<p>I have been accepted to Brandeis and Boston University (Honors Program). Brandeis gave me $25,000 in merit scholarships. BU gave me about $18,000 in merit scholarships. I have visited BU but never visited Brandeis. At this point, I cannot visit Brandeis because of time and obligations. I live out of state so I would have to fly. How do the two campuses compare? How do the two schools compare academically? I would be majoring in either philosophy or poli sci (liberal arts) and plan on attending graduate school. I realize Brandeis is not in downtown Boston but what are the other differences? Help!!</p>
<p>Other than the fact that they are both in Boston (OK, Brandeis is in
Waltham 9 miles west but you can see Boston from the higher spots on campus), Brandeis and BU have little in common. </p>
<p>Start with size. BU has 30,000 students and is one of the largest private schools in the country. It is a collection of buildings more than a real campus and is a very urban environment. Basically the buildings are arranged in a long, narrow row along Commonwealth Ave–and hemmed in by by Storrow Drive (a freeway) and the Green line (an above ground T line). Brandeis, in contrast, is one of the smaller research universities with only 3,300 undergraduates. It has a real campus–with green grass and trees.</p>
<p>Academics. In most areas in which Brandeis has a department or program, Brandeis will be stronger academically than BU and, overall, has a better academic reputation. Because of its size, BU will have a lot more departments and programs and offer fields of study–particularly at the graduate level–simply not available at Brandeis.</p>
<p>Community–Brandeis has a strong sense of community. Most students live on campus or immediately adjacent to it. As you would expect of a 30,000 student urban university–there is little cohesion and sense of community at BU but the city is right there for all it has to offer. The city is easily accessible to Brandeis students–but you aren’t going to walk there.</p>
<p>Mission–both are research universities with a mission to educate and create knowledge. Brandeis has another mission, however,–to seek and pursue justice. Thus, it tends to be more socially conscious and active.</p>
<p>Both are good schools but, frankly, the difference is rather stark. Good luck.</p>
<p>This might sound like a really strange question, but when you say philosophy, what type of philosophy do you mean? Analytical or continental? Brandeis’s department is largely analytical, but BU is very good for continental.</p>
<p>I’m not a Phil major, AT ALL, but my sister is, and she is currently waging war on whoever decided to make most departments analytical. 
</p>
<p>You’ll probably have more access to your professors at Brandeis, at least your first couple years. My two friends from HS go to BU.</p>
<p>Thanks for your replies. Both were helpful. I am Jewish but not very religious. Would this be a problem at Brandeis? I have been brought up reform but am not all that religious. Thanks again.</p>
<p>No problem.</p>