<p>"taking it to the street" (princeton eating clubs - 4/4/06):</p>
<p>"final clubs provide controversial social outlet" (harvard final clubs - 4/5/06):</p>
<p>"societies find their secret niche" (yale secret societies - 4/6/06): </p>
<p>Hu Jintao is coming to Yale in a couple weeks. Unofficially, the visit is a recognition of Yale's preeminence in China and the work Yale is doing there.</p>
<p>The difference between Harvard and Yale might not be earth-staggering in the US, but the farther you get away from New England, the more mysterious and untagible the Harvard name becomes. I can only speak from my experience in Eastern Europe, but believe me that Harvard students are perceived as litteral half-gods there. Once asked what Yale is, most people in the streets will shrug..</p>
<p>Harvard is THE name, believe it or not, it's the epitome of success, prestige as well as tradition and will maintain this picture for a very very long time in the future...</p>
<p>"It used to be the case that of students who were admitted to Harvard and Princeton or Harvard and Yale, seven of 10 would choose to go to Harvard," Professor Katz (of Princeton) says. "It may be more now. There is a tendency for the academically best to skew even more to Harvard. We just get our socks beat off in those cases."</p>
<p>Blademaster, I agree with what you said, and it's actually a bit depressing. I know someone whose mother is disappointed in her because she didn't get into Harvard so that the mother could brag about her to her friends (who also see Harvard as the pinnacle of all greatness). It really bothers me because I've been struggling to convince the daughter that the top tier school she got into is worthwhile and that she doesn't have to go to Harvard to be successful in life.</p>
<p>Wow. I'm betting if most of the people didn't get into Yale, they would go to Harvard and vice-versa. Its amazing how people support and hate schools based on a half-asleep adcom's decision.</p>
<p>"Is it lonely up there on your pedestal?"</p>
<p>Spot on shark_bite... there's a fair number of kids whose first choice was Yale (replace Yale with Princeton, Harvard, x), but got into Princeton or Harvard and they'll be pretty happy and succesfull there as well.</p>
<p>I'm sorry to burst your bubble Blademaster, but you're just overblowing it. Like Harvard and other similar universities, Yale is very much present in pop culture and a lot of people around the world know about it and its reputation. There's other universities (Oxford, Cambridge, Princeton, Stanford) that also have worldwide recognition and a great reputation worldwide.</p>
<p>People, at least the people I know, just aren't that simple. Harvard may be to Yale what Gucci is to Versace... Nike to Adidas to Puma. It doesn't bother me one bit to admit that as of now, Harvard probably has the best rep, but like everything else and like it has in the past (Oxbridge?), this can change in a matter of years and even if it doesn't, it's not like Harvard exists in a vacuum and it's not alone in an unreachable pedestal.</p>
<p>I'm from Mexico... that's pretty far from New England in my mind.</p>
<p>What this article doesn't say is that all Yale has is room parties (and dangerous streets). I guess from there, all-male clubs are a step up.</p>
<p>I'm sorry, but that's just a dumb comment. There's all sorts of parties here. Unlike H, if we want to go for that, Yale fraternities all have houses and many of them host weekly parties while others hold out and organize themed parties. There are large college-sponsored or student initiative parties at the different residential colleges constantly as well. Smack in the middle of campus is Toad's. Kids from all of the colleges around New Haven come to the heart of Yale to have fun.</p>
<p>For Yalies, film screenings, a capella singing performances, theater performances at one of the univs 3 theaters (we have a good drama grad school they say...), orchestras (we have a good music school too), etc. etc. top off the opportunities available for going out.</p>
<p>Yale's alcohol policy emphasizes safety first. It is pretty lax and at the same time it succesfully curtails alcohol-related problems.</p>
<p>Regarding safety:
The area immediately around campus is pretty safe, well-lighted, and patrolled. The area surrounding Yale has reported less crime than the area surrounding Cambridge.</p>
<p>Anyways, that article just wasn't about Yale. Today's article was about Yale and its secret societies.</p>
<p>I think it's hilarious how far some people will take this prestige thing. Many of those who graduate from HYP will spend their lives working in the United States where the difference in prestige between Harvard, Princeton, and Yale is miniscule. For those who work abroad, the people, organizations, businesses, and institutions that are of any importance will recognize that Harvard, Princeton, and Yale are on a par with each other. It's mainly the common people in those countries who may say "Yale/Princeton? What's that?" Frankly, caring whether someone on the streets in another country has heard of a school you attend is pathetic, bordering on ridiculous. Why should it matter whether some cart vendor in Bangladesh or some caf</p>
<p>
[quote]
... all-male clubs are a step up.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>The secret societies at Yale are non-segregated, like the eating clubs at Princeton. I imagine this interaction leads to more fun for all members involved than segregated clubs.</p>
<p>Harvard has a social life to kill?</p>