Penn vs. Columbia

fexfeminae · 03-30-2006, 07:27 PM

I will be attending either Penn CAS or Columbia, and would like some more info about the vibe at Penn. Is it more competitive than other ivies (excluding Harvard, Princeton and Yale)? How are the internship opportunities? How is the campus social scene? I intend to major in economics and subsequently pursue a career in business, so again, how do you think Penn would compare with Columbia in terms of opportunities as well as academics?

purplefish · 03-30-2006, 07:55 PM

I am in the same situation. I got admitted to Penn, Columbia and Duke. And I would really appreciate if the seniors out there can give some advice. Personally, I think all three are great schools and that's making the choice difficult. I think their main attraction to me (possible computer engineering + econ double major, or econ masters)

Penn -> Wharton!!
Columbia -> New York City!!
Duke -> Beautiful Campus, Great Weather

So please advice / compare base on the following
- academic (workload, grade inflation, class size, professors and TAs)
- social (ecs, commmunity, near by city etc., arts scene)
- security (crime, campus safety)
- diversity (i am an international from singapore)
- any warnings / bad experience
- anything positive (can be anything, great food, great student purchase, really anything)

Thanks A LOT in advance. ANY input will be greatly appreciated.

26e · 03-30-2006, 07:57 PM

lucky buggers, lol

kudos

>>>short version....penn: campus social life. columbia: no.

purplefish · 03-30-2006, 08:41 PM

Thanks 26e. Sounds like penn is much more fun.
Anything about academics?

Also, how's the campus life at Duke?

26e · 03-30-2006, 08:43 PM

no seriously. columbia students have the city. blessing and curse. money drain. everyone leaves, no on campus life. penn is...well, penn

academically, 4 & 9, cant go wrong. columbia has the core. penn has the distribution....overall, its a matter of taste. both reps are top notch

duke...studious/drunken

i could tell you better....but not now. ask a dukie. dook forum?

fexfeminae · 03-30-2006, 08:44 PM

thanks 26!

purplefish · 03-30-2006, 08:45 PM

Thanks 26e

snipanlol · 03-30-2006, 09:28 PM

as for recruitment to the financial service industries, nothing beats Penn. Because of Wharton, there is not one major firm that does not recruit on Penn's campus, and recruitment is open to students of all schools at Penn.

Re en Kam · 03-30-2006, 09:37 PM

Penn is tons more social than Columbia. And if you like school spirit, then Columbia isn't the best. But Columbia also has the core which some people really love while Penn's core is kind of random and (as of c/o 2010 on) slightly confusing. They're both large cities, but, of course, NYC is NYC. But Philly's nice, too. You mentioned an econ major and there's Wharton at Penn. SEAS at Penn is nice but so is Columbia's engineering (Fu I think). I know Penn's open about internationals and is pretty diverse but I don't know Columbia's situation. That's basically what I know about how the school's compare. Sorry I couldn't mention Duke...

platnumprodig33 · 03-30-2006, 10:10 PM

LUCKILY I was accepted both into the Fu Foundation at Columbia and the Engineering program at Penn. Is one program considered more competitive, offer better internship..etc...?

j.canada · 03-30-2006, 11:09 PM

I was accepted into the Fu Foundation at Columbia also and into the Penn LSM College/Wharton program...any thoughts or opinions on one vs. the other? (rejected from yale though...and still waiting for that harvard email...)

713kevin · 03-31-2006, 12:01 AM

penn econ is far better and highly regarded. my econ prof. has been bragging that penn econ program is top 5 in the country. Columbia's campus is not very inviting. They have a wall around the school and the green space is fenced off. Today at penn there were people laying in every green space and playing football, croquet (ha), and throwing Frisbees around. if you want a practical education... penn hands down.

j.canada · 03-31-2006, 12:06 AM

oh wow thanks!! yeah im thinking penn too...depends on the fin. aid package that'll come sometime next week im hoping

26e · 03-31-2006, 06:53 AM

don't forget, if columbia's is lower, use it to bargain with penn for a lower aid package. try it. it'll be worth it

sourpunchsk · 03-31-2006, 07:45 AM

heh, i think there might be a slight bias as u are postin on the penn board. i actually have to make the same decision right now (except, i got waitlisted to duke! *** is that?). personally, i love penn, but i live in philadelphia. nyc is nyc as people say, and from qwhat i've heard it's like the funnest time ever. maybe those are my priorities, but im going to columbia. woohoo lions '10! hehe