122 Comments Add your own

• 1. KY  |  April 26th, 2008 at 4:40 am

  OMG I got first comment!

  Go to Columbia, Su Ann. But Philly got Morimoto restaurant by the famous former Iron Chef..

• 2. HK  |  April 26th, 2008 at 5:01 am

  I’d agree with KY, Columbia’s the one. It’s known for it’s elitenesspresidents. Besides you’re right beside Upper West Side, how cool is that!

• 3. Sam  |  April 26th, 2008 at 5:25 am

  patrick dempsey has got a new movie!

  columbia? :)

  i actually jot down words that are alien to me whenever i read your page. then look it up at dictionary.com

  guess that’s how i learn from a scholar who blogs. that’s so cool.

• 4. nickie  |  April 26th, 2008 at 6:10 am

  babe, COLUMBIA!!!
  here’s my two pence:
  1. big or small Malaysian community doesn’t really matter, IMHO. you’re going abroad to experience new thgs, why limit urself to msian community, u know what i mean? dont worry bout having no one to relate to. with ur personality u’ll have so many friends u’d have a hard time deciding who to hang out with!

  2. penn’s degree is more recognized in our part of the world? really? this i dont know. but does it matter if u’re creme de la creme? no right. if u’re good u’re good. :) i think columbia is a more prestige school wherever you go though.

  3. your aunt is in penn, but nyc is not too far away from penn so problem solved! :)

  4. wharton arrh. i dunno wor liddat. but even if it is the best business school n u wanna do a dual degree there, i STILL think that being a scholar in Columbia wins hands down. i mean, the opportunities that you’re gonna get as a scholar there is limitless!!!!!!! seriously. and u’ll get a huge network of other scholars from all over the country which would be extremely useful. in the real world out there its not what you know dear, its who you know. ;)

  5. free broadway tickets!!!!! need i say more? :P

  p.s. i love mcdreamy tooooo. watch Enchanted! he’s absolutely gorgeous! ok maybe i exaggerate. but still delectable nonetheless. anyways. go columbia, no need to think anymore. its really THE better deal. :) ok no, u should decide for urself. ‘this only my opinion darl. good luck!

• 5. Tiara  |  April 26th, 2008 at 6:28 am

  From the way you described them, I’d say go to Columbia. The Scholar experience is worth everything else, and you can always go to your aunt when you’re on hols.

  As for Malaysian community - eh, I’d actually recommend not seeking them out so early. I’ve seen people who just stick to their race here and they don’t get to experience all the other cultures. They miss out on a lot of things. For instance, I was just at a Flash Mob yesterday. only Asian. but so much fun. If I just hung around with the Malaysians, I’d never have known about it. Just make friends for who they are not their nationality :)

• 6. anonymous  |  April 26th, 2008 at 6:45 am

  hi, am just another reader from your blog. i wud recommend columbia. I am currently in a uni which have a small malaysian community and i am greatful that i did that as i’m learning so much more. You do go all the way out to know all sort of peeps and you’ll get more exposure as when u’re in a place full with people you’re comfortable with you will just stay in your comfort zone. Part of the reason of goin to another country to study is the exposure, if not, it would have been the same as staying back in malaysian in a good uni. As for reputation wise, i would think both have good reps in malaysia so dont think you’ll have to be worry of that. if not, having a scholar as a name under your belt will sure boast it. furthermore, which all the opportunities you’ll get as a scholar, you’ll be able to learn more and experience more. hope this helps!

• 7. chuey  |  April 26th, 2008 at 7:29 am

  Go to Columbia… Agree with the reasons given by others.
  I’m a student in UK in a reputable university in London with a large Malaysian community here. This is one thing I feel disappointed, as Malaysians tend to stick to each other. If you hang out with other nationalities, some actually might talk behind your back with comments like ‘this girl so action, don’t want to hang out with Msians’. With a bubbly and outgoing personality like yours, I don’t see any problems for you to make friends. Having a big Msian community is good for introverts.

  Go for the full experience in Columbia! And I think it is more reputable… =) hope you’ll make the right choice. Living in a city rocks!

• 8. cass  |  April 26th, 2008 at 7:48 am

  heya.. first time commenting here. all the above reasons are good, and you sound way more excited about Columbia. you didn’t mention what course you will be doing. is the course what you want?

  Bout recognition, both are prestigious and well known. The Scholar programme gives you more opportunities, but if you go to Penn, it doesn’t mean you won’t get the same opportunities. if you are driven, and i think you are, you can still be part of a network / student society which has access to all these too. internships and all can be applied for, and i’m sure Penn is a good launching platform. difference is probably that Columbia hands all these to you, while you have to work for it harder in Penn.

  Doesn’t matter where you go in the end, just what you make out of your time there. Have fun at uni! It’s the best time of your life (cliche i know, but true :p)

  oh, and about msian community. they are great company and good for taking away homesickness, but don’t limit yourself to msians! overseas education is all about making friends from all over the world!

• 9. songjun  |  April 26th, 2008 at 8:02 am

  Pinkpau please listen to me for once in your life and u know you wont regret it.

  Take Colombia.

  Its better for your prospects, and NY IS the place to be :)

• 10. Jeff from LA  |  April 26th, 2008 at 8:16 am

  UPenn is a great school, don’t get me wrong, but Columbia is amazing. Its always been one of my dream schools. One of my best buds from law school went there and he always had stories about what a good time he had there. Also, New York is so much better than Pennsylvania.

  However, I do know that you mentioned UPenn was your dream school, so if you’ve always wanted to go there, don’t let me convince you otherwise. Moreover, if you really ARE interested in business, its a good idea. One of my buds went to Wharton there and it has helped him throughout his career. I wouldn’t go there just for the b-school if you weren’t sure you were interested in business.

  Also, I know that it would help that there’s a bigger Malaysian community at UPenn, but please don’t be one of those students who only hangs with people from their own country. Many Asians from abroad who study here are only willing to hang out with other people from their country and never really mingle with people of other nationalities. I think it is such a waste because we could learn so much from them.

• 11. Jeff from LA  |  April 26th, 2008 at 8:16 am

  Also, you are lucky to have two such great choices. I’m sure that you will be very happy at whichever of the two you pick.

• 12. cyn  |  April 26th, 2008 at 8:17 am

  congrats on all the accepts, suann!

  and go with conlumbia. it’s considered a
  more prestigious uni and it’s in manhattan.
  you gotta live there for a few years some time
  in your life.

  upenn is in a sketchy area. and i’ve heard it
  can be a rather gray and depressing city.

  of course, opinions may vary, but columbia
  would def be my own choice. good luck!

• 13. Kevin  |  April 26th, 2008 at 8:25 am

  I’ll give you a call ah paus

• 14. Jay  |  April 26th, 2008 at 8:47 am

  You already know which school I’m pulling for. Obvisouly, you know the educational reason for columbia, but another part of it is New York itself.

