How to pick between Columbia, Cornell or Princeton?

[Anonymous]

This is OP. Thanks all. Appreciate all the thoughts and opinions. It is reassuring that most folks think that any of the schools are fine and to decide based on fit. I’ve been pushing Princeton only because I have heard they really focus on undergrads but kid is unfortunately turned off by the suburban vibe. Loved Cornell’s Engineering and CS infrastructure but finds campus too spread out and didn’t like Ithaca. Is strongly leaning towards Columbia. Applied early to Stanford but was rejected. Refused to apply to MIT, Harvey Mudd or CMU as found them too tech focused. Did not apply to Harvard, Yale, Brown or Dartmouth. Waitlisted at UPenn

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is OP. Thanks all. Appreciate all the thoughts and opinions. It is reassuring that most folks think that any of the schools are fine and to decide based on fit. I’ve been pushing Princeton only because I have heard they really focus on undergrads but kid is unfortunately turned off by the suburban vibe. Loved Cornell’s Engineering and CS infrastructure but finds campus too spread out and didn’t like Ithaca. Is strongly leaning towards Columbia. Applied early to Stanford but was rejected. Refused to apply to MIT, Harvey Mudd or CMU as found them too tech focused. Did not apply to Harvard, Yale, Brown or Dartmouth. Waitlisted at UPenn

As a Columbia Alumna and a Jersey Girl, I think she is making a great choice. If the town of Princeton is a turn off, there's nothing more to say. Princeton is a very particular place. A great education is to be had, for sure, but the town is super wealthy and super exurban. It isn't very easy to get to a city from there (the train to Princeton Junction has issues). Some people love it but it isn't everyone's cup of tea.

How wonderful to have all these choices!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who would turn down Princeton?
Trust Michelle Obama to complain.

Most students admitted to Stanford, Harvard or Yale?

As for the latter comment, Princeton was not an easy environment for most of its black students in the early 80s. I don't think any Ivy was. Michelle's book was about overcoming various self-doubts to become the amazing woman she is today. Some of those doubts occurred when she was an undergraduate.

+1

Princeton was known for being tougher than most of the ivies for students of color, particularly female. The eating club culture and the way they introduced women were both challenges then.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is OP. Thanks all. Appreciate all the thoughts and opinions. It is reassuring that most folks think that any of the schools are fine and to decide based on fit. I’ve been pushing Princeton only because I have heard they really focus on undergrads but kid is unfortunately turned off by the suburban vibe. Loved Cornell’s Engineering and CS infrastructure but finds campus too spread out and didn’t like Ithaca. Is strongly leaning towards Columbia. Applied early to Stanford but was rejected. Refused to apply to MIT, Harvey Mudd or CMU as found them too tech focused. Did not apply to Harvard, Yale, Brown or Dartmouth. Waitlisted at UPenn

As a Columbia Alumna and a Jersey Girl, I think she is making a great choice. If the town of Princeton is a turn off, there's nothing more to say. Princeton is a very particular place. A great education is to be had, for sure, but the town is super wealthy and super exurban. It isn't very easy to get to a city from there (the train to Princeton Junction has issues). Some people love it but it isn't everyone's cup of tea.

How wonderful to have all these choices!

There is literally a bus to NYC right outside the main entrance to the Princeton campus. I wouldn't call it "exurban" at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is OP. Thanks all. Appreciate all the thoughts and opinions. It is reassuring that most folks think that any of the schools are fine and to decide based on fit. I’ve been pushing Princeton only because I have heard they really focus on undergrads but kid is unfortunately turned off by the suburban vibe. Loved Cornell’s Engineering and CS infrastructure but finds campus too spread out and didn’t like Ithaca. Is strongly leaning towards Columbia. Applied early to Stanford but was rejected. Refused to apply to MIT, Harvey Mudd or CMU as found them too tech focused. Did not apply to Harvard, Yale, Brown or Dartmouth. Waitlisted at UPenn

Congrats! I thought Cornell had a location at NYC for CS. Maybe that's only for graduate programs.

Just curious why she didn't apply to UChicago?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who would turn down Princeton?
Trust Michelle Obama to complain.

Most students admitted to Stanford, Harvard or Yale?

As for the latter comment, Princeton was not an easy environment for most of its black students in the early 80s. I don't think any Ivy was. Michelle's book was about overcoming various self-doubts to become the amazing woman she is today. Some of those doubts occurred when she was an undergraduate.

My brother (Asian-American) went there in the 80s and had much of the same feeling about Princeton as Michelle Obama. The elitist feeling continues into alumni gathering.

[Anonymous]

I have degrees from both Princeton and Columbia and the undergrad experience at Princeton is better, unless you want to be in (and can afford) a big city and are prepared to be more independent.

[Anonymous]

Wow congrats OP. I’ll just share my thoughts — I did undergrad at Barnard and grad at Columbia. (Within the last 6 years) Unfortunately I don’t recommend Columbia for undergrad. The education is top notch but the culture is poisonous. I don’t know anyone who was happy. Being in NYC means there is less on campus life, and there are a lot of bratty Manhattan kids who are just awful to deal with.

