<p>The difference in the quality per se of the economics departments at Northwestern and Brown will have very little effect on an undergraduate, and probably would have no effect at all. Brown has some outstanding economists and is more than capable of challenging any undergraduate. It would be recognized as serious training, in general and in economics and technical specifics of economics, by any graduate economics program or MBA program. As, of course, would Northwestern.</p>
<p>The difference in the economics rankings matters if you want to get a Ph.D. in economics. There it would be relevant. For an undergraduate it would generally not make any difference at all. The training for an undergraduate does not get close to what differentiates Brown and Northwestern in economics in terms of faculty quality.</p>
<p>The choice is much more sensibly based on the general reputation of the schools and your match with each school’s personality. And yes, location. Evanston alone nearly beats Providence…then throw in Chicago. There is also some issue of size, and here the economics comparison might matter. Northwestern has a larger Ph.D. program in economics and is more of a “full service” program. As such it will probably have broader offerings for undergraduates in the subject in any given year. At NU there simply are more people with interests in a wider variety of sub-specialties.</p>
<p>Brown is more selective of course but that by itself is of minor importance. As an Ivy League school Brown gets a lot more fantasy applications from people who have no chance but also no real idea what Brown means in comparison to a Northwestern or a UChicago or a Wash U. They get turned down.</p>