  Columbia is located near the heart of New York. If you wanted to…within 20 mins of travel time, you can be in Times Square, where every broadway show is no less than 2 misn away. Or you can walk down Fifth Aveune and view EVERY single store possible. Everything from Apple (PLUG!) to Nintendo to Prada. You can just walk 2 mins from campus and find yourself in Central Park. Surrounding Central Park are some of the greatest museums in the world, like The Metroplitian Museum of Art and The Museum of Natural History. You can head downtown to SoHo or NoHo or The Village are and find great local scenes in music and social interaction. In the Lower East side, you have little clumps of area where international communities have grown. There’s nothing like going to Little Italy for dinner or browsing through Chinatown. And this is just ONE of the bourghs that makes up New York City. With Queens, Bronx, Brooklyn and Staten Island, you will never have a moment to wonder what to do!

  New York is huge in terms of events. In sports alone, New York has more than 8 different teams that play year long. Now, I’m sure your not interested in that, but to experience some parts of New York, you have to go to a Yankees or Mets Ball game. It’s just one of those New York things! With Music, with Madison Square Garden just 15 mins away from campus, you could go to any concert because no artist would tour in the US and not do MSG. (http://www.ticketmaster.com/venue/237569?start=21&rpp=20&searchtype=)

  What I’m trying to say is that New York is full of possiblities. That’s what make makes this city great. There’s a reason for the saying “Only in New York.” There’s a reason why this city has been the muse for so many songs (New York, New York or City of Blinding Lights for example).

  And when you get the chance, just google “Lemon Ice Kings of Corona.”

  The one thing that I will say, there is a HUGE difference in visiting New York City and living in New York City. If you have the chance you live in NYC, even for a limited time…you should take it. Just my two cents.

  P.S. If you do choose UPenn…visit New York. It’s not far away, only 5 hour train ride! =) (Also, if this seems rushed, it was (race against dinner time ;-)), but you get the idea.)

• 15. SLI  |  April 26th, 2008 at 9:08 am

  NYC of course. Why? Because that is the business school in the world.

• 16. foreverjas  |  April 26th, 2008 at 9:27 am

  err. i support u no matter wht. =.= . david archuleta!!! haha. enjoy ur trip!

• 17. Benjamin Franklin  |  April 26th, 2008 at 9:41 am

  Morimoto is kinda nice, but there are better places and I’ll take you there if you’re in philly.

  In terms of eliteness i wouldn’t say there is a real difference between the two. And if you wanna measure prestige, well. I think it’s easy to think of Columbia as the more prestigious one, because well, to put it frankly, Penn isn’t a very enchanting or memorable name, But Penn is ranked higher, not just Wharton, but Penn as a whole is ranked higher. I don’t put much value in rankings but since we’re trying to compare prestige I thought i’d point that out.

  i completely agree about the malaysian community. part of what makes the ivy experience so special is that you want to experience diversity.

  As for the scholars program, I’d be cautious about that. Every university has many such glorified scholar programmes which they tout as giving you amazing opportunities. In reality however, many of them only require that you maintain a certain gpa and take special classes to get in. As for the claim they you will get opportunities to meet world-renowned leaders and platforms for networking i’ll say only this: Every ivy student has the daily opportunity to meet world-renowned leaders and get involved in any network they want. The university provides that. So unless this scholars programme is very explicit as to the kind of perks you will get on a platter, I would be inclined to think that it might just be another of those gimmick programs just to pull in students. And you know, even if it were true that it does provide many such opportunities, I’d argue again that any student who wants to easily gets to meet the people they want to meet.

  As for choosing a college for it to be applicable in real life, no one would argue that penn is undoubtedly one of the most practical, pragmatic ivies. And call this a good or a bad thing, but because of the presence of wharton, you’re almost trained into networking with leaders and people who matter for the sole purpose of helping your career when you leave college.

  Free broadway tickets… that IS kinda nice. Haha.

  New York IS a better city than Philadelphia, obviously. It’s bigger, there are more things to do. But you want a campus-oriented lifestyle, don’t you. Because Columbia is in New York, students are going to tend to center their activities and their spend their time outside of campus. That’s nice if that’s what you’re looking for, which I don’t think you are. These four years of your college life are precious. New York will always be there even after you graduate, but at that point, without going back to college you’ll never be able to experience a campus-oriented lifestyle again if you let it go now.

  Philadelphia does have a very dangerous part of it in the west. But that’s past campus, and if you don’t go there you’re fine. I’ve never felt threatened on campus, in fact I feel safer than I do randomly walking around in KL. As for it being gray and depressing, well. It doesn’t compare to New York, obviously, but I would hardly call it gray or depressing. It’s just a smaller city. With a far richer culture and history at that.

• 18. grace  |  April 26th, 2008 at 9:52 am

  Well, i think that Columbia is more suitable for your personality from the way u described.
  Then you get to get the experience of meeting world renowned speakers which will definitely be an eye opener right?
  Besides I think Columbia would be more fun for you. *shrugs*
  However, do Columbia have the degree you want?

• 19. columbia!!  |  April 26th, 2008 at 9:55 am

  I so agree with Jay’s comment. I say go with COLUMBIA.nyc is awesome.
  I heard ,it has a nice campus too. also, I’m at a school with only 8 Malaysians and i think its great. its better to have less Malaysians. you’ll have a strong relationship with them and have your own friends outside.
  NYC is where all the internships/jobs opportunity are located and the scholar program is just amazing!
  If you do choose Columbia, lets meet up!

• 20. kiasu andrew  |  April 26th, 2008 at 10:31 am

  columbia. unanimous. itoldyousoheheheimsuchabitch

• 21. frequent blog-lurker  |  April 26th, 2008 at 10:50 am

  Free Broadway tickets lah do you know what you’re turning down!

  Of course its columbia.

  Besides, i always thought that it would be better to go to a place with less Malaysians. Whats the point of going overseas if you’re just going to talk mostly to Malaysians again?

  P/S: i KNOWW GG is back! EXCITEDNESS can’t wait till episode 15 comes out on monday bwaahaha. It’s one of my very few bimbotic pleasures :D I actually like the idea of N and V together.

• 22. steph  |  April 26th, 2008 at 11:16 am

  havent dropped a comment in awhile. congrats on your offers once again.

  but just to leave my 2 cents worth, id say columbia. being recognised as an ivy league grad is pretty amazing. but the fact that you’ll be an ivy league scholar is even more so. also, hello, NYC!! for the gossip girl freaks that we are, we both know in our heart of hearts which city attracts.

  although, i will be going to penn for a semester exchange there next yr. will be finishing the commerce component of my double degree next yr and what better way than to do it at wharton. also, i suppose it depends on what you’re looking to get out of your collge experience. collegiate-style living is deff a whole new experience compared to a city campus. having lived in college for 2 years now, i have to say the characters you meet, parties you attend, shits and giggles you get up to are just gold.

  ps. sooo glad GG is back. skipped an arvo of classes just to watch it last week. happy decision making. im sure which ever one you decide to go with will be the right one for you.

• 23. steph  |  April 26th, 2008 at 11:20 am

  pps. being a apart of the malaysian community is overrated. its waay too cliquey and hometown-y. make your study abroad experience a whole new one. also, getting to know the locals and students of other nationalities makes travelling a helluva lot easier. believe me. think about when you might want to get out of college over the weekend, spring/winter breaks. that friend with the summer home in the hamptons or lodge in aspen might just come in handy. and you’ll probs be able to return the favour when they come a visiting in our part of the world.

  xo

• 24. reallybites  |  April 26th, 2008 at 11:40 am

  since columbia is in manhattan, i say columbia! haha i’ve never heard of wharton until you mentioned it. at first i thought it was some fish and chip place hee but then again i’m not familiar with US edu.

  oh well there’s always the coin :)

• 25. Joshua  |  April 26th, 2008 at 11:52 am

  I think u put the wrong name,Jason Castro instead of Jason Cook..Since when there’s a new Cook after Kristy Lee Cook?..lol..Well,what a waste dat Carly was sent home after a great performance,hope David Cook will win the competition..

