University of Chicago (University of Chicago)
"The atmosphere at UChicago is too somber and serious. For example, most students on campus walk alone, looking miserable and hurrying…"
"Grading is super strict, GPAs are shockingly low, the workload is exhausting, courses are hard and assignments are tough. You're studying and doing homework all the time, but still can't do well on exams. It's perfect for academic gods!"
Stanford University (Stanford University)
"Easy to find a job… The school organizes lots of activities, like concerts, lectures, BBQs, soccer matches, and even a streaking culture—need I say more, you get it."
"There's a type of dorm called Co-op, where the rent is cheap. Students take turns cooking and cleaning. Imagine cooking for 50 people in one building…"
"For those determined to work in IT-related fields or start their own business, Stanford is absolutely the holy land. Most people here discuss entrepreneurship, and the proportion of those who actually do it is much higher than at other schools."
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
"Compared to other schools, MIT treats its students really well, especially undergrads. The essence of MIT culture is actually the hack (prank)."
"During freshman orientation, someone will guide you through various tunnels and climb up to the iconic Great Dome. Every year, Baker House drops a piano at the end of the semester to help everyone relax. Although everyone is a nerd, streaking is still a must."
"From Wudaokou Vocational School (Tsinghua) to Mamet Vocational School (MIT), a choice with no regrets. Trudging through heavy snow, one deep step after another, to get to class in freezing winter… High pressure, too many super geniuses!"
Duke University (Duke University)
"Duke is in Durham, North Carolina—a small, run-down town. Only three Chinese restaurants and two tiny commercial streets…"
"Basketball is a tradition for all Duke people. During games, students paint themselves blue. If the home team beats archrival UNC, students go wild on campus and burn a bench."
"For those applying to PhD programs or even faculty positions, Duke is a holy land for couples—they admit people pair by pair…"
"Duke's strength lies in being small but elite. Whether undergrad or grad, the professor-to-student ratio is very high."
Johns Hopkins University (Johns Hopkins University)
"Baltimore itself might not have the best safety record, it's even known as the crime capital. But the school has many safety measures. Look, I'm still alive and well…"
"JHU has an insanely awesome major called BME (Biomedical Engineering). What's special about it: you have to apply separately and write an extra essay about this major."
"Chinese Student Affiliation, this club has about five to six hundred people (each cohort of Chinese nationals stays around 30-50). Chinese students organize many activities, like Spring Festival celebrations, Chinese food festivals, and more."
"At JHU, for the first two years you must live on campus and eat on campus. Not exactly mandatory eating, but you have to pay for the meal plan, so skipping it is a waste. In freshman and sophomore years we often went to ffc (fresh food cafe), but the lines were maddening. The dining hall is ranked second in the nation... yeah, second…"
California Institute of Technology (California Institute of Technology)
"PhD experience: The school is like a monastery. The campus feels empty every day. I didn't like it at first; everyone seems hardworking and there aren't many activities. It really feels like a place to bury yourself in work, very quiet."
"Undergrads seem to be under huge academic pressure, so they have little time for homework. Office hours are basically just teaching them how to do the assignments."
"Basketball is particularly awful—they might have achieved a losing streak of over a hundred games in college basketball. But maybe water polo or something is okay."
"The humanities department is incredibly tiny; coming to Caltech to study humanities is kind of a joke…"
"Some houses love drinking and partying, gathering every night until dawn. Some love music, playing it nonstop day and night. Some are into anime, filled with loads of standard tech nerds. Some love building things, constructing structures big and small. And of course, some houses are full of study enthusiasts, providing a very quiet atmosphere. People of all personalities can find a suitable house here."
Northwestern University (Northwestern University)
"Summer and fall are super pleasant; winter is freezing as hell."
"Northwestern admits about 50 Chinese undergraduates each year, and their quality is pretty high. The students are great—the kind who play everything but still have sky-high GPAs."
"The Kellogg School of Management is very strong, consistently top 3 nationally. Most Chinese students in the College of Arts and Sciences study economics plus earn a Kellogg Certificate (which includes four business school courses). The finance vibe is strong, and seniors landing internships on Wall Street/Hong Kong are everywhere. For those aiming for investment banking/consulting, you'll find plenty of like-minded peers here."
"The campus is big, with a lake and scenery. The town of Evanston has tons of restaurants from various countries at all price ranges—I haven't finished trying them even after a year here… It's close to downtown Chicago (40 minutes by CTA), so I often go hang out on weekends."
Rice University (Rice University)
"Our mascot is the owl, derived from Athena's owl in the school crest. So the signature hand gesture is opening both palms and interlocking thumbs to represent wings."
"Hacks are very down-to-earth and nerdy in that geeky way… Hanging out and pulling pranks with these super smart and hardworking, well-behaved kids—that's the core experience of this university."
"The campus is very small; it feels like you can walk to all your classes quickly, though there are shuttles. There are only about 5,000 students total. Undergrads live in 11 different residential colleges, each tight-knit with around 300 people. We eat and live together, so everyone knows everyone."
