Canon Rebel t3i EOS vs Nikon d3200?

My birthday is coming up soon, and my mom is letting me pick out a camera. I have narrowed it down to those two. Which one should I pick, and why?

Go to store that sells them and try them out by playing with the shutter, focus, etc. To see which you like better.
hands on will tell which one you will like best.

Canon is the best

Being a Canon guy that's the only brand I recommend with experience. The t3i, I own one, is an excellent camera and should not be overlooked.

It seems like you need to do more research

Letting a bunch of strangers decide for you is a little risky

Visit the Nikon and Canon websites.
Visit the DP Review website and read the professional reviews.
Visit DXOmark website and compare the performance of the sensors in those cameras
Finally visit a proper camera shop and hold both cameras in your hands.

When spending from $480 to $600 on a camera, you need to be the one making the choice, after all you are going to be using it for the next decade or so.

I would recommend the Canon; simply because I have always used them.
Others will recommend the Nikon.
But it's up to you. Decide which features are important to you and then handle the cameras in a store.
Decide which one YOU feel is best for you.

If you can only see Canon and Nikon, she's wasting her money.