I am determining between Brown and Penn, as recommended by my private counselor. I like both institutions, but I can’t think of any defining factors that would affect my choice. Can someone help me decide or figure out how to choose?
Since your private counselor knows you better than a bunch of strangers, why don’t you ask his/her help to choose?
What do you want to study? Where do you want to live? Do you want a bigger school or a smaller school? More urban? Brown and Penn are very different. Think about what matters to you.
@milee30 I did. She said that I have to find what I like at each of the schools and decide based on that, but it’s that part that I can’t figure out, which is why I came to CC. If you don’t feel like helping, then that’s your prerogative.
@momofsenior1 I was told not to pick my school based on location. I like Penn’s location and campus more, but I like Brown’s curriculum more, and it’s a pain to pick.
If you don’t prefer one to the other, don’t ED.
IMO, those universities are not interchangeable. You need to do more research. It’s like asking us if we prefer macaroni and cheese or spaghetti with meat sauce. They are both good, but not the same. Use college niche and see what students have to say about their colleges.
It’s not that I don’t want to help, but maybe the best help any of us could give you is to point out that your private counselor isn’t providing you with help on a very basic and very important part of the process. To me, that would be a big red flag that she either didn’t know how best to guide me or was simply doing a poor job. Private counseling is one of those expensive-but-worth-it things for some people. It would be a shame if you weren’t getting good quality service. If I were you, I would push back a bit on the idea that she just makes a few suggestions without giving details on why she thinks they’re appropriate for you.
I’m not sure why your counselor told you not to consider location. That was certainly a factor for my daughter in terms of her comfort and fit.
Penn and Brown are obviously both great schools. You can’t make a wrong decision here but you need to prioritize what’s the most important criteria for you.
What is your intended major? Is Brown’s program so much better than Penn’s that it trumps your preference for Penn’s location and campus?
I also agree with @Lindagaf that if you don’t have a strong preference for one over the other, ED’ing sounds like a poor idea.
You may also want to post specific campus life questions on the Brown and Penn specific forums.