"At this school, you're either studying music, architecture, engineering, or pre-med."
"There are squirrels, rabbits, American eagles, and some kind of big bird that walks like a human. Texas is still a pretty wild place; more than half the school is from Texas. Although the school is in the suburbs, there's not much to do besides the zoo and museum. And then there's the biweekly public party."
University of Notre Dame (University of Notre Dame)
"Holy Mother's winters are really f***ing cold~"
"Every day it's just library, classroom, and apartment; three points, one line. When bored of reading, I take a walk around the lake, tease the ducks, or scare the squirrels. No entertainment at night? Just chatting with friends or playing with the cat."
"Although Holy Mother isn't known as a science school, the number of math and physics professors is still many times that of Emory."
"The proportion of non-white students on campus is indeed pitifully small. Don't expect Notre Dame to be like Brown, with hipsters playing guitars everywhere on the grass. Most people are very Caucasian and they're your typical American college students—going to class on weekdays and partying on weekends."
"Catholicism at Notre Dame doesn't impose a mandatory ideology, but rather brings an especially warm and united culture. Concrete examples include weekly masses, religious activities among dorms, and various retreats—great for building bonds."
Vanderbilt University (Vanderbilt University)
"Of the school's four colleges, the most famous is probably Peabody College of Education and Human Development, well-known nationwide. I believe most people have heard of Vandy because of its education school. Vandy is a liberal arts powerhouse; all its humanities majors have good reputations, and the notable ones are all the education programs under Peabody."
"Academics-wise, there's a great resource called the Writing Studio, very famous across the country. After finishing an essay, you can take it there for editing. Lots of people go and the revisions are really effective."
"Vanderbilt is very much the American South. The climate is quite similar to Guangzhou: hot summers with intense sun and plenty of rain, and it does snow in winter but not too cold—usually around freezing. There's no such thing as five months of snow."
Washington University in St. Louis (Washington University in St. Louis)
"People are very nice and say 'Hello, How are you?' The campus has a lot of squirrels. The academics are strong, professors are responsible, classes are small. St. Louis as a city is rather boring, nothing fun to do, but the cost of living is cheap. It's a tough school to get into, grades matter… The school is rich, rich, rich, with a beautiful environment, and it pushes you academically to the point of death!"
Emory University (Emory University)
"Atlanta is indeed not a safe city. Emory's university hospital has a branch downtown, and we often receive campus-wide emails about violent incidents. But the suburban middle-class neighborhood where the school is located is basically safe and worry-free. Decatur at 4 a.m. is nothing like Atlanta at 4 a.m."
"Excellent greenery, along with the entire Atlanta area, which has a very high vegetation coverage. It's especially beautiful in spring when flowers bloom and in autumn when leaves turn red."
"International students make up over 15%, mainly from China, South Korea, and India. Along with domestic Asian Americans, the Asian population reaches one-third. Business/economics is the absolute mainstream major for Chinese international students, followed by math/CS."
"Rumor has it that long ago, the trustee's only son died at a football game, so Emory to this day doesn't have a football team."
"There's a myth that Emory doesn't drink Pepsi. Actually, in the entire Atlanta area, you can barely find any cans of Pepsi (because Coca-Cola has investments)."
"Emory is a school without an engineering college. Engineering students typically complete their studies through a dual-degree program with Georgia Tech."
Georgetown University (Georgetown University)
"The school's mascot/beast, attribute: Spanish Bulldog. Appearing at: commencements, major events, basketball games, random spots on the main campus."
"Georgetown is a Catholic school, very conservative, but the law school is super liberal—only three professors there are conservative…"
"The secret code graduates use when meeting: GO HOYAS!!"
"The Greater Washington area's geographical advantage is significant; international relations and public policy programs are very strong. Big names from various policy circles teach here, such as former President Clinton's Secretary of State Madeleine Albright."
"It has the largest student-run business among all U.S. colleges and universities. Small shops and cafes run by undergraduates are scattered throughout major teaching buildings, libraries, and student activity centers."
University of Southern California (University of Southern California)
"USC's safety isn't great, due to its location. But if you're not wandering around alone late at night, there are basically no safety issues—you can rest assured."
"USC's media/film program is just UNBEATABLE! After returning to China, USC alumni are everywhere in the film and TV industry—Disney, Sony, Fox, Lionsgate, Legendary, Warner Bros., Wanda, Huayi. In the domestic film circle, USC is truly a well-known brand. If you want to develop in film, whether in the U.S. or China, USC should be the top choice."
"Most professors have impressive résumés, basically all are reputable industry figures."
"Courses are professionally focused and practical."
"Rich kids' school! Arnold Schwarzenegger's daughter, Steve Ballmer's daughter, and a bunch of other celebrities' kids go here. I've seen a Bumblebee-painted Bentley and a pink Bentley on campus…"
"Famous sports school. The school's football (American football) is almost the only spiritual support for LA people in this number one national sport (although UCLA seems to have caught up in recent years…). The atmosphere is really hyped—you have to experience it."
