<p>I was accepted to both Brown and Yale. I love both schools!!! I didn’t think I’d be accepted by both of them and I don’t know what to do. Eventually, I’ll go into business and get an MBA, but right now I just want to enjoy a liberal arts program…any suggestions? Which school is better?</p>
<p>how did you get into both? (as in how do you know early)</p>
<p>im in the exact same position. anyone have opinions?</p>
<p>I'm actually a sophomore at Brown, and I was in the exact same position as you a few years ago. I got in to Yale early action, and then Brown regular decision. When it came down to it, I know it's a bit superficial, but I really liked Providence a lot more than New Haven. Sometimes people overlook the importance of the city that each school is in, and it's impact on your college experience. I know that I walk around Providence all the time, and when I came here to visit, I felt completely comfortable in the city. One caveat: I am from a very rural, very small town in VT. I've heard from some people that Providence is great for those coming from smaller places, and maybe not as great for those coming from larger cities. But, we are a commuter rail ride (~$8) from Boston, which a lot of us use all the time.
The other two factors that made my decision for me were the curriculum and the exam schedule. I came into Brown undecided and being able to take any class I wanted without having to worry about other requirements was really helpful in helping me figure out what I wanted to do. Also, friends of mine who did come in decided on a concentration (major) have told me they enjoy being able to take any electives they want, and not waste their spare credits on requirements. Next, Brown requires 30 credits to graduate, while Yale requires 36. I will end up graduating with 36+ from Brown, but I was not pressured to do so. This also helps with study abroad. I am studying in the UK in the fall, and the school I'm going to has trimesters of sorts, so I'm only getting 3 Brown credits, which would have been impossible had I gone to Yale. Finally, Yale's first semester exams are after winter break. Don't underestimate the beauty of a stress-and-studying free month-long winter break. </p>
<p>I know that's a lot to read, but if you have any questions let me know.</p>
<p>Paperfish154, please don't misinform people if you don't know what you're talking about. Yale's first semester exams are BEFORE winter break. We also have reading weeks before exams where there are no classes; you get to study all week long if you want (or just party).</p>
<p>New Haven is a short, cheap train ride away from both New York City and Boston.</p>
<p>36 credits is really not much; in fact you should want to make the most of classes at Yale. At Brown, you may not be motivated to take so many classes with a more relaxed requirement. Also, you can fulfill these 36 credits with options other than just classes; you can do independent research for credit, you can study abroad, and you can take private music lessons for credit as well. You can also increase the credit value of any given course if you do additional work and submit a proposal for why you should earn more credit.</p>
<p>i chose brown over yale several years back and continue to see more similarities than differences between these schools (there is a huge overlap of people who apply to both)
the key difference, as others have pointed out, is the open curriculum--an incredible asset if you have diverse interests, want to pursue them at a high level, and have always been the kind of person that is self-directed. i couldn't imagine paying a lot of money to a college, only to have them dictate my course requirements.</p>
<p>i was an ambitious undergrad, used the opportunities at brown to the fullest, and had great postgraduate options.</p>
<p>Sorry for misleading anyone about the exam schedule at Yale. But rd31, I'm not sure why Yale's reading weeks are a big deal. Brown also has reading weeks and exams are spread over 2 weeks, so many people seem to have days between exams, with which people do what they like (study or not).</p>
<p>The reason I highlighted the credit difference was to show that while you can (and many do) graduate from Brown with the 36 or more credits that Yale requires, you do not have to. And yes, we have the same opportunities for research for credit, study abroad and music lessons for credit as Yale does. The point really is that we do not have to look outside of classes to scrape together credits. Requiring 30 credits allows for more intellectual freedom, I feel. Also, the pressure that might be provided for students by the Yale 36-credit requirement comes from individual students at Brown. For the independent student, I feel that this system is as good as having university-imposed credits.</p>
<p>since when is Boston a cheap train ride from the "dirty 'have" ?</p>
<p>Hey guys, cool the negativity. The only way for us to make informed decisions is by looking at what's good at one school, and what's good at one school -- not by considering which school has the least "bad stuff."</p>
<p>I'm in a similar situation. Right now I'm pretty sure I'll be majoring/concentrating in Computer Science. What about Brown's computer science department can outweigh the almost undeniable respect given when someone sees a Yale degree on a resume?</p>
<p>it depends on what you want to do with the c.s. degree. i know brown has a special connection to pixar and sends a lot of people to cool jobs there in addition to the standard google and microsoft. brown cs is also very well respected for graduate school and sends people to all of the top programs</p>
<p>i don't know much about computer science at yale but my wife (who is a computer scientist) says their program benefits from a lot of recent investments and that yale is working on growing this area</p>