UPenn or Northwestern? - Page 6

patlees88 · 05-16-2008, 09:34 PM

Quote:

Evanston is a suburb- a nice suburb, but a suburb.

W/o traffic, you can drive down to Chic Downtown in just about 10 minutes. Evanston is right there, right north of Chicago. or, u can take a cab if u don't have a car.

MomofWildChild · 05-16-2008, 09:41 PM

^^ Without traffic? And when might THAT be?

patlees88 · 05-16-2008, 10:29 PM

Quote:

^^ Without traffic? And when might THAT be?

anytime that is not during rush hour. rush hour at Chicago usually is: weekdays: 7-9 am and 4:30-6:30 pm. Avoid these times, and you won't encounter much traffic at all. (esp. evanston to chicago route, aka Sheridan, isn't really busy at all anyway.)

coolcat08 · 05-17-2008, 10:38 AM

...I should probably just visit Penn...hopefully I have enough time to. I got off the waitlist, that's how I was offered admission. This really became a city war rather quickly...but the earlier posts had a consensus of saying that both are great schools and personal preference is a key deciding factor but many people in the end said something along the lines of "go with penn..."

rjkofnovi · 05-17-2008, 10:47 AM

Sorry patlees. It's IMPOSSIBLE to get from Evanston to the Loop anytime day or night in anywhere near 10 minutes. At least 20 with absolutely no traffic.

45 Percenter · 05-17-2008, 03:29 PM

coolcat08, definitely visit Penn if you can and, ultimately, decide which school feels best to YOU. You really can't go wrong either way.

And never forget the other important lesson of this thread: for the best Buffalo Wings, go to BUFFALO!

ilovebagels · 05-17-2008, 06:10 PM

come visit Penn and let it work its magic on you

Northwestern is a wonderful school, but the storied University of Pennsylvania it is not

k&s · 05-20-2008, 10:00 PM

Anyone who thinks Philly is a better city than Chicago is plain nuts.

If Chicago were on the East or West coast, it would be the BEST city in the US.

And I say this as a New Yorker who grew up in Pennsylvania.

ilovebagels · 05-21-2008, 05:51 PM

I don't doubt that Chicago is a spectacular city. But once again, a spectacular city does not a spectacular college experience make.

TourGuide446 · 05-21-2008, 09:39 PM

Go see a Blues Brothers/Rocky double-feature, then decide. I think this is a no-brainer for Northwestern if the city's merits are the turning point. Big 10 vs. Ivy League? No contest. View of Lake Michigan vs. view of Camden? No contest.

ilovebagels · 05-22-2008, 10:42 AM

Isn't the whole point of Rocky to show a depressed deindustrializing Philadelphia circa 1970s?

Philadelphia of the 2000s is not the Philadelphia of the 1970s. See the most recent (circa 2007) Rocky, "Rocky Balboa" for further proof. Rocky is running a nice gentrified Italian restaurant in a nice gentrified part of Philly, if I recall

And you can't see Camden. That's two rivers away, bro. Penn faces a river, and it will soon have a massive Penn Park facing that river. And yes, it will be awesome.

Big 10 vs. Ivy League? Agreed, no contest--in favor of the Ivy League. The most marvelous league/marketing move in collegiate history.

Sam Lee · 05-22-2008, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Philadelphia of the 2000s is not the Philadelphia of the 1970s.

Philly of the 2000s is going to lose more people than they did in the 1990s. Not sure about 1970s though.

MomofWildChild · 05-22-2008, 04:27 PM

"If Chicago were on the East or West coast, it would be the BEST city in the US."

Yeah, but it ISN'T on the East or West coast. Lake Michigan is nice, except for when those nasty little fish wash up and die all over the shoreline and stink all summer! The Atlantic Ocean offers a little more, except for when the used Hypodermic needles wash up.... Cities have flaws and locations have flaws (well, maybe not San Diego...) Northwestern isn't IN Chicago. Don't forget that. If someone wants a suburban school, it's the clear pick. If you want a vibrant, urban school, Penn is the pick. The view is of the Philadelphia skyline. Unless we are talking basketball, Ivy trumps Big Ten.

Sam Lee · 05-22-2008, 04:54 PM

MWC,

Although Northwestern isn't "in" Chicago, it's bordered by it on the south. It's so close that it's unnecessary to be so annal about the distinction. This is like saying Pasadena isn't in Los Angeles. UChicago is in Chicago and while it's a lot closer to downtown Chicago, it's no easier to go to the nice neighborhoods in the Northside from there than from Northwestern. Besides, Evanston is a happening town with over 200 specialty shops and 110 restaurants.

MomofWildChild · 05-22-2008, 05:01 PM

I know, Sam. I lived in Chicago..... Evanston is not Chicago. Evanston is fine. It is "happening", but it is not Chicago and traffic is horrible to get there. Many students stay put in Evanston. I just think this is a silly argument because Penn IS in Philadelphia, for better or worse. I have a lot of familiarity with both cities. I think Chicago is a city that works better than Philadelphia does, but it really lacks the history. It also is a LOT colder, although both are bad climates in my opinion. I think midwesterners are friendlier and nicer than the people in the northeast- it's just a different environment. If you want a "real" city school, it's Penn.