Columbia vs Princeton vs Dartmouth
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sparky
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Accepted: Columbia, Vanderbilt, UVA, UNC, Williams, WashU, Princeton, Dartmouth
Waiting: Carnegie, Duke, Stanford I turned down UVA, UNC and Williams. I am trying to choose between Columbia, Princeton and Dartmouth Intended major is philosophy and financial economics |
Anonymous
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Princeton is the easy pick for me.
The undergrad education is exceptional. I get the appeal of Dartmouth, but Princeton is a true research-LAC powerhouse. Every student is required to do thesis and a junior class in preparation. Very academic vibe, professors who care, and the undergraduate community is more emphasized (the grad population is smaller). These students are extraordinary but they care about building community as well. And you're a quick train from both NYC and Philly. Columbia's appeal is being right in the heart of the city, but it's so tiny and competitive. You have four schools- Columbia College, Fu, Barnard, and General Studies- all competing against one another for the same courses, opportunities, and such. The sense of community is dismal and the quality of life is not regarded as highly. They don't have nearly as much money per student as Dartmouth and Princeton do. Princeton has the largest endowment per student of any university or college in the USA. 2.5 million dollars per student, last I remember. They can fund virtually any experience you desire- internships, summer opportunities, research, conference travels, etc. But of course, there's nothing wrong with picking Columbia or Dartmouth- they have no shortage of opportunities either. Visit all three. I think you'll know which you like the most after you do. |
Anonymous
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Also:
https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities/undergraduate-teaching Congrats on all your choices! |
Anonymous
| Princeton |
Anonymous
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Are you the one who was going to go to UVA and then transfer to Chicago? But it looks like you didn't even apply to Chicago?
Anyway, these schools all seem very different to me (and I went to one of them) so you must have an opinion about which is a fit. I chose Dartmouth over Columbia. It sounds like Princeton may be a better fit for you based on your interests and your personality based on your previous posts. |
sparky
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Yes, but I got rejected from Chicago |
Anonymous
| Princeton has the highest alumni giving rate of any university/college as well: https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/the-short-list-college/articles/2016-10-18/10-universities-where-the-most-alumni-donate. Super satisfied alums who go out of their way to help Princeton grads, in addition to the normal HYPMS brand name. Dartmouth doesn't make the top 10. All the pros of Dartmouth are pros of Princeton, and it has more. Parchment says 91% pick Princeton and 9% pick Dartmouth between the two schools. I'd knock Dartmouth out entirely. |
Anonymous
| What are your thoughts on the D-Plan? Columbia has a rigid and expansive core curriculum that all students are required to do- are you okay with that? Preference for location? Cost differences? |
sparky
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I love the core. D Plan is great too |
Anonymous
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I liked Princeton but if you want to live in a city, it's not the school for you. I'd say Columbia if you're into urban life, Dartmouth if you're into winter sports, Princeton if you don't care about either of those.
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Anonymous
| Columbia if you want a real education. Core is unmatched. Plus you have nyc. Princeton ok if you’re a white guy, otherwise no. |
Anonymous
No this is not true about Princeton. I was just there this week. It is successfully shedding it's white preppy vibe. OP Princeton all the way. Columbia is way more of a pressure cooker. |
Anonymous
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Its going to boil down to details and preferences which only you can judge, OP.
If I were in your shoes and had to make the choice I know I would choose Columbia. I grew up just outside NYC and had friends who went there and just love the city and all it brings. Along with the fact its a top notch university. But you might prefer the vibe of Princeton, being in a more suburban setting, and so on. Clearly both have prestige and you can only be the judge of which really is best for you. |
Anonymous
Columbia is a great place for graduate or professional school, but the undergraduate experience is very different from Princeton or Dartmouth. You will not the focus of attention at all, and you are literally competing for resources with other schools within the university where the administrators have very sharp elbows. Dartmouth is the smallest of the Ivies and Princeton is really the epitome of undergraduate education (and close to both Philly and NYC for those who want to spend time in the city). Columbia is great for some kids, but you really need to be up to the task of living more independently, advocating for yourself academically, and managing your finances in what can be a very expensive city. |
Anonymous
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Princeton doesn’t allow double majors. Don’t know if that would be a voting issue for you. And you have to write a senior thesis.
Personally, I’d choose Princeton (these days — undergrad vibe is quite different from what it was in the 1980s — now it’s significantly more academic, less WASPy) from an educational standpoint (and it would be an easy choice), but depends on what you want from college. |