"Party school. Lots of Indians, lots of Chinese, and lots of bikini-clad girls lying around on the lawn in the sun…"
Carnegie Mellon University (Carnegie Mellon University)
"CMU is a place where everyone does CS. At other schools, you'll see EE majors asking how hard it is to switch to CS; at CMU, even English majors switch to CS."
"So many ME, Civil Eng, and Bio people successfully transition here and after a year of training get offers from Google and the like."
"CMU's main campus is in Pittsburgh. Today's Pittsburgh is a declining 'big' city. Besides some banking, insurance, and legal industries, the main pillar is UPMC healthcare, plus the two universities, University of Pittsburgh and CMU. Without these two universities, the city would definitely be trending toward a ghost town. After 8 p.m., it's deserted—perfect for shooting horror films."
"CMU's campus is palm-sized—probably about the size of two Tsinghua Science Parks, many times smaller than the Tsinghua campus."
"CMU isn't completely a place where everyone does CS or only CS. I often go to the music school to watch students perform piano and choir. Also, CMU's business school is very famous."
Tufts University (Tufts University)
"The school's mascot is the elephant Jumbo, symbolizing strength and courage. During new student orientation, the school organizes a large-scale picnic."
"They say that students living at the bottom of the hill (like in South Hall) have to climb over a mountain just to pick up a package. Getting a large item is a real pain!"
"With just under 11,000 students in total, it's essentially a liberal arts college but proudly insists on being a large university…"
"International relations and the veterinary school are both really great!"
"Tufts also offers plenty of on-campus job opportunities. The most common ones are dining halls, libraries, mail services, and the Office of Residential Life. Starting pay is usually $8 per hour. For more advanced academic options, you can be a TA, tutor, or grader, all of which pay too."
Wake Forest University (Wake Forest University)
"One school tradition is throwing rolls of toilet paper into the trees—this school is just so weird."
"People here are into running... running... running... going to the gym... gym... gym... party... party... party... It's just so boring."
"Class sizes are very small... 55% have fewer than 20 students, 1% have more than 50."
"In this village, you normally can't spend money... I usually don't carry any cash or cards... All the food on campus is covered by the meal plan (living on campus requires you to buy it). And if you're not living off-campus, housing is paid in advance. The rest is textbooks, but thanks to Google e-books, Weipan, P2P, and Taobao, book costs are greatly reduced... I can live well on just the $64 I make each week working at the library."
"It's recommended to make good use of office hours to interact more with professors. Many are Ivy League grads—that's the advantage of Wake's small-class teaching. It's common to have private chats with these professors after class, be invited to their homes, and get their help recommending you for internships."
Boston College (Boston College)
"The two hottest majors are finance and accounting, followed by marketing and information systems."
"Each class has 30-60 students, with only smaller 10+ student classes and no large lectures. Professors will definitely know you, so if you leave a deep impression, they'll prioritize recommending you for any job opportunities they hear about."
"BC has a population of nearly 10,000—not too big, not too small. It's 30 minutes by subway from Boston—not too far, not too close. The campus is beautiful, with the incredibly quiet Bapst Art Library and the landmark Gasson Hall."
"The buildings are beautiful. The dining hall food is terrible and expensive. The dorms are average, not great, not terrible. The selection of majors is a bit limited, but it's enough."
"The location is great. Quiet enough for studying, yet close to the city center with good food and fun nearby. Though it's a church-affiliated school, they don't force religion, don't discriminate against LGBT folks, and don't require conservative dress—you can wear flip-flops to class."
University of Rochester (University of Rochester)
"Rochester is just a village. And when it's a village school, there are a lot of Chinese people…"
"The school divides courses into social science, natural science, and humanities. So besides their major, students need to study two other clusters. That's why at Rochester, it's very easy to earn a double or even triple degree before graduation."
"Life is really comfortable. In the village, when you drive yourself, you can eat really well!!! The scenery is also beautiful. When you're unhappy, go sit by Lake Ontario. Or get a group of friends to BBQ at the Finger Lakes or visit the wineries there—it's great!"
"The school's music conservatory is one of the best in the nation; every year the Grammys feature a bunch of alumni. Each week, the conservatory's theater downtown invites many world-renowned musicians to perform."
Brandeis University (Brandeis University)
"It's at least one of the five famous schools in Boston, just a bit low-key with fewer people!"
"It's like a park, with lots of greenery and very quiet—great for studying. Brandeis's architecture might not be as historic as others since it's a relatively young university."
"Biology and biochemistry are very strong. The IBS business school gets all sorts of praise from professors, and the economics program is also excellent. The academic atmosphere is great (though it seems to give others a nerdy impression)."
"A school founded by Jewish people, so the majority of students are Jewish. Holidays follow the Jewish calendar, which gives breaks a unique character and level—when others are on break, we're in class, and vice versa."
"Major selection flexibility is very high; no specific major is mandatory. Students can freely explore their interests, and there are no restrictions on switching majors as an undergrad."
