How comparable is LSE to the IVYs? Really

Side note: I’m personally trying to pick between LSE, St. Andrew’s, Columbia and a few American schools that have given me half scholarships (NYU/American/George Washington). If anyone’s got an opinion, shout it out, s’il vous plaît.

Well, Sen made his name at Oxford... then went to Harvard for a bit, then Cambridge, back to Harvard. He did swing round LSE this year though.

If the knowledge of unis worldwide that HR staff in the UK is anything to go by, I'd hope for something similar.

actually americans love oxbridge, i mean i think thats the only thing they know outside of the US. but you are right, if you graduate from the LSE you need to stay in nyc or los angeles and san francisco or something, i mean a lot of people havent even heard of u of chicago in the south so forget the lse.

btw, i am really confused about the lse's rep, is it only well known in europe and to academia?

he taught at lse from 1971-1977

You look at the top companies in the US, and a vast majority of the work force is American or graduated from American unis.

I wouldn't be surprised if LSE had a better reputation than Oxford and Cambridge in China and India.

Determining the prestige level or the quality of education of schools just in the United States alone is difficult enough—trying to compare across systems is harder. Which criterion do you pick to evaluate the schools on: word of mouth or “scientific” rankings? “Word of mouth” is as unreliable as it sounds. Having searched CollegeConfidential, the American equivalent of this site for mentions of LSE, it appears that the same conclusion on LSE’s level of prestige isn’t drawn twice. The problem with world rankings is that they're essentially all for graduate programs or based on criteria that don’t affect undergraduates directly. Trying to figure out how that translates to the potential undergraduate experience is, in my opinion, nigh-impossible. They’re a measuring-post, not a fine instrument.

One of the things that are easy to compare, however, is cost. Assuming that there’s no financial aid from either institution, the cost of a degree from LSE is very roughly half of that from an Ivy League school. If you’re looking to go on and get a Master’s degree, then attending a British school to save money for that next step might be a prudent decision. Of course, some American schools will let you work on your Master’s when you’re an undergrad, which can shave a year off. From what I’ve read, LSE certainly carries the academic credibility to get one (with work) into a good graduate program—a keener determinant of career success that where one went as an undergrad. Plus, as an American it is pretty darn awesome to have an international school on our résumé as it reveals a lot about your personal character and independence.

Side note: I’m personally trying to pick between LSE, St. Andrew’s, Columbia and a few American schools that have given me half scholarships (NYU/American/George Washington). If anyone’s got an opinion, shout it out, s’il vous plaît.

I hope you're joking there. The 11 million who are there illegally suggests that there are quite a few...

Poor smucks

The cost of living in London is significantly higher than in New York. A year in London (including tuition) will easily cost you $40k. Multiply that by 3, and you end up with $120k. If you have a half scholarship from Columbia, that means you'll be paying about $25-30k a year, which ends up less than $120k for the total degree. And unless you're planning to work outside of the US, you're really going to be shooting yourself in the foot by not going to Columbia. It might be ranked about the same as LSE internationally, but in the US, most employers haven't even heard of the LSE.

You must be some high roller...$20 thou just to live...wo...it can be way cheaper than that.

According to the LSE, you should expect to spend 1,000 pounds a month. Granted it's possible to live on 600-700, but only if you're not much of a bar/club person. Regardless, food in London costs twice as much and rent is higher as well. Transport is significantly more expensive.

Thank G-d I have a free place to live

Also, isn't your travelcard discounted?