschools. </p>
<p>Also, only you know the truly best option. Bear that in mind when people try to steer you in one direction or the other.</p>