<p>Ever since my college search started two years ago I have always wanted five things, in this order of importance:</p>
<li>Prestige</li>
<li>Top notch academics</li>
<li>Great social life</li>
<li>Big time sports</li>
<li>A great campus/new experience</li>
</ol>
<p>I ultimately narrowed down my list to a few schools, but instantly I knew that Northwestern basically fulfilled all my five “needs” and then some. Being accepted to NU, which ultimately evolved into my “dream school” was incredible. I am still wildly ecstatic about it. Today I learned I was also accepted to UC Berkeley, or “Cal,” as it is commonly reffered too. Living in the Bay Area (CA) and growing up a huge Cal fan, I had to take a moments pause to consider. </p>
<p>Right now I am under the impression that both are extremely prestigious schools, but that NU is slightly more prestigious. If tuition was a small, yet important factor (NUs aid package NEARLY makes Cal’s in-state tuition neglagible, but not completely ignorable) am I making the right choice by choosing to attend NU and still following my most important 5 factors? </p>
<p>Lastly, Brown was also on my list, yet I feel like it fits my 5 factors the least out of these three schools IN comparison to each other. Am I correct in that assumption?</p>
<p>I believe I want to study something in the sciences, if that effects your advice at all. Thank you in advance…And Go 'Cats!..And Go Bears!</p>
<p>All three universities fit 4 or your 5 criteria. None of those schools have “big time” sports. Nothing that compares to Duke, UNC or UCLA Basketball or Michigan or USC football among the three schools you are considering. </p>
<p>This said, all three universities you are considering are mega-prestigious, offer top notch academics, have great campuses and awesome social scenes. </p>
<p>I recommend you visit the three campuses and go with the school you feel most at home with.</p>
<p>extrasauce: I think that your impressions are correct with respect to Brown University being quite different from Northwestern University, although both are highly prestigious universities. UCal Berkeley devotes most of its resources, on a per capita basis, to its graduate students, while Northwestern University is just plain rich, but judicious with its spending. As an adult, my impression is that the social life is much different at Northwestern than at Brown or Berkeley. What are your interests? Classes will be smaller at Northwestern than at the other two universities. It may be easier to double major at NU as the four course per term quarter system requires students to take more courses each year than at Brown or Berkeley. Academics take precedence over social life at Northwestern, and NU is easily the most conservative of the three schools. Beyond those sweeping statements, any further comments probably need your comments regarding intended major, interests, likes & dislikes.</p>
<p>Thank you all for the prompt replies. While I agree that it is true that none of these schools have “Big Time” sports, I’d have to rank NU’s and Cal’s sports over the likes of brown? Despite the fact that they tend to not place sports over academics, NU is in the Big 10 and Cal is in the Pac 10, so I hope least a PORTION of the “Big” sports enviroment will be there. Also, I want to have enough athletic and sports orientated peers, but I’m sure I can find that at any institution.</p>
<p>The undergrad focus at NU compared to Berkeley is certainly a huge plus for me, as is the smaller class size. I know that Berkeley’s Biology and Chemistry departments are wold renowned. Can one say the same about any of NU’s science programs?</p>
<p>Icy, or anyone else, could you elaborate abit more on the differences between the social life and academic atmosphere between the three? Also, could one conlude that all three are equally presitigious academically (a personal ranking would be great, if possible)?</p>
<p>Extrasouce, Cal has incredibly small undergraduate students populations majoring in the sciences. The undergraduate student to faculty ratio for Science majors is roughly 2:1 and classes in the sciences (once past intro levels) are actually VERY small. I am talking always fewer than 40 students and often under 20 students.</p>
<p>And yes, Northwestern has a world renowned Chemistry department, though not quite on the same level as Cal.</p>
<p>I’ve heard, on the basis of prestiege and academics, that Northwestern is about around the level of the non HPY ivies, like Cornell and Brown. Could I say, for academic and presitge personal rankings that NU=Brown > Cal?</p>
<p>Tell me if am completely off in any of these personal, percieved rankings</p>
<ol>
<li>Perstige</li>
</ol>
<p>NU=Brown>Cal</p>
<ol>
<li>Academics</li>
</ol>
<p>NU=Brown=Cal</p>
<ol>
<li>Social Life</li>
</ol>
<p>Cal = NU > Brown</p>
<ol>
<li>College Sports</li>
</ol>
<p>Cal > NU > Brown</p>
<ol>
<li>A Great Campus</li>
</ol>
<p>NU > Cal > Brown</p>
<p>Also, money was an issue until NU met my financial needs, so that is not a problem.</p>
<p>I would say you are off on a couple. In terms of prestige, all three are equal. For social life, all three are also roughly equal. In terms of campus, it really depends on indivdual preference.</p>
