<p>USNWR is incredibly random yet stable. The quality of a college will not change from year to year, but the rankings do. Penn was 4 one year, 7 the next, etc. Cal Tech was #1 one year then never again. For undergrad it doesn’t make that much of a difference when choosing between the Ivys (well Cornell may be a tad disadvantage as a premed/prelaw grade wise) in the grand scheme of things. Some will have amazing programs (Wharton, Cornell engineering, Columbia’s core) which will make a school stand out to the individual, but the quality of students is pretty similar. One at Harvard may have done better on the EC front that one at Cornell, but it is a stretch to say that Harvard’s academics are better than Cornell’s, end of story. Each college has its strengths and weaknesses. Cornell has engineering, Penn has business, Dartmouth has drinking, Brown has celebrities, and Princeton has snootiness ;)</p>
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If we’re not all that great, then Princeton isn’t too special either, unless a USNWR ranking difference of 6 places means that much to you. The 6 schools ranked above Penn are the most selective and prestigious colleges in the country. We must be really be horrible. Please don’t come here if you believe that any college that USNWR doesn’t think is top 5 material is just soso.</p>
<p>Actually just stay in New Jersey. You’re just a health hazard here anyway.</p>
<p>lmao, how did this thread get so long? a lot of anti-princeton sentiment among Penn people huh?</p>
<p>Well, in case anyone cares why I prefer Penn over Princeton:</p>
<p>1) I’m absolutely sick of the restrained, “diluted” environment of suburban Princeton. I lived the majority of my life in New York, NY and loved every moment of city life (back then, I could walk to the nearest McDonalds; in my area, you have to friggin drive a couple miles). After having lived the last 4 years of my life in Princeton, NJ, I have decided it’s not for me. I’ve been on the Princeton campus so many times that it has lost its luster and doesn’t seem so amazing as people think (to me at least). </p>
<p>2) As has been regurgitated on this thread often enough, the difference between Princton and UPenn is almost negligible.</p>
<p>3) Since I’m planning to go pre-med, the difference is the other end of the extreme for me since UPenn offers a better pre-medical education (in my opinion of course). UPenn has one of the top ranked med schools in the country. Princeton doesn’t even HAVE a med school. </p>
<p>4) Philly is far enough away from home that I can have my own independence, but close enough to warrant the occasional weekend visit. </p>
<p>5) Princeton is ditching ED next application cycle (I’m 90% sure on that). UPenn will still have ED 
(unless I missed the memo). </p>
<p>6) I love UPenn…</p>
<p>Yeah, so there you have it in a nutshell.</p>
<p>Lol the funny thing (besides these senseless claims that Penn >= Princeton) is that Columbia isnt dead last for basketball. Lol… It’s actually 4th. How the hell did they manage that?</p>