• 26. scott  |  April 26th, 2008 at 12:00 pm

  I tried. I really really tried. But a man has limits.

  McDreamy made me puke.

• 27. Stel  |  April 26th, 2008 at 12:03 pm

  Jason Cook??? Never knew there’s a Jason Cook on AI :P

• 28. Matt  |  April 26th, 2008 at 12:08 pm

  Haha. Toss a coin! :)
  If heads, Penn, if tails, Columbia. If it lands in the middle, one of the other three you got into. Lol
  Both will fit you well, you can’t go wrong either way.

• 29. sheon  |  April 26th, 2008 at 12:12 pm

  everything points to Columbia…….its a no-brainer…..Columbia… and i think you have already decided on Columbia….you just need more encouragement. And yes..you have mine…Columbia!!!!!! and when i make my USA/newyork trip…i can look you up!!!

  COLUMBIA
  COLUMBIA
  COLUMBIA

  and its my dad’s alma mater, right?…hahahaha

• 30. aaron tan  |  April 26th, 2008 at 12:24 pm

  go columbia uni… besides pennsylvania is also only 2 hours away from NYC..so you can still visit your lovely aunt during break!

• 31. thegeekinpink  |  April 26th, 2008 at 12:46 pm

  COLUMBIA!!! and from the way you were writing about columbia, you are already halfway leaning into this option but i don’t know i am not you. But Columbia sounds damn good at the moment and hello it’s NEW YORK CITY!!!

  you can walk right into a sex and the city cast. I love.

  anyway i was so angry that carly got eliminated. i do like jason but he’s getting a bit old news :(

• 32. galflower  |  April 26th, 2008 at 1:19 pm

  Everyone’s telling you to go to Columbia/NYC! Haha…

  Again, as everyone’s saying, big or small Malaysian community should really be the least of your concerns/priorities. You’ll find your niche and sometimes, having a huge Malaysian community stops you from finding a different niche than the Malaysian one.

  NYC IS an exciting vibrant city but do note that it has its down sides too. For me, personally, NYC is a place to visit but not a place to stay/live. It’s cold to me, but hey, that’s just me. I’ve never been to Philly so I can’t make the judgement.

  My sister has already chosen Penn for her own reasons so you should make your own choice and not let other people talk you into going to a different school than the one you want to go to. Just remember, opportunities may be different in different places, but if you seek these opportunities, all will come to you!

  Good luck!

• 33. Fu Han  |  April 26th, 2008 at 1:29 pm

  Of course i want you to go to Columbia!

  You know why!

• 34. joey  |  April 26th, 2008 at 1:45 pm

  Columbia:) have u seen patrick demsey before his Mcdreamy days..hehe

• 35. natalie  |  April 26th, 2008 at 2:12 pm

  it’s jason castro…guess the sleepiness is really getting to u eh ;)

• 36. carol  |  April 26th, 2008 at 2:24 pm

  haha i shall try to be objective!

  campus life

  yes lim su ann, thanks to our storybooks and hollywood, we all want the green grass, quad, lounging around campus life atmosphere! Penn definitely has it… but guess what? So does Columbia heehee. One thing I always tell people is that Columbia is prolly the only university in Manhattan to ACTUALLY have a campus life. A friend there tells me about Primal Scream (ivy kids seem to like hollering out of their windows when the clock strikes midnight during finals just for the sake of it).. the insane studying, libraries being chock-full, and of course, you know about how Columbia students are so aware and activist-ish, which is a great atmosphere. Oh ya and you get free admission to MoMA, so jealous okay!

  Business school

  Wharton is undoubtedly one of THE names in business, but hey, Columbia is strong in finance too.. plus, I think you’d benefit more from a post-grad Wharton experience, if you so choose to do a post-grad course :)

  city

  Do I really need to say more?! Haha su ann you’re obviously a city girl! =P One thing about Columbia is that it’s at 116st, so it’s not super, super manhattan… but just take a train down… 15 mins, 20mins, and hhheeeellllooooooooo, metropolitan nyc! new york is a fantastic city, you see so much here.. There’s just something about this city that I totally love… could be the loveliness of Central Park.. the ancient cathedrals sandwiched between towering glass skyscrapers.. how amidst all the cars you might suddenly spot a HORSE CARRIAGE!! or cops on horses how surreal is that? Haha.

  That said, NYC is a VERY individualistic place.. but I think the student community in Columbia would be great… personally for me there are times I get lonely, but hey.. it’s all part of the learning curve. Haha and we ca hang out okay! =P Teeheeheeee….

  so this wasn’t THAT objective after all hehe sigh I am so biased.

  That said, when are you coming to NYC? =P hohoho. ;)

• 37. Benjamin Franklin  |  April 26th, 2008 at 2:28 pm

  =( something tells me penn is losing this battle. oh well.

• 38. tokyo rose  |  April 26th, 2008 at 3:13 pm

  something tells me you’ll love NYC, and i think you’re the kind of person who’ll find a good crew in any school. but i have to say penn is nice. i tagged along to wharton for two years, and thought the campus atmosphere was good. the city’s smaller but pretty cool (i only recognised this after living in a few other US cities later). as far as recognition goes, i agree with you that penn wins hands down (undergrad as well as wharton). but, again, you’ll probably love NYC. and an undergrad is so much more than just the piece of paper, so maybe think about the overall experience you want to have…
  one more thing: true, philly’s close to NYC, but it’s not a trip you’ll make very often, i think.

  good luck with the decision, girl!

• 39. anon  |  April 26th, 2008 at 3:20 pm

  go n watch greys!!!!!!!! i hate mcdreamy now:( *hmph*

• 40. entwined  |  April 26th, 2008 at 4:11 pm

  i voted for columbia! since pennsylvania is just 2 hrs away from NY, you can still see your aunt and get free board for summer! :P :P the scholar programme sounds too good to be given up! free tickets to broadway!!!! (i also want!!! hahaha)

  i don’t follow AI, but i’ve been youtubing David Cook like mad ever since i heard his version of “always be my baby”. i am so infatuated with him now *starry eyes* HIS VOICE IS SO SEXY *gush gush* hahahah :P

• 41. Eve  |  April 26th, 2008 at 5:02 pm

  well i dont know anything about those two universities, never heard of Wharton as well despite having a post-grad in business. Being a cheapo chinese I’d probably choose Columbia U out of the two if given the choice, with a few thousand RMs lesser, free tickets and status perks. But i figure you’re probably not like that ;p and since Penn U has the exact major that you wanted, i’d have thought u’d steer towards it more in your decision making and declaring other perks in Columbia U as mere distractions.

  On the contrary, say ten years later, when you look back at your times in university, i suspect what you’d reminisced would not be the privilege of going to Warton or all the As you’d made. It’d be of the memories of you fitting in and having fun in that environment.