<p>Prestige-wise, they are all about the same. You will get different answer depending on whom you ask. </p>
<p>They both have different strengths in academics. However, if you are undecided or want to change or add a major/minor/certificate…etc, I believe Brown/NU will give you more flexibility, something not reflected by published rankings.</p>
<p>I am biased but I was just thinking if all else equal, I’d pick the one that’s farther away just to experience something different; that’s one of the main reasons I came to the US from Hong Kong. Then I saw your item #5–new experience and looks like you had similar thoughts.</p>
<p>I agree: if they are all just about equal I would want the one furthest from California. Hell, I don’t think I’ve ever seen the snow fall on my home town (except in one wack winter on top of the highest hill some snow collected), but Chicago will hit a Cali kid like a slap in the face. But that is all part of the experience. </p>
<p>Thank you for your continued advice and comments.</p>
<p>^even if it’s bad, it pretty much applies to just the winter quarter; you still have the fall and spring quarters to enjoy chicago. actually if you like snow, providence should have more. :rolleyes:</p>
<p>Seems to me that Molecular & Cellular Biology (MCB) 102 (Survey of the Principles of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology) has a whopping 362 students enrolled this semester. MCB 130 (Cell Biology) has 245 enrolled students. That seems to be substantially bigger than 40 students. That is, of course, unless you want to argue that these courses are actually ‘intro’ courses, despite being in the upper division. </p>
<p>Perhaps more relevantly, MCB actually has THE most undergraduate students of any major on campus by far. A whopping 500 undergrads - or more than 10% of the entire graduating class - earns degrees in MCB. Note, that’s not just 500 students who are in the undergrad program, that’s 500 students who are graduating from the program every year. And that’s just MCB - that doesn’t even count the other ‘flavors’ of biology that Berkeley teaches (i.e. Integrative Biology, Molecular & Environmental Biology, Microbial Biology, Genetics & Plant Biology, etc.) </p>
<p>Sakky, I said past the intro level. Furthermore, I was referring to Math, Chem and Physics, not Biology/premed majors. You will be hard pressed to find intermediate/advanced level Chem, Math or Physics classes with more than 30 students at Cal. Of course, I am sure there are some classes that have more, but in general, at the intermediate and advanced levels, Cal has small classes in the sciences. Furthermore, most science majors at a top 10 university like Cal tend to come into college having already taken AP Chem, Math and Physics and start immediately with the intermediate level classes.</p>
<p>I think it would be hard to convince people that upper-division biology classes are actually intro classes. </p>
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</p>
<p>Really? I’m not that hard-pressed to immediately come up with Chemistry 112, Chemistry 120, Chem 130, and Chem 104, again, all upper division classes. </p>
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</p>
<p>I believe the OP asked specifically about biology in post #6. And let’s face it, the biology major at Berkeley is huge</p>
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</p>
<p>AP’s don’t get you past upper-division bio courses.</p>
Seriously Alexandre, congratulations to Berkely! I was unaware it had reclaimed it’s three time spot from the mid 80’s! Or perhaps your finger slipped and you meant to hit the 2? </p>
<p>Of course I’m nitpicking, Berkely is on par with NU in pretty much every aspect, as has been reflected in this thread. I think its fair to say, however, that NU (and Berkeley) have big time sports, even if they dont win. </p>
<p>I’m actually very impressed with how well you have the whole thing figured out Extrasauce. Personally, I’d say go with NU- if it was your “dream school”, you clearly preferred it, and you seem to still be leaning that way now. And despite what anyone may say, Northwestern’s campus truly is magnificent in a way that puts it in the running among the most beautiful in the nation (campus not including many of the buildings). While I like Berkeley’s, and matters of aesthetics are certainly subjective, it’s definitely harder to make a case for. I would highly recommened, if you can, that you visit all three (or at least Cal and Berkeley).</p>
<p>And as for NU’s renowned sciences, we also have one of the most advanced material science labs in the country (read: excellent mat sci program), and I’m sure a smattering of other top science programs (though I’m unfamiliar with which ones as a Humanities student). Don’t forget that NU also has superior campus location, allowing quick access to internship opportunities, cultural resources, and just plain fun. Cal and Brown don’t even come close to offering the access NU has to an Alpha Class World City.</p>
<p>If you look, I limited it to things that Chicago definitely just has over SF. I really like SF too, actually. In fact, I’d much rather live there. Just in terms of opportunities for students Chicago wins out, in much the same way NY trumps Boston or Philadelphia.</p>