<p>actually thanks for bumping this I wouldn't have read this thread otherwise</p>
<p>good posts :P</p>
<p>This is a very helpful thread; I applied to both, but never had any real intention of attending Yale if accepted, and I still don't.</p>
<p>annelise,</p>
<p>you say there is a huge difference? what is the difference?</p>
<p>Yale and Brown are obviously both great schools. I was admitted ED to Brown, and had chosen not to apply to Yale.</p>
<p>I felt that Yale was really intense--not academically so much, but in terms of student activities. My tour guide and the kids I met talked about devoting hours and hours to their activities (theater, sports, etc.). They barely even mentioned devoting time to academics. One girl said that the worst thing about Yale was that people become so mired in their activities that they have a tendency to break off friendships. I was also told that Yale looks for applicants who will "hit the ground running" when they get there. As someone who wants to explore a lot of different interests (both academically and extracurricularly), it was not the place for me. Brown, on the other hand, stresses exploration and the students there spoke about trying new things (my tour guide, a senior, was very enthusiastic about his Intro to Hip Hop dance class).</p>
<p>Also, I felt that the residential colleges at Yale fragmented the school. Although many people love them, I was put off by the "my college is the best" culture. I also sensed an inferiority complex to Harvard (everyone told me that it was really better than Harvard, while Harvard students just talked about how much they loved Harvard), which was annoying. Even the History Department had a handout of "Yale Graduates who have impacted human history". It was pretentious. </p>
<p>I think that both schools are great fits for different people, so as someone else said, think about what you want and visit each school. Good luck and maybe I'll meet you next year!</p>