<p>Hello everyone! I'm also posting this in the Dartmouth thread. I'm a senior and my top two choices right now are Dartmouth and Yale. I'm not sure what I want to study but I'm may go pre-med or do something with journalism upon graduating. 34 act, national merit semifinalist, 4.0 gpa, in top 2% of class, editor of our pacemaker finalist newspaper, involved in church, blah blah blah.</p>
<p>Now, I visited both colleges last week and I'm in love with both. Dartmouth's "outdoors-y" and less stressful atmosphere is amazing, as well as its beautiful campus. However, Yale's art program (I want to take graphic design classes), shopping period and residential colleges are really appealing. I've had several people say that i would "fit in" at Dartmouth better and I believe that that's true from my perspective at well. But some of Yale's programs (esp the residential colleges) sound so, so cool...</p>
<p>My problem is, I run track. The dartmouth coach has committed to me 100%. If I apply early decision, I'll get in. However, I don't know if I can just commit to that and not give yale a second chance. The coach is interested but may not be able to give me a boost in admissions.</p>
<p>Thoughts on which I should go for? Or if I should do both regular decision at the chance of ticking off the coaches/not getting in either? I HAVE LESS THAN TWO WEEKS. :/</p>
<p>That is an interesting decision. Personally, I would take the ED to dartmouth because chances are that you will not get into Yale without the coach’s support. And if you wait for RD you will probably lose the support from the Dartmouth coach who will not be saving you a spot if you aren’t willing to commit. That being said, of the two colleges I personally like Yale a lot better, but that is just my opinion. I guess the best way to think about is it to ask yourself this question: Is the happiness of possibly getting into Yale RD worth the unhappiness of not getting into either? For me the answer would be to definitely take the sure bet, but I can see why you are hesitant. Either school is great though and I am sure you will be happy where ever you end up. My last piece of advice is that you should inform the Yale coach that you are planning on committing to Dartmouth unless he will be able to provide you with a likely letter then if he does offer the LL you can choose between the two and if he says that he can’t do that, then I would go with Dartmouth.</p>
<p>1) Is Financial Aid a consideration? Dartmouth now requires all students to take out loans each year, while Yale does not – that could be a factor in your decision. If you need Financial Aid, you should apply to Dartmouth RD, as then you can compare FA offers in April. (Full disclosure: my son was accepted to Dartmouth and Yale. For our family, Yale’s cost of attendance was literally 1/2 of Dartmouth’s. I could not believe the disparity between the two schools based upon the same CSS Profile data.)</p>
<p>2) How important is running track to your college experience? As you did not mention Yale’s track team, I’m assuming the Yale coach is not as interested as the Dartmouth coach. Would you be happy at Yale if you were not participating in track? Or, participating at a club sport level?</p>
<p>3) If you were at Dartmouth, would you always be wondering about Yale? If you were at Yale, would you always wonder about Dartmouth? </p>
<p>Not knowing your answers – my gut feeling is that if you are indecisive 2 weeks from making the call, then you should NOT apply ED to Dartmouth.</p>
<p>1) Honestly, my family will receive almost no financial aid from either school. Unfortunately!
2) Running track is definitely something I would like to do in college, but it’s not the ONLY thing I want to do. Yale’s coach has told me that he wants me to run there, that he would love to have me on the team and that I could contribute, but that he only has so many LLs he can submit to admissions-- and once you submit one, you can’t take it back. So the coaches typically give those to the very fastest runners or runners that commit soon.