  All in all, it comes down to your priorities. All the best girl.

  p/s; lol did i just create more unnecesary confusions?

• 42. Astra Conden  |  April 26th, 2008 at 5:18 pm

  Why not try Inti College Subang Jaya?

• 43. miss p  |  April 26th, 2008 at 5:49 pm

  hey!

  not gonna comment on the uni part :) hee but have a good trip!

• 44. vvens  |  April 26th, 2008 at 6:45 pm

  hey! lets plan for this year’s reunion when you are back. this time must got theme and early notice for everyone so that they have no excuse to not come. hahahaha.

  have fun! :)

• 45. Eunice  |  April 26th, 2008 at 6:53 pm

  i agree with you hundred per sent about American idol! oh wait, make that ninety two. carly was very screamy normally!

  and columbia is awesome. with that chance scholar-ship, you must go. go go go.

• 46. sarah  |  April 26th, 2008 at 7:08 pm

  choose Columbia! i think so many ppl pointed out the obvious reasons adi..lol

  and i watched gossip girl and totally hate Jenny..ergh she’s damn annoying..and that part when they saw her in the red dress damn drama rite! can’t wait for the nx episode.

  ps i love david cook since I heard him sing “Always be my baby”..his performance was good this week as well but i didn’t really fancy the song he sang T_T

  k thats all my comment damn long..hahha..enjoy ur hols =)

• 47. zen  |  April 26th, 2008 at 7:50 pm

  new york city is amazing! :D i want to go back again someday :(

  all your comments seem to be siding columbia :P

• 48. Tricia  |  April 26th, 2008 at 8:04 pm

  Pinkpau, I am sure you will enjoy urself better in NYC!! So choose COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY!!
  I also love both Davids..Cook –> charming and Archuleta –> cute! Both have amazing vocals…hehe…

• 49. lyn  |  April 26th, 2008 at 8:07 pm

  hehe . i think u meant jason castro?? and yup, the two davids are pretty amazing .. one of them are sure to win

• 50. eunice  |  April 26th, 2008 at 8:12 pm

  reputation as a scholar will bring you endless opportunities, not to say that you won’t get that at upenn but the status as a scholar itself is more creme de la creme than creme de la creme itself.

  and if you really want wharton, yet at the same time don’t want to miss out on columbia, haiya just come to singapore okay lol since smu adopts wharton’s curiculum and it’s NEARER TO HOMEEEE, cheaper and you can do double degree in nus lol though i dont think ppe is an option here, can go to double at most though i have one friend who did physics-math-computational science -_-

  but the part about the malaysian community, it’s good to make friends but from what i’ve seen and heard, it gets sticky in these kinda communities.

  flip a coin lah xD

• 51. yun  |  April 26th, 2008 at 8:40 pm

  hey su ann.
  i have been to columbia’s campus before. and it is amazing. it has its own campus but its still in quite a central part of nyc. ive always wanted to study in columbia just because of that. and you always seem to me as quite a city person, so i think nyc will fit you perfectly. but im not sure how the campus life is like in upenn. after coming to uk, ive realised that the campus plays such a major role in your student life. maybe being in nyc is great, but that means the campus life in nyc probably will not be as close knitted than another college which is not so near to a big city. so i think you should think about what you want to get out of your campus life.

  also, columbia might be cheaper for you, but staying in nyc itself will make you spend a lot.

  theyre both really good schools, so whatever you choose, you shouldnt regret your decision.

  :)

• 52. carol  |  April 26th, 2008 at 9:00 pm

  astra conden: hahahahha wtf pinkpau got so many opportunities you ask her to try inti? lolllllllllllll that’s so funny. it’s like, football. say man united wanna sign you and someone goes, play for Barnsley! Hahahahha wtf.

• 53. nyrac  |  April 26th, 2008 at 9:02 pm

  i don’t know much about those two, but based on what you wrote up there… i think columbia sounds more exciting.

  and oh yes both davids rock. at first david archuleta stole my heart with his rendition of “heaven”, but david cook totally swept me off my feet with “always be my baby”, which i have to listen to every night now before i go to sleep :P hehe.

• 54. bank bank!!  |  April 26th, 2008 at 10:05 pm

  take the one that can land you a job in jpmorgan..although i bet that you can get in with degree from either uni hhahahaha

  good luck!!

• 55. Chareli  |  April 26th, 2008 at 11:35 pm

  haha i dunno much about universities in the USA but GOOD LUCK with whichever you choose!
  NY sounds so super delicious to live in..

  (HAHA BLAME GG FOR INFLUENCING ME.)

  GG IS AWESOME!
  so full of drama man. can’t wait for episode 15! hehehe.
  they have gorgeous clothes eh?

• 56. okthxbai  |  April 26th, 2008 at 11:44 pm

  errh not that i’d know but from what you’ve decribed, i’d say…. columbia? :)

• 57. smoochiesayn  |  April 26th, 2008 at 11:57 pm

  Columbia, girl!

  coz the scholar thingy sounds so u! teehee!

• 58. alea  |  April 27th, 2008 at 12:20 am

  If i were you, I’ll choose Columbia. HAHAHA it’s all about experience yo. It’s NYC! The city of dreams! Nevermind small Malaysia community, got Chinatown what… wtf.

  you can buy the I HEART NY shirt! :D

• 59. jerm  |  April 27th, 2008 at 12:49 am

  most columbia kids are snobs son. i’d choose nyu over columbia anyday for my undergrad.

  heres the thing: you can always live in nyc or philly later on in your life but you will only have one chance at experiencing an american college campus life. i have never been to upenn, but if it is college-y like, my vote is for pennnnnnnnnnn.

• 60. Voon  |  April 27th, 2008 at 12:53 am

  i don’t know anything about american unis. but hmm… columbia!! :D

• 61. Lyn  |  April 27th, 2008 at 1:29 am

  While I can’t vouch for Philly since I’m never been there, I can vouch for NYC. Been here a couple of years now and it has been amazing. I wouldn’t worry about the size of the Malaysian community here, people here are super friendly and you should have no problem making friends. Columbia is a great university, and you seem to be getting way more perks there. One caveat: Living here can be crazy expensive. If you plan on moving out of the dorms at any point, be prepared to live in a closet for an obscene amount of money.

  Congrats, and feel free to email me if you have any q’s.

• 62. scott  |  April 27th, 2008 at 2:39 am

  I don’t have much to add since I don’t know much about either school, but Colombia has better name recognition. I’ve never heard of U of Penn in any awe-inspiring terms.

• 63. Chen Chow  |  April 27th, 2008 at 3:45 am

  Hey Su Ann, Enjoy your hols!!!

  Congrats for being selected into the prestigious Columbia Scholar Program! Very happy for you!

  Good Luck on your decision making too! Both are very good schools. I know that it is gonna be tough for your decision. My take on the following is as follow:-

  Of those issues you brought up, I know you are most excited by this - Free Broadway Tix, but I would really want you to take this out of equation. I mean like, in each campus, there would be trip to broadway shows. Of course, Columbia would have a lot more since it is nearer, but the free tix really is a small amount. Say USD50 per tix, and even at once a month for 4 years, that’s just 48 tix and it is USD2,400. Seems big, but the uni is not gonna fund 1 tix per month, and even USD2k is a small amount compared to your tuition fee and living expenses.

