Yet another...Columbia vs. NYU vs. Penn vs. Berkeley Forum

[Unemployed]

Please let's not argue about which between the two is more prestigious abroad. I've reside in a lot of countries my past 21 years. I've spent elementary years in the US, in Chicago in particular. High school in Thailand. Intentionality Baccalaureate in Singapore. Undergraduate at Girton College, University of Cambridge, UK. Now work in Asian Development Bank in Manila. My father is Italian. My mother is Japanese. I've been to so many countries in 6 continents as a tourist and now as a worker of ADB. I'm a prestige whore and I often ask people around about schools and school prestige. That's how I got into Cambridge and declined the offer I got from Columbia. Never have I been to anywhere where Columbia is better regarded than UC Berkeley.

By the way, please, please tell me you're going to Berkeley too. Or, at least anywhere but Columbia.

I'll tell you my story.
about 5 years ago, i applied to a lot of schools (US term) and universities (UK term) for undergrad education. Been accepted to Columbia, Duke, UPenn, Bowdoin College, Rice, Harvey Mudd and a couple of "fall backs". I was denied admission to Berkeley and MIT. In the UK, I was accepted to Cambridge, Warwick, LSE and Edinburgh. I chose Cambridge in the end.
Now, I'm applying to several top-ranked law schools in the US. I'd be applying to Columbia too, as my fall back. Because honestly, I would be much more thrilled to receive an acceptance from Berkeley than from Columbia. Now you might not agree with me or you might even hate me for saying that. But that's what I like --Berkeley or HYS.

Which college were you in?

[chris0805]

Please let's not argue about which between the two is more prestigious abroad. I've reside in a lot of countries my past 21 years. I've spent elementary years in the US, in Chicago in particular. High school in Thailand. Intentionality Baccalaureate in Singapore. Undergraduate at Girton College, University of Cambridge, UK. Now work in Asian Development Bank in Manila. My father is Italian. My mother is Japanese. I've been to so many countries in 6 continents as a tourist and now as a worker of ADB. I'm a prestige whore and I often ask people around about schools and school prestige. That's how I got into Cambridge and declined the offer I got from Columbia. Never have I been to anywhere where Columbia is better regarded than UC Berkeley.

You apparently did not go to the same small coastal village in Benin as I did . True story, some guy there knew all about the ivy league, and not much else. He insisted on asking us if we knew someone who went to an ivy league school. CLS was very exciting for him. Seriously though, I can think of better reasons to choose a school. Like, if you stubbed your toe at one of them... seriously... that would be

[worldtraveler]

I have no idea why people are even arguing over this, but I'm teaching at a school where we have an "Ivy Kids" kindergarten in Korea. It's geared to get the little munchkins into the Ivy League, and all their classes have the name of any Ivy League school. There is no Columbia and Dartmouth, but there is a UC Berkeley. Apparently somebody in charge is familiar with Berkeley but not with Columbia, even though one is an Ivy.

Although, if anyone makes a decision on where to attend law school over something like this...that's just stupid.

[mwazaumoja]

Flip a coin.

No seriously, if you don't like what it gives you then you clearly should choose the other one.

Problem solved.

[takingmytime]

I'll tell you my story.
about 5 years ago, i applied to a lot of schools (US term) and universities (UK term) for undergrad education.

Without that translation I'd have been really confused.