3) I honestly can’t say either way right now. </p>
<p>For brandnew, thanks for the advice! I think I will email the coach at Yale. I know that I’ll be happy no matter where I go (and they’re both great schools). I just want to feel as though I have a choice. But exactly-- I’m afraid that if I apply RD I’ll lose whatever I did have.</p>
<p>As much we prefer blue to green, I have to agree with brandnew. One lesson we learned was that a tip really wasn’t worth much for the top schools. With similar stats, were still rejected at HYP as the coaches were giving support but not a slot and the numbers are very very tough in the regular decision round. If you are undecided between the two, I’d take Dartmouth as a sure thing. That said, we prefer Yale for the reasons you mentioned and I would go back to the Yale coach to explain the situation, probably without revealing names. Are you sure Dartmouth is giving you two weeks? That sounds like a long time to commit, usually the decision window is shorter. Be sure to understand the difference between a tip (some support, a letter written on your behalf) and a slot (one of the coach’s official recruiting slots that undergoes a special athletics review) and make sure you are getting a slot. If so, you can also ask for a likely letter so you don’t have to wait for ED. Often a coach will have fewer LL’s than slots. Good luck and let us know what happens.</p>
<p>Both are great places with many things in common (including very strong academics and students). Its very likely that youd fall in love with either one. Both are somewhat locationally challenged, but in different ways because of the differences between New Haven and Hanover. How would you like living in New Havens grittier, urban setting vs. Hanovers clean air and remote, rural beauty?</p>
<p>If people who know you think Dartmouth is a better fit, thats worth taking seriously. Dartmouth is, as you know, fantastic for outdoorsy folks and for smart jocks who enjoy a good party. Yale is a better fit for urban intellectuals.</p>
<p>Your academic record would get you into almost any college in America, but you’re probably probably a long shot at Yale (because Yale gets so many applicants in the same range). A sure thing at Dartmouth looks pretty good to me.</p>
<p>My grandson was in a similar situation with solid offers from Columbia, Penn and Williams and the opportunity to get letters of support, but not a LL, from Harvard and Yale. He is a rower with equivalently strong academics stats to yours. </p>
<p>He went for the certainty that a LL gives, chose Columbia and passed on H and Y. For him, a bird in the hand was better than two in the bush. </p>
<p>He also passed on a opportunity to get an LL from Dartmouth, a school he likes and which his sister attends, to commit to Columbia. He feared his opportunity with Columbia had a freshness date and he didn’t want it to expire. </p>
<p>Examine hard your own propensity for risk. You can fold 'em and take Dartmouth or you can play another round and hope you pull the right cards and get Yale. Dartmouth is a very good school, but Yale is a better school. </p>
<p>I hate to sound negative, but with 34 ACT and a top 2% rank, your Yale chances aren’t particularly good. If Dartmouth is a sure thing and you’re pretty sure you’ll be happy there, I think you should take it.</p>
<p>My kids were both supported athletes, too (ED and LL), and I’ve got to tell you, one and done early is priceless.</p>
<p>tagular, your own first post tells me that Dartmouth is the school for you. You like it more, it fits you more, and Dartmouth wants you more.</p>
<p>Yale’s residential colleges and a few great classes in graphic design are not sufficient reason to hold out for Yale. My candid advice would be to sign up with Dartmouth and enjoy the rest of your senior year.</p>
<p>Though I am a Yale grad myself, a great booster of the school, and well aware of its many advantages – I too would echo the chorus urging you on to Dartmouth.</p>
<p>I have visited Dartmouth many times over the years, have many Dartmouth alums as friends and thus know a fair bit about academic and social life at Dartmouth. It is a fantastic place!</p>
<p>When I was at Yale I had a girlfriend at Dartmouth and we both ended up being economics majors. I can tell you from observation that what goes on in the undergraduate classroom at Dartmouth is at least equal to what happens at Yale; in fact, it might be a little better. If you are majoring in one of the popular majors (ie, econ, english, history, poli sci, psych, biology, etc.) you are not gonna spend most of your first two years dealing with the widely varying quality of TAs that are a hallmark of big research universities at Dartmouth. I remember how my gf got lots of detailed feedback on her early papers from experienced, bona fide professors at Dartmouth; it was catch as catch can for me at Yale with the TAs at Yale. </p>
<p>If you were really “feeling” like you belonged more at Yale, it would be a different story. But since that is not the case, I don’t see why you shouldn’t jump at Dartmouth’s offer.</p>
<p>A strong undergrad record at Dartmouth will stand you in exactly the same stead as a strong record from Yale if you decide to pursue graduate or professional school. Dartmouth alumni seem to me particularly tight knit and I think are second to none in helping each other out after college in job searches, etc.</p>
<p>Tag,
The fact that when you started the comparision of both Universities, Dartmouth was where you started with its attributes. That suggests to me that’s where your heart belongs. Go with your gut!!! good luck</p>
<p>Just to sum it all up: This is a Yale thread, and yet every person has advised you to go for Dartmouth… assuming that you are truly being offered a slot and not merely a tip. For whatever it’s worth, I add my voice to theirs. I think that you’ve gotten exceptionally good advice on this thread from folks who have offered their separate opinions and/or mirrored your own. Incidentally, my niece got into both Yale and Dartmouth and had trouble deciding between the two. In the end she opted for Dartmouth (her mom was a grad), and she absolutely loves it there.</p>
I know this was a long time ago… But I’m sort of stuck in the same situation now, so I just want to know what is it that makes you prefer Yale to Dartmouth? Thank you !
Obviously the OP made a decision long ago. They are both fantastic schools and anyone having the choice is very fortunate.
Just in terms of cross-admit data though (Avery’s research and current Parchment data) around 90% choose Yale over Dartmouth . . . not saying Yale is better for everyone, just that a very high percentage choose Yale in that situation.
Please do not resurrect dormant threads. Start a new thread with your question. I would suggest starting it in the Ivy League forum rather than either the Dartmouth or Yale forum. We only allow one thread per topic per member.