  Distance to your aunt should be a non-issue too… Since 2 hours is just a short distance.

  On dorm, I don’t have any inside knowledge. Better ask those students there. But to be frank, once you get there, you would know how to find cheaper deals for dorms and find better place. You are so street smart, so this one, shouldn’t be an issue at all.

  On the Malaysian community, would agree with you that the smaller community could work out to be better. Actually, I think to you, this is a non-issue. You mingle easily with people. The smaller community in Columbia would be made up easily by those Malaysian professionals who are working at Wall Street or other parts of NYC. (if you want to link with some Malaysians at wall street, let me know. Would link you).

  So, would summarize your points to be considered include:-
  Penn:-
  PPE
  Wharton
  Student Body
  Branding?

  Columbia:-
  Scholar Program
  NYC
  Exciting Events
  Artistic Culture

  On PPE, would say that Columbia is equally strong in Political aspects. In fact, could be stronger. So, won’t say that this point would swing to Penn.

  On Wharton, guess this one Penn would have upper hand, compared to Columbia. Having said that, Columbia does have quite a decently good one!

  On Student Body, I personally feel that the students at both sides would consist of all types of students. So, won’t say one side is nicer and the other one is more snobbish. :) Am sure you can mingle well.

  On Branding, the reason I am saying so is that among our top leaders in Malaysia, Penn clearly outweights Columbia. The sheer quantity of Malaysians there would mean more alumni network and linkages later on. Of course, globally, not much difference, but Penn is often associated with finance. Columbia would be associated to philosophy, arts etc.

  NYC - Yes, Columbia would mean you are closer to much bigger city. Penn is closer to Philly, and it is definitely not as happening as NYC. Having said that do you really want a party school? :P I came from little lovely Ithaca, which is no where near either… hehe

  Exciting Events, guess with the city in place, more activities could happen. This would mean more mingling with non-students, but with more young professionals. Which is not too bad an idea. it is good learning. But you would have less experience of campus events, since a lot more events involve outsiders.

  Artistic aspect - Columbia should win this easily.

  I leave this Scholar program last, which means I think this is the most crucial part of your decision (of course, is just my opinion lar).

  You brought up several points:-
  - arranged meetings and discussions with world renowned speakers
  - academic enhancement programs
  - first dips when choosing courses
  - a conferred special title upon graduation
  - cool internships with program partners
  - better research and study opportunities

  On arranged meetings with world renowned speakers, I would say both sides you would get the chances. Really… I was not a scholar, but I got chance to meet with tons of those top speakers, from bill gates, bill clinton, to many nobel prize winners, CEOs, presidents/prime ministers etc. So, it is more of a question of how much you are engaging on campus. Being on this program, they might let you know in an exclusive list first, but I think most opportunities are open to everyone. Cornell has a scholar group too, but they are not special guest in most talks, except for a couple of speakers a year.

  On courses, would say it is non-issue. You would get the choice of your courses in the end. If you don’t get it, just start attend it and you’ll get it. I never fail to get into any course that i want throughout my uni life, and my uni is much bigger in number of students. Do check though on whether they are offering special classes for scholars only. Cornell doesn’t do so, but NUS does so.

  The title would mean quite a bit to you. At least build up your credentials! Of course, it would help in first impression. After that, really it depends on you.

  Cool internships - guess except for those with mayor office, both unis would give you tons of opportunities with all the top companies. For financial companies, penn might have upper hand a little, but not much.

  Research and study opportunities - guess both unis would provide more than sufficient opportunities than what you can grab…it would feel like drinking from a hose already…

  Su Ann, sorry for writing this long…just want to share with you my thoughts. Hope that I don’t make your decision even tougher. Feel free to disagree with what I share though, since it is just my two cents. If you are still in Malaysia and want to talk on phone, just msg me.

  Good Luck on your decision making! Either uni is a very good one! Main thing is not where you go, but how you make full use of it! You’ll be successful in either one. Eventually, it is just how you are going to make use of it.

• 64. Michelle  |  April 27th, 2008 at 4:57 am

  Gossip girl is back and here am I, far from tudou.com which will chomp up my MB allowance.

  Only 750 MB a month.

  T_____T

  Good luck with your applications. =D

• 65. Michelle  |  April 27th, 2008 at 4:58 am

  Applications pulak. I mean, good luck with the choosing.

  OMG, this sounds wrong….

• 66. yerdeh  |  April 27th, 2008 at 8:59 am

  COILUMBIA! hands down, esp with the Scholar perks! having said that Wharton has recently been ranked the top business school in the world.

  AIKS. toughie.

• 67. broadway  |  April 27th, 2008 at 9:33 am

  broadway tickets are actually only about USD 25

• 68. Jane Lock  |  April 27th, 2008 at 10:37 am

  I think UPenn is definitely a more practical choice. Undergraduate study is more about exploring academic options in order to discover or confirm your interests in a certain subject or area. So you’ll have an easier time choosing your major and grad study.
  And I surmise that many of the commentors haven’t actually been to New York but have been influenced by rumors/Hollywood/etc. Actually NYC isn’t as exciting and glamorous as it sounds. It’s dirty, busy, crowded, with sirens screaming every now and then.
  And as for the Scholar’s program for Columbia, I agree with Benjamin Franklin (haha). For anyone who goes to such prestigious schools as UPenn or Columbia, internships will be there for you to CHOOSE from.
  If you didn’t have only two or three days left to make your decision, you should have visited the campuses. Seeing is a completely different story.
  Good luck making your decision.

• 69. carol  |  April 27th, 2008 at 10:50 am

  broadway tickets are NOT $25…. the really good shows go up to like $80 - $100. Of course it depends on what you’re watching and WHERE you’re watching… but $25? Not unless it’s that lucky draw thing or some extreme discount you get from… school.

  new york IS a very exciting place! just being here is an experience in itself. Dirty, certain parts (like some subway stations haha) but please! we’re from Malaysia haha, uhms, I think we’ve seen “dirtiness” at pretty extreme levels lol. Busy, of course, it’s new york! if it’s not busy… it aint NYC. Crowded… Certain times and days.. but hey, this is a metropolis.. people come from ALL over the world to MAKE it here. No one comes to new york without the intention of succeeding. Yah, sirens can be noisy =.= but it makes NYC what it is.. you get the full package. NYC is action-packed - never a dull moment. Yet it can be extraordinarily tranquil and calm at certain areas… sigh that’s the beauty of NYC.

  Haha so bias la me! :P

• 70. TheRealAnonymous  |  April 27th, 2008 at 12:11 pm

  SIMON LOVES ME!
  (this week)

  hahaha… I think we’re gonna see a lot more of those t-shirts in the next season of AI. =) Quite catchy! hehe…

  Finals will be battle of the davids lar i’m sure. =p Last week Kady also shouldn’t have gone home… stupid jason castro, so many fans wan… bout time he get KICKED OUT ALREADY!

