*ucla: I live in the neighborhood and have taken a few extension courses. My BF's younger brother graduated from here, and I have a few acquaintences who either have or are taking undergrad. I love Westwood, but I can't really give you much of an opinion on the education itself or the school experience.
*dartmouth: One of my good friends went here for undergrad. He hated almost every moment of it there because the place was so small (He was used to having sushi on every corner and lots of stores with a great selection of manga and he's a Starbucks freak), plus he wasn't into the typical college experience. In his later years, he and the only friend he made there would take side trips to Boston and Montreal and New York to amuse themselves.
*upenn/wharton: A friend of mine is going here for undergrad in nursing and she seems to love it and Philly. I don't know anyone who went through Wharton though.
*usc: I graduated from here. The business school is well-known and everyone I knew who was going there really loved it. The facilities are really nice...USC has a lot of money and you can tell when you see the never-ending construction. I would recommend commuting though, the neighbrohood nearby is not safe and I was really careful walking around campus after dark.
I don't want to muddle your options and make you even more confused, but have you considered the University of Texas. My BF graduated there with a BBA (emphasis on Accounting) and he really enjoyed it. The business school there is really awesome, one of the best in the country, plus it's a public school. And it's in Austin, the coolest city in Texas.
Ann Arbor is the greatest town ever! I have been to many cities all over the world and my dream is still to become a Prof. at U of M and live in A2. My brother just graduated from U of M with a degree in Astrophysics and he LOVED it! I live just outside of Ann Arbor and I find any reason to go to town-cultural events, the shopping (cute boutiques and a nice mall ) the summer art festival, and the general laid back vibe of the city. I just LOVE it, so beautiful.
Ah, if we're talking MBA programs, then I WOULDN'T recommend UCSD. Even though they have 2 Nobel Prize winners on the teaching staff, it's very new (2 or 3 years old), and it wouldn't be great for networking.
I do feel that I have to defend my school after what Bumblebee said... The only people I knew who complained about lack of social life/activities, were the people who either lived off campus first year, or who just didn't make an effort. Personally, I had an amazing social experience at UCSD, and was never lacking for anything to do. And yes, the campus is outside of San Diego itself, but San Diego isn't exactly a bustling metropolis in the first place. The area of San Diego is very spread out, and each has its own merits. The campus is located 10 min from Pacific Beach, and many people would live there. Plus UCSD has tons of great services, like free shuttles, free taxis on the weekends, etc. It is skewed towards the sciences/engineering, like many of the UCs, but it must be noted that UCSD also has one of the country's best International relations/Pacific studies programs. As for the rankings, Princeton Review does not rank UCSD above UCLA, but international rankings publications have ranked UCSD above UCLA. I heard this from my brother at Cal, as well as from other UC students while studying abroad. But US rankings do not yet place UCSD above UCLA. I think it's hard to compare the two, as they are extremely different.
Anyway, that's just my little soapbox. UCSD doesn't get as much press as some of the other schools as we don't have a huge sports program, so I feel like it's my job to promote it left and right.
you should be their PR person! i wasn't trying to run down UCSD at all, in fact i think i was mostly positive about it, just giving a personal experience that one of my friends had had there, because that's what honey was asking for.
the friend in question was a sorority member and really outgoing, so i don't think her lack of social opportunities was due to "not trying." she ended up transferring to UCLA and was happier. but that is just one person's experience, obviously yours was a lot more positive. anyway, wasn't trying to offend.
Bumblebee, don't worry, I didn't take offense. And I didn't mean to offend your friend...If she was a sorority girl then I can see why the social atmosphere at UCSD wasn't really her thing. UCSD is very lacking in fraternity/sorority atmosphere, and the ones that we do have don't have the best reputation at our school. Schoold administration and the town of La Jolla have really done their best to do away with the traditional college party scene. I found that NOT being involved in those kinds of organizations was actually easier as far as social activities were concerned. And I know that my friends who were at UCLA loved their fraternities and sororities, so I'm glad that she found the school that was better suited for her.
I am a Michigan alum. There were definitely things I loved about the school and Ann Arbor, but also some thing I didn't. I share many of the same opinions as ewt, but I'll just add:
Ann Arbor is an amazing little town with tons of cultural opportunities and diversity. I have taken many of my east coast friends with me on trips there, and they all fall in love with A2. I love that the campus is set within the town, and the cost of living is low. However, I hope they have improved some of the off campus housing options since I lived there (mid-90s)- most of the rental places are condemnable!
The business school is stellar, hyper-competetive, but with amazing networking opportunities. I have friends who did both undergrad and grad b-school, and the connections they made while there enabled them to write their ticket to all kinds of great jobs ANYWHERE in the country.
Undergrad was overwhelming and very bureaucratic - that was a big negative for me while I was there. Classes were huge and I felt like a number (or a tuition check), but by my junior year I hit my stride and made my own niche with a great group of friends from all over the country. But the grad programs are so much smaller, so it wouldn't be a concern for you.
I would have loved to stay in Michigan after I graduated, but I felt like I needed to try life in a big city (and the weather was a big problem for me - not just the cold but the incessant grey skies). When I moved to DC, the cache of saying I graduated from UM went a LONG way and opened a lot of doors. Suddenly, other UM grads were coming out of the woodwork. I think we have the largest and most active alumni network in the country.