<p>I don’t care about rankings and funding or whatever numbers they assign to colleges. What is the difference between campus atmospheres. My impressions are as follows:
Yale: Over achieving grade grubbers, albiet talented, got there because they worked for nothing more than to get in. Despite what they may say, they will continue with this mindset to get into the best grad school, and the campus atmosphere is one of competetive over-achievers pushing one another to get the highest grade or leadership position.
Brown: People who genuinely want to learn, but maybe not that “academically focused.” Party more, hang out more, and generally less competetive. While this sounds great, it might not be enough to keep someone working and that person could consequently slack off and coast through pass/fail humanities courses.</p>
<p>How accurate/inaccurate do you find these impressions?
Any other thoughts?</p>
<p>I haven't been to Brown (yet) but I do have to say that I doubt anyone would ever use the words "slacking off" and any Ive League Institution in the same sentence. If you're in an ivy league school, let alone any top university, you have to be able to show SOME form of academic integrity, strength, and knowledge - and I doubt anyone would waste their parents money to solely party at a school like Brown... there are probably a billion other schools "devoted to partying" that if anyone cared enough would choose over Brown. I assume (well, of course since I'm applying as well) you decide to go to Brown for the opportunities, the activites, the academics and the social life... but again, slacking off and Brown -- probably not?</p>
<p>To add to this: I actually do agree about the less competitive thing. I felt the competitive nature when I walked onto the yale campus - but I felt more of a "homey" environment at Brown - like no one cared what his/her roomate got on the test or whatever it may be. it seemed a lot more supportive.</p>
<p>Some people do kinda slack off here...but a lot of times, it's not what you think. I have a friend whom I never see working...but it turns out that he works from like 1 am until 7 am because he doesn't have class until 1 pm. You can definitely slack off if you want to, but the atmosphere won't do it to you. Sure, you'll have people knocking on your door at midnight asking if you want to grab some food, and maybe you'll cave and go, but it won't turn you into a complete slacker unless you already are one. There is plenty of work here, and even when I think I'm done with my work for the night, I still know that there's more I could be doing.</p>
<p>Sure I slack off. I am out and hanging out all the time, until I weeks like this one. I had spent maybe 5 hours prep in my classes until this weekend when I read two books, wrote three papers, and did a problem set for calc (about 4hours). Basically, from Sunday through today I at least tripled my work here. The sense I get from most people is they do what they have to feel prepared. We get homework done, we do reading when it's enjoyable or needed for an exam, etc. The work load and slack level depends more on the classes you take. Many of my friends are working for most of the day, and then hanging out all night (or vice versa). I think the "slacking" sense comes more from the fact that we're less inclined to push what we are doing (unless it's a mutual, life sucks kind of thing), it's not a competition work thing, and, of course, since we choose what we take, the work isn't terrible because we want to learn. Sure, I may not love the 5th page of a single calc problem because I just can't see what I am doing wrong, but I like calculus, I wan to learn more, etc.</p>
<p>As always, YMMV, but that's my experience here.</p>