Most Cornell and Princeton people I know loved their time on school, and most Columbia people I know never want to talk about Columbia ever again.

(Barnard is better for undergrads than Columbia but also suffers from some of the same issues to a lesser degree)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow congrats OP. I’ll just share my thoughts — I did undergrad at Barnard and grad at Columbia. (Within the last 6 years) Unfortunately I don’t recommend Columbia for undergrad. The education is top notch but the culture is poisonous. I don’t know anyone who was happy. Being in NYC means there is less on campus life, and there are a lot of bratty Manhattan kids who are just awful to deal with.

Most Cornell and Princeton people I know loved their time on school, and most Columbia people I know never want to talk about Columbia ever again.

(Barnard is better for undergrads than Columbia but also suffers from some of the same issues to a lesser degree)

PP just adding one more thing... your kid has the rest of his life to enjoy NYC if that’s what he wants. But you only get to do college once. I wish I chose a rural or suburban school. I’ll never get to have an experience like that now!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who would turn down Princeton?
Trust Michelle Obama to complain.

Most students admitted to Stanford, Harvard or Yale?

As for the latter comment, Princeton was not an easy environment for most of its black students in the early 80s. I don't think any Ivy was. Michelle's book was about overcoming various self-doubts to become the amazing woman she is today. Some of those doubts occurred when she was an undergraduate.

+1

Princeton was known for being tougher than most of the ivies for students of color, particularly female. The eating club culture and the way they introduced women were both challenges then.

Not just people of color, being rural poor was tough unless you were an athlete. It really helps to come from an UMC urban/suburban household. Eating clubs DOMINATE social scene, and they are crazy expensive to join.

[Anonymous]

If you want to boil down the existential questions at the three schools:

PRINCETON - Oh my god, I don't know if I really belong here.

COLUMBIA - Oh my god, I don't think anyone knows I exist here.

CORNELL - Oh my god, how in the world did I end up way out here?

[Anonymous]

She will find incredible professors and peers at Princeton - a thousand times better than Columbia, including for African Americans. The alumni network now for African American alums and for women alums is incredible now. It's not hard at all to go to NYC for the day or evening. There is no question Princeton is the best choice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow congrats OP. I’ll just share my thoughts — I did undergrad at Barnard and grad at Columbia. (Within the last 6 years) Unfortunately I don’t recommend Columbia for undergrad. The education is top notch but the culture is poisonous. I don’t know anyone who was happy. Being in NYC means there is less on campus life, and there are a lot of bratty Manhattan kids who are just awful to deal with.

Most Cornell and Princeton people I know loved their time on school, and most Columbia people I know never want to talk about Columbia ever again.

(Barnard is better for undergrads than Columbia but also suffers from some of the same issues to a lesser degree)

PP just adding one more thing... your kid has the rest of his life to enjoy NYC if that’s what he wants. But you only get to do college once. I wish I chose a rural or suburban school. I’ll never get to have an experience like that now!

You could certainly move to a small town to get the same dreadful existence, alcoholism, and gossip of a small rural school
And most people end up moving to the suburbs after college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is OP. Thanks all. Appreciate all the thoughts and opinions. It is reassuring that most folks think that any of the schools are fine and to decide based on fit. I’ve been pushing Princeton only because I have heard they really focus on undergrads but kid is unfortunately turned off by the suburban vibe. Loved Cornell’s Engineering and CS infrastructure but finds campus too spread out and didn’t like Ithaca. Is strongly leaning towards Columbia. Applied early to Stanford but was rejected. Refused to apply to MIT, Harvey Mudd or CMU as found them too tech focused. Did not apply to Harvard, Yale, Brown or Dartmouth. Waitlisted at UPenn

As a Columbia Alumna and a Jersey Girl, I think she is making a great choice. If the town of Princeton is a turn off, there's nothing more to say. Princeton is a very particular place. A great education is to be had, for sure, but the town is super wealthy and super exurban. It isn't very easy to get to a city from there (the train to Princeton Junction has issues). Some people love it but it isn't everyone's cup of tea.

How wonderful to have all these choices!

There is literally a bus to NYC right outside the main entrance to the Princeton campus. I wouldn't call it "exurban" at all.

+1. It’s not hard to get to NYC (or Philly) and it’s not exurban.

But, if OP’s daughter really wants the city, then she should choose Columbia because Princeton is suburban and most of your social life revolves around campus events.

As some others have said, there is a real advantage to having your college years in a place where university events dominate your experience, and this is one reason Princeton alums are so fiercely loyal. But, some people do prefer all that a place like NY has and are willing to take the trade off of less of a traditional college experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People who go to Princeton seem to love Princeton more than the other two.

I chatted with Michelle Obama once and she disagreed. And my ex always regretted that her parents made her choose Princeton over Cornell. The eating club things seems awful to me, so I'm on team not-Princeton unless your kid is sure it's his first choice.

I don’t think that Princeton loves her back very much, either. On the other hand, her older brother Craig is a very loyal alum.