<p>I've gotten mixed messages. Some people are saying that Princeton, Harvard, and Yale are different and you should really only be focusing on one. Others are saying apply to all the ivies- because it really is a crapshoot. What's your take on this? Should I apply to just Princeton?</p>
<p>Depends on what you value in the universities. </p>
<p>Do you want to attend one of HYP, irrespective of how they may differ? Apply to all of them, then.</p>
<p>Don’t please people on CC-- just submit the applications that make you most happy. Your chances certainly won’t decrease by applying to all, unless you’re so pushed for time that the app quality suffers.</p>
<p>
There are more similarities between the schools than differences. No one is going to be able to help you with that decision, as it’s a personal choice. Some folks prefer strawberry over chocolate or vanilla. If after researching and comparing the courses and professors at each school, you still cannot decide which college would be the best choice for you, may I suggest that you apply SCEA to the school who’s campus – location, housing options, social tone etc – you find most appealing and apply RD to the other two. Most students who apply to HYP are rejected from all three, some are accepted at one, but not the other two. You would think what one top school would want they all would want, but Admissions doesn’t work that way. Best of luck to you!.</p>
<p>As long as you have reliable matches and safeties, where you apply is your own choice. The only other limitation you may have is application fees and time. If applying to those schools, you must take the time to write good essays. Hence the wisdom of just applying to one, where you can spend alot of time editng and revising your essays. Also, many students use SCEA to show there interest in one school above all else, but you can only do that for one school, another reason why other students tend to stick with just one “high reach” school."</p>
<p>For what it is worth, my cousin applied to all three and her safety school. She got into two, rejected at one. But she’d be perfectly content in attending her safety. Make sure that is the case for you before you apply</p>
<p>After writing supplemental essays for 4 private colleges, and a couple honors colleges at public schools, my daughter was stressed to her breaking point and refused to apply to more. It had sounded easy in theory, but the reality was a different thing. YMMV</p>
<p>HYP are more similar to each other than the other Ivies. IMHO, in terms of campus life and location, I’d go Harvard, Princeton, then Yale. Only because I have family in and near New Haven, and I don’t feel it is safe to go too far afield.</p>