  Heroes also coming! But in September =( so looooooong more… can’t wait can’t wait can’t wait can’t wait! =(

• 71. pinkpau in bangkok  |  April 27th, 2008 at 12:27 pm

  thank you so much everyone, for all the feedback regarding my college choices :)))) i’ve copy and pasted every single comment into a compare-and-contrast sheet, and i’m feeling a lot more confident about columbia now than i was before.

  while it may sound in my post that i was already one foot in the columbia boat, that’s actually not the case, because penn has always been my top choice - even while i was still in the midst of completing all my applications. for a strange reason i feel i belong there =) but i guess that’s quite a naive way of choosing which school to spend 4 years (and supposedly the best years) of my life in.

  thank you again :) i’ve got about 12 hours from now to make my decision. le sigh!

• 72. ...  |  April 27th, 2008 at 12:35 pm

  columbia is more well rounded. nyc itself can be a little dangerous, especially at night. and it’s very city, while penn is very quiet.
  if you want to major in business, definately choose upenn.

• 73. Big Ben  |  April 27th, 2008 at 2:42 pm

  I agree with chenchow’s comments, but I’d like to add some points for Penn.

  NYC is definitely huge/busy/happening, but many people seem to be ignoring the fact that Philly is huge/busy/happening as well. It’s the sixth most populous city in the United States, and there’s a great nightlife and many fantastic restaurants/theatres/art galleries/parties/events. There’s a prominent and vibrant gay community as well. An important thing though, is to keep in mind you’re going to live there for four years (as opposed to a holiday trip), so you should consider which city you’d like to live in more. NYC is not always a kind place to stay in. Also, consider that going because of the location may disappoint you after the “wow” factor wears off.

  As for the Scholar Program, I’m not sure that the opportunities that you’ll be getting out of it are that different from what you can get at Penn. Most Ivy Leagues have prominent international speakers on campus very often, so wherever you go you won’t miss out on that opportunity. In terms of internships/academics/research, there will be more opportunities than you have time for at both these schools, whether you’re a scholar or not. In fact, Penn probably gives you better academic options since you can do graduate level work during your undergrad program. I don’t know if Columbia gives you as much freedom as Penn does to do Business School and graduate level courses as Penn does. As for a Scholar title, I’m not sure how much it would mean upon graduation, but you can always go for magna cum laude or Phi Kappa Beta at either school if it’s important to you. I just think that maybe the Scholar Program isn’t as exciting as it seems.

  Also, with all due respect to the other posters, basing your college decision on opinions of people who’ve done far less research than you have, me included, would seem to be more rash than following your own feelings, derived from your connection to both schools. Gut feelings are there for a reason ;)

  I know I’m very biased towards Penn, but I think that’s fair given the many knee-jerk reactions for NYC - I just find it strange that most consider NYC as such a huge factor in this decision. Having said that, it’s probably safe to say that you won’t look back in ten years and say that you regret your choice, whichever college you choose, since they’re both awesome. But Penn is obviously the right choice ;)

  Cheers!

• 74. bC  |  April 27th, 2008 at 5:54 pm

  I like McSteamy… I so go for looks… I think Addison will be back in this season but unsure if it’s going to be for the rest of the season…

  Sorry… not having any comment about your choice of college… go with your gut feeling… and your first instinct is always the way to go… Good luck ;)

• 75. lishun  |  April 27th, 2008 at 6:23 pm

  they’re both incredible schools! guess you should listen to those who are in the states and not ppl like me who only dream about US! hehe.

  anyway if you really wanted PPE, you should have tried for oxford instead, no? so guess you have other options. brand-wise, i would agree with chenchow and say that upenn has the upper hand in terms of prestige. however, i think columbia has most of what you would love.

  say hi to the malaysians there when you reach the land of opportunities!

• 76. nick c  |  April 27th, 2008 at 7:18 pm

  warren buffet was from columbia uni…..ben graham thought there as well…..Go to columbia.

• 77. Warren Buffet  |  April 27th, 2008 at 7:33 pm

  “Some noted University of Pennsylvania alumni include the ninth President of the United States, William Henry Harrison, real estate mogul Donald Trump, CEO and investor Warren Buffett …”

  - Wikipedia

  Go to Penn!

• 78. justme  |  April 27th, 2008 at 9:46 pm

  obviously columbia is the right choice for you. nyc is so exciting, and you’re a city girl! even tho some might think that the whole scholar programme isn’t as exciting or as promising as it seems to be, at least you’re guaranteed something cool ;) unlike penn, whereby you might have to work way harder to get what you could have gotten at columbia.

  my cousin went to columbia, and she said that the time she spent in columbia was the best of her life. plus, nyc was mind blowing! broaaaddwaayyy!!! as well as the experience of a lifetime :)

  plus, the four years or more that you’re gonna spend in america will most probably determine who you’ll become for the rest of your life. and i can’t think of anywhere else that will be as perfect as columbia, nyc for you, su ann :)

  all the best!

• 79. SuAnn rhymes with Penn  |  April 27th, 2008 at 9:53 pm

  ^

  kthxbye

• 80. Hanson  |  April 27th, 2008 at 11:22 pm

  I would go for Columbia.

  IMHO, it’s better to go someplace where they want you more (as per the scholarship, although this is not always the only indication…and not that wharton doesn’t want you la…).

  plus, i think the whole uni experience is more than getting through exams - it’s about discovering yourself away from home, experiencing new sights + smells (NYC sewers et al…) and even trying (sampling..) out possible new career options. Gosh, PinkPau is growing up before our very eyes!! ;-)

  Hey - I don’t remember, but did you ever mention what is the course you’re taking? You may have a preference for the syllabus, the method of examination, etc.

  Hmm….seems your mind and your heart is already set - it’s going to be Columbia. Go ahead, either one can’t be bad anyway!! ;-)

• 81. oaktreebranch  |  April 28th, 2008 at 12:27 am

  Columbia for the win :)

  Primarily because of its location - and if you don’t feel like you like sitting in huge classes with TAs, you can shuffle over to Barnard which is technically part of Columbia and enjoy the smaller classes there as do most Columbians do.

  But congratulations on your acceptances and remember, what you feel when you first step onto the campus is what’s going to make the difference, regardless of what people on the blog tell you :)

• 82. m@nda  |  April 28th, 2008 at 12:28 am

  I’m guessing that the decision has been made since it’s already midnight on Monday(well, it’s Sunday noon here). Will be looking forward to what your decision will be!!!! :)

  I’m ALL for Columbia. Don’t worry about snobby people. Snobs are everywhere even in Malaysia. The nice people that I have encountered here have outnumbered the snobs. A small Malaysian community means that you can hang out with people of other nationalities and of course, Malaysians like us if you feel like it. :) In fact, I spend a lot of time with people of other nationalities most of the week since all the Malaysians live in different dorms and there’s only a handful of us here BUT I know I can always count on my Malaysian friends as well and we do spend a fair bit of time together chilling. :) If you want to meet more Malaysians, there’s always the students from NYU, SUNY, CUNY and all the other colleges nearby. Columbia’s default major is Econ-Poli Sci. And I think this school is good for Philosophy as well. :) One good thing about living in NYC throughout the year is that you get to do internships during the school year (for free of course because you’re an F1 visa student) if you’re resourceful and if you choose to do so.

  That said, do what your heart desires. That’s basically how I picked my college as well last year. :)

• 83. m@nda  |  April 28th, 2008 at 12:38 am

  My apologies for spamming. :)

  Another point for Columbia. People do work hard here. I’m in the library till 5 am and there’s still people working hard there. However, some of us like to chill out and have fun as well for just a few hours on weekends. It’s good to have fun on weekends and work hard during the week(which starts on Sunday).

