Down to the wire..help DD decide

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In terms of education/career prospects, I doubt there is much difference, so it should be a matter of cost + preference.

Michigan - cold climate, huge Big 10 school. Powerhouse football + basketball. Ann Arbor is (or at least used to be) a nice town though.

W&M. Small, LAC-like public. Wiliamsburg is pretty sleepy,

Northeastern. In probably the greatest city for a student in America. Plus the internship experience. More of an urban campus.

Lafayette. SLAC, but a really good one. It looks roughly equidistant between Philly and NYC.

Only you and your DD know which setting is the best fit and which the best value. No one here can help you.

This. They are all different in some way. My kid is only an junior and would pick Lafayette because Michigan is too cold, W&M is too "boring", and Northeastern is too urban.

What did she like about these? Why did she put them on her list? Which one makes her feel excited?

[Anonymous]

For Econ, Michigan for sure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For Econ, Michigan for sure.

Michigan's Poli Sci is even stronger.

[Anonymous]

Logically, no one should turn down UMich, given its amazing reputation. But, from a practical standpoint, NEU is run by clever management that knows how to keep making the school more selective and higher ranked (carefully not using the word "game"). So, by the time your DD graduates and is in the profession, who knows where NEU will be (may be T10?). So, NEU, if you want to hedge for the future.

[Anonymous]

Michigan or WM

[Anonymous]

honestly for that major, I think graduate school is likely in her future, so I'd go cheaper for undergrad for practical reasons.

But, this is a decision that has to fit your kid. Those schools are very different. Surely one of them feels like a better fit than the others (or at least a top 2 and bottom 2). No one can give that answer.

I'd flip the thinking - you often hear someone say something like, all things being equal, go to the highest ranked most prestigious school. But, those schools are all good. Consider that the equal - all 4 schools are roughly academically equal, so pick based on intangibles, what feels right.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For that major, W&M.

100%

+1 The major is a strength at WM. They have some really interesting and unique opportunites.

[Anonymous]

William and Mary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Logically, no one should turn down UMich, given its amazing reputation. But, from a practical standpoint, NEU is run by clever management that knows how to keep making the school more selective and higher ranked (carefully not using the word "game"). So, by the time your DD graduates and is in the profession, who knows where NEU will be (may be T10?). So, NEU, if you want to hedge for the future.

Oh my god, you NEU boosters are relentlessly delusional. NEU is not going to be a T10, ever, except in people's imaginations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In terms of education/career prospects, I doubt there is much difference, so it should be a matter of cost + preference.

Michigan - cold climate, huge Big 10 school. Powerhouse football + basketball. Ann Arbor is (or at least used to be) a nice town though.

W&M. Small, LAC-like public. Wiliamsburg is pretty sleepy,

Northeastern. In probably the greatest city for a student in America. Plus the internship experience. More of an urban campus.

Lafayette. SLAC, but a really good one. It looks roughly equidistant between Philly and NYC.

Only you and your DD know which setting is the best fit and which the best value. No one here can help you.

Northeastern for internship that leads to job.

[Anonymous]

It's very clearly UMich or W&M as a distant second. You are real gullible if you send your kid to NEU. It has absolutely zero sway in poli sci or econ.

[Anonymous]

I would pick William and Mary, but you should be looking at what fits your child and your finances.

[Anonymous]

I think Northeastern is the right choice.

[Anonymous]

I went to Michigan as a Poli Sci major. I would choose W&M or Lafayette...smaller and will have a better academic experience.

[Anonymous]

My DD with similar interests is going to W&M, but would have loved to go to school in Boston if it had been financially possible. So she would probably say Northeastern!

W&M has a great program for PoliSci (which they call Government), including a very cool summer institute in DC that combines internships and classes for college credit.