<p>When I visited Duke, I met someone who thought UPenn wasn't an Ivy and Stanford was. Not sure what I should make of that.... lol.</p>
<p>That should explain what kind of students go to Duke...lol</p>
<p>I'm not sure why people are opposed to the fact that some people on these boards will choose to go to a school based on rankings. First of all I'm not one of them, but I'm not against someone doing that. I'm not sure why there are so many people preaching to posters about "Go to a school that fits you best, not based on prestige". I'm sure they are just trying to help, but if the applicant has worked hard and gets accepted, they have the right to go to any school for any reason. Besides, if that person goes to a school based on its rankings/prestige, they aren't risking going to a bad school.</p>
<p>well said.</p>
<p>indeed, i agree ThomasH32. Rankings DO say something, however slight some may think that "somethinig" is. And if you go to Penn based on rank, you know that you will be going to a damn fine school regardless if you "got that feeling" when you walked on to campus. </p>
<p>To be honest, I think this whole "go with your gut, or you'll regret it" mantra is total bull. Think about it. Unless the school is PAINFULLY small, there is no way that you can't find your niche in a school that caught your eye. So you might be a bit different from the bulk of the student body. So what? That's the beauty of college: meeting and experience things way out of the realm to which you are accustomed. </p>
<p>I think you would have to be either really anti-social or really stubborn to go to a university and hate it because "you don't fit it." Keep looking; there are peopple there that you can click with at any school. If you are a capable human being and student, you ought to be able to adapt to your environment, and therefore learn to LOVE the school. </p>
<p>Personally, I didnt like Penn much when I visited campus. It wasn't horrible, but I wasn't googly-eyed over it. I got no gut feeling. I didnt feel special. But I'm attending nonetheless, because I know that my 45G a year will be worth it. And, not to sound arrogant in the slightest, but I know that if I walk into college with an open mind (as everyone should) and with the willingness to change and adapt, I will grow to love the school. I'd have to be a total tight-azz not to.</p>
<p>AJ is right. After HYP everyone sort of drops off. But Penn is also really well known on the west coast, just as it is on the east coast. It's in between that people don't know as much about ivies.</p>