  The campus has a carnival-like atmosphere during Spring!!!! :)

  A lot of people in Malaysia do not know Columbia as well as Penn hence the lack of recognition back home but that doesn’t matter. :) More and more people are learning a lot about this wonderful college with it’s beautiful campus and amazing life-changing experiences.

  Madeleine Albright and Obama are two of the famous alums. There’s also the former US President Eisenhower and quite a number of actors and actresses like Julia Stiles and you’d be surprise to find a few budding actors/actresses who may or may not have done Hollywood films and/or Broadway shows. :)

• 84. WunMin  |  April 28th, 2008 at 2:27 am

  Nobody seems to mention anything about doing a Wharton degree from UPenn. It is possible to do a dual degree with Wharton if you are from UPenn but do be aware that you have to maintain a very high GPA and get glowing recommendations from your professors to vouch for you. Not impossible but it is quite difficult.

  Anyhow, good luck with making your decision although I personally agree with the others that being an adventurous city girl, NYC seems to suit you more.

• 85. songjun  |  April 28th, 2008 at 3:18 am

  lol it seems that columbia has more leftist democrat leanings lol

• 86. Matt  |  April 28th, 2008 at 4:40 am

  oh wunmin you don’t actually need recommendations to transfer into Wharton :) just a good GPA — approx A/A- average

• 87. WunMin  |  April 28th, 2008 at 4:48 am

  Hmmm…. my senior got tons of professors to vouch for her. Better chances I suppose.

• 88. Simon Seow  |  April 28th, 2008 at 5:11 am

  I’ll pick Columbia. NYC got Nobu.

• 89. Matt  |  April 28th, 2008 at 5:48 am

  no it’s actually totally inconsequential :) you only need recommendations if you want to transfer into management and technology. for the normal internal transfer into Wharton they look purely at GPA

• 90. cc  |  April 28th, 2008 at 7:37 am

  Columbia would be my choice. Also, big or small Malaysian community shouldn’t be factored in when making a decision. :)

• 91. WunMin  |  April 28th, 2008 at 10:07 am

  Hmm… wrong info lah then. Paiseh paiseh. :P

  Anyway, we shall know soon where Pinkpau is heading to. :D

• 92. fiona  |  April 28th, 2008 at 11:06 am

  I was lemming on voting UPenn but I chose Columbia in the end. The fact that you got a Scholar status already gives the school an edge over UPenn. You can visit your aunt anytime & still stay with her during breaks since the 2 cities aren’t that far apart. As for the programs, well Columbia should have something similar to what you want.

  Seems like everyone wants you to go to NYC. =P Good luck!

• 93. galflower  |  April 28th, 2008 at 11:43 am

  Not to offend anyone, someone told me that Columbia is a higher-tier Ivy compared to Penn. But hey, rankings are a whole lot of bullocks sometimes, eh?

  Since you have already made your decision by now, WELCOME TO AMERICAAAAAA!!! Any school would be awesome if you personally make the experience awesome and seek out opportunities!

  =)

• 94. yen  |  April 28th, 2008 at 12:08 pm

  I’d vouch for Columbia for another reason– internships and mentors. NYC is the finance capital of the world (some might disagree judging from the recent turn of events, but lets not go there), so you will have much easier access to the top i-banks, hedge funds, venture cap etc. If you are intent on starting a career in finance, it’s wise to start your game plan early in your college career and internships are a major factor. Additionally, being in NYC will provide you with much easier access to current professionals in finance who will get your foot in the door.

  I won’t dispute the Wharton’s rep, but Columbia’s school of business is known for its more creative, entrepreneurial types, which I believe brings a more well-rounded attitude compared to the typical A-type, finance-driven B-school grad.

  Finally, I’ve been living in NYC for a few years and it’s definitely a very exciting place to live in. There’s a large community of Malaysians here who are mostly working professionals, and there will be more Malaysian students here in the summer doing their summer internships in finance. But anyhow, this is not the time to reach out to the Malaysian community– you would want to see more of other cultures and communities.

  Final note– Broadway is overpriced and touristy. There are much better things out there ;)

• 95. UncleJosh  |  April 28th, 2008 at 12:52 pm

  well… i highly doubt if you would read this… anywayz… :)
  have a good day and… been reading your post recently and it’s doing really well :)

  smiles and cheers

• 96. unclefrank  |  April 28th, 2008 at 2:18 pm

  oh yea,have u evaluated those options based on the night-life there?

• 97. Yohan  |  April 28th, 2008 at 2:56 pm

  I would jump in and whisper “Columbia” in your ear and go back to the corner…

  BUT

  Have you ever visited either school/area? Comfort is huge.

  I know some good people in NYC (one who still pines for Columbia) who could give you some advice, if you decide on that route.

• 98. spiller  |  April 28th, 2008 at 5:43 pm

  what’s Martian pick on this?

  whichever U it’s gonna be, make sure u come back and serve Msia after u graduated ah! hehe. kidding la.

  make us proud girl.

• 99. Alynna  |  April 28th, 2008 at 6:20 pm

  My dear girl, his rendition of ‘Music of the Night’ might have been good, but give this one a shot:

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ujt57OKyFA

  Matt Corby is 17 and was in the finals of last year’s Australian Idol. Unfortunately, he lost, but I still think he amazes me. :)

• 100. smartypants  |  April 28th, 2008 at 9:22 pm

  wow! double wow!! you’re a blessed gal, and a great one too, judging from the deep interest and genuine concern shown regarding your well being. so many, so much and so heartwarming. and now the winner is …… !

• 101. amazinggrace  |  April 29th, 2008 at 1:45 am

  you said:

  “while it may sound in my post that i was already one foot in the columbia boat, that’s actually not the case, because penn has always been my top choice - even while i was still in the midst of completing all my applications. for a strange reason i feel i belong there =)”

  and i think you’ve answered your question. my personal pick would be columbia, and there is nothing you could say that can convince me otherwise, but if you think you “belong” at penn, and it is your “top choice,” soliciting comments from the internet will only confuse you, no? sometimes you’ve got to go with your gut, because sometimes that’s all you’ve got.

  good luck with your final choice, because really, with two schools such as penn and columbia, you can’t really go wrong with either. both will provide you with good facilities, an amazing intellectual atmosphere and an impressive student body - any difference between them can only be marginal.

• 102. siewann  |  April 29th, 2008 at 4:40 am

  I think you should pick Columbia, firstly because of all the perks they are giving you. These kinda perks you cannot put a price tag to it. Secondly, with so many Malaysian in the UPenn community, you’re not gonna learn much and ur gonna stick to comfort zone.

  This is me speaking from experience. I went to school at Marquette University, Milwaukee (yeah, it’s kampung-ish!) and there aren’t many Malaysians here. It forces you to appreciate the Malaysians u have around you and also it forces you to hangout/party/work with Americans more. It is certainly an eye-opener to be able to work with them.

  Next, I will be moving to NYC for a job. I just graduated in Dec. I was just there last weekend for interviews and I’ve been there last year for about 2 weeks for a United Nations course. NYC is awesome and all that Malaysian food that ur gonna miss,most of them will be available in NYC, this is coming from a deprived person in Milwaukee which counts her lucky stars if there is good Asian food. Plus, free Broadway tickets are alwis a good thing. Feel free to contact me when you get to NYC should u want to meet up. :) (I’m alr assuming ur gonna pick that!)

• 103. michellesy  |  April 29th, 2008 at 5:58 pm

  I think my two cents worth is way too late, but you know what babe, I’d say Columbia. One, because you’d be a Scholar. Two, you and NYC? I see it happening =)

  The deadline has come and gone babe, so you’ve made a decision by now. Can’t wait to hear which one you chose - can I just say it shows how awesome it is YOU are the one doing the picking and choosing between a number of Ivy League institutions?

  Have a good holiday and I hope you come back having achieved what you wanted - a clearer mind =)

• 104. Mitchlai  |  April 29th, 2008 at 7:50 pm

  My humble suggestion:

  1)Go to Columbia
  2)Do the Scholar thingy (better yet, get a partial / full tuition scholarship in sophomore)
  3)Do the Culture thingy (You can write a book on your experiences)
  4)Do the Intern thingy at the swanky financial institutes
  5)Do a MBA at Wharton
  6)The world is your “oar-jian” ;)

• 105. jane  |  April 29th, 2008 at 9:19 pm

  aiya take columbia la :P

• 106. jesscet  |  April 29th, 2008 at 11:37 pm

  su ann, i’m amazed at the number of responses you get from your helpful readers!! well, i studied in a British uni so i don’t know anything about American colleges.. but just by reading your post, i know which i would i have chosen myself!

  anyway.. you would have made your decision by now.. all the best!

  gosh.. i envy you as I really miss varsity years!! :(

• 107. 2 cents worth  |  April 29th, 2008 at 11:49 pm

  well, although its a bit too late to comment….what the heck…here’s my 2 cents worth:

  Hmm, so this is how being on the right end of the bell curve is like. I can’t believe so many people chose U.Penn. In fact, I would have expected a better balance from the readers, given that both uni’s are somewhat similar in rankings. But everyone seems to be picking Colombia for all the weirdest reasons. (culture, NYC, perks, FREE broadway? oh comon…are you going on a holiday or going to study???) Oh well. If you are average, you make average decisions. Life’s a bummer.

  My gut reaction from reading your post is most definitely U.PENN! This is coming from an ex-banker who’s now working in one of the world’s most respected financial institutions. You won’t go wrong with U.Penn. U.Penn is better recognised, more prestigious, and Wharton being right next door, its your gateway to the better things in life. Its U.PENN hands down. Its the freaking name that counts. And who says you need to study in NYC to get a job at a Goldman or Merrill Lynch? They bloody fly you across the country just to work for them.

  Columbia? Gimme a break. Give me a U.Penn grad anyday.

  (yes, i’m biased as i’m from the finance industry, so sue me)

• 108. 2 cents worth  |  April 29th, 2008 at 11:51 pm

  well, although its a bit too late to comment….what the heck…here’s my 2 cents worth:

  Hmm, so this is how being on the right end of the bell curve is like. I can’t believe so many people chose Colombia. In fact, I would have expected a better balance from the readers, given that both uni’s are somewhat similar in rankings. But everyone seems to be picking Colombia for all the weirdest reasons. (culture, NYC, perks, FREE broadway? oh comon…are you going on a holiday or going to study???) Oh well. If you are average, you make average decisions. Life’s a bummer.

  My gut reaction from reading your post is most definitely U.PENN! This is coming from an ex-banker who’s now working in one of the world’s most respected financial institutions. You won’t go wrong with U.Penn. U.Penn is better recognised, more prestigious, and Wharton being right next door, its your gateway to the better things in life. Its U.PENN hands down. Its the freaking name that counts. And who says you need to study in NYC to get a job at a Goldman or Merrill Lynch? They bloody fly you across the country just to work for them.

  Columbia? Gimme a break. Give me a U.Penn grad anyday.

  (yes, i’m biased as i’m from the finance industry, so sue me)

• 109. 2 cents worth  |  April 29th, 2008 at 11:57 pm

  i still can’t believe so many people chose Colombia. Gosh.

• 110. xxxx  |  April 30th, 2008 at 12:16 am

  new york!!!!!

  choose colombia. =)

• 111. makcik kepoh  |  April 30th, 2008 at 1:19 am

  wei notti girl!

  pasar malam dilawat selalu
  sambil berjalan sambil berlagu
  tidak tertahan ingin ku tahu
  upennkah columbia pilihan mu?

  hmmm..satu kah dua jam dari ku….

• 112. carol  |  April 30th, 2008 at 1:37 am

  hahha su ann why is your aunt so cool, lol… summore can berpantun LOL.

• 113. lin  |  April 30th, 2008 at 1:58 am

  hahaha ya ya the makcik damn cool hahaha

• 114. Michael  |  April 30th, 2008 at 2:15 am

  some ppl just come here to brag and undermine other ppl opinions. and they dont seem enlightening in any sense though. u know who i’m talking to lol.

  p.s: i am much more familliar with UPenn…so i chose UPenn~

• 115. Michael Yip  |  April 30th, 2008 at 2:39 am

  Even with your coin flips you don’t want it to be Columbia, your heart’s already decide to go U. of Pennsylvania .. so GO U. of Pennsylvania!! :p

• 116. Koobz  |  April 30th, 2008 at 5:48 pm

  Columbia = New York City = you are contemplating anywhere else? Weirdo.

• 117. Janice  |  May 1st, 2008 at 8:26 am

  Babe…. as I’m writing this I’m at a international backpacker hostel in Brooklyn, NY. I’m having a solo backpacking adventure, hehehe… that’s not the point. I was at 34th street and broadway today and central park yesterday… and I think you will love this place, it suits you and I think what the uni has to offer is excellent. plus, i can visit you if you are here, wwhheee… or you can go to buffalo to see me :)

• 118. Janice  |  May 1st, 2008 at 8:29 am

  at an *

• 119. Kenny  |  May 3rd, 2008 at 12:13 am

  NYC is the absolute bomb. You’ll love it there.

• 120. aronil  |  May 3rd, 2008 at 10:18 pm

  Lol, i know what you mean on the Gossip Girl.. I was so happy to have my tvshow life back lol.. I was just withering away. No greys anatomy, no Gossip Girl, No Lost… ackkk lol. Hey if u ever ever see the fantastic clothes that GG has in NY please oh please send me a pic and i will bug u to buy it :P of course la i’ll pay u back ahhaa

• 121. grace  |  May 15th, 2008 at 1:58 pm

  lol since you’ve already picked columbia i prolly won’t harp about the differences between the schools.

  but location-wise, columbia’s actually in quite a horrid part of nyc leh (think american gangster). we nyu kids like to laugh about it because we’re in hip greenwich village and columbia (which is miles better than nyu academically) is stuck in harlem (and god knows why). but that just means less distractions and more time to study (which i suppose kids should be doing @ columbia) :p

• 122. poo  |  May 23rd, 2008 at 12:05 am

  u penn is ivy league…
  columbia is known more for a med/tech skool, i was offered a place there but chose a public skool instead :(

  u should go to a skool that offers the best in your major like rankings etc…anyhow, both are nearby, u wont miss NYC much even if u stayed in penn…

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