*gasp* still making up my mind (Stanford or Princeton)

Colleges and Universities A-Z Princeton University
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<p>OK, I must admit, I feel kinda guilty posting this...it feels sacriligous for somebody not to be completely and utterly sold on Princeton. And, truth be told, I <3 Princeton. A lot of my HS alumni adore the place, and I can see myself being very very happy there.</p>

<p>But I also love Stanford.</p>

<p>I think it's come down to "great undergraduate emphasis" or "great laid-back atmosphere"; quite honestly, I still can't decide. :-\ All my life (hah, all eighteen years of it) I've been passionate about academics, and the idea of an premier institution that caters to the undergraduate is immensely appealing to me. But I'm tempted by an atmosphere and climate that for years I've called my own.</p>

<p>Alright, this was more of a rant/vent than a thought-provoking post, but the point remains: how do I make up my mind? Are there any other criteria I can use to help decide? Is anyone in a similar predicament? Anyone have any thoughts, ideas on how to resolve this fabulous choice? (zante, shrek, sucharita, this means you :))</p>

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<p>Well, personally i am familiar with stanford and the one bad thing i've heard is that sometimes it's so laid back, it's hard to find anybody to advise you, whereas princeton has a very solid guidance system if you're thinking about applying to grad school, looking into a certain career, etc. Princeton is more laid back than you might think, too. Even though its buildings may look imposing and it's on the east coast, when i visited the campus the students were all very friendly and welcoming, as well as talented and intelligent.</p>

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<p>hey someone, first congraulations! for most, they would love to be in ur position making this decision =P i actually had this same dilemma when i was thinking about where to apply, being asian and from arizona, stanford is a very tempting choice, but it really came down to a number of things that i decided princeton was just an overall better choice</p>

<p>1) location - i have lived in arizona for most of my life, and before this in california. i like california, but really i felt that one of the greatest things about college was to experience a place that is totally different from what you are used to. princeton, located a little over an hour from NYC, and just 50 minutes-1 hour from philly is in the perfect location. I didnt want a university inside a city (e.g. columbia, harvard) but I didn't want one that was completely isolated in the middle of nowhere either (e.g. dartmouth). stanford, very close to san francisco, lost because i personally love NYC and philly much more than san francisco. i think SF is a nice city but it cant compare</p>

<p>2) academics - princeton has the undergraduate focus. stanford has renowned med schools and from family friends and cousins, many of the classes are taught by graduate students and more than 60% of the time they dont even see the professor. at stanford, academics are also shadowed by sports. stanford stresses sports and recruits like no other, close to 20-25% of the incoming class has been recruited. i really wanted princeton because of its educational focus, but athetlics at princeton is also stressed, just not to the degree that it is at stanford</p>

<p>3) composition of class - stanford is made up of about 55% from california, coming from SF, LA, and SD for the most part. not much diversity where most of those are asian as well. </p>

<p>4) campus - princeton was amazing, beautiful, i really loved the feel and stanford was just a regular college campus when i visited. nothing in particular really attracted me</p>

<p>5) i really disliked how stanford is very frat/sorority oriented. when i visited, i heard many horror stories of hazing and other whatnots. it really turned me off and the stereotypes that come with each frat and sorority.</p>

<p>6) overall opportunities at princeton are just endless =P</p>

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<p>Ah, so there were other Princeton/Stanford cross-admits! It's crazy how few people I've run across who applied to both. I was (almost) one of them. Yeah, Stanford is amazing. It's incredible. It's beautiful.</p>

<p>But it just can't beat Princeton's undergraduate experience.</p>

<p>I've read several complaints from current Stanford students about sections led by grad students (who have trouble with English) and problems with the administration. While Princeton isn't perfect, I think it sails above Stanford in that respect. I also was really turned off by Stanford's housing system. Princeton's residential colleges and upperclass housing are really awesome in comparison to Stanford's multitude of theme housing (yeah, yeah, not all of its dorms are theme/ethnic, but a nice lot of them are).</p>

<p>But mostly, like shrek said, it comes down to where you want to go (East v. West) and what you want to do. Princeton's amazing, though. Stanford is too, but in different ways. I loved my month-long stay there for JSA almost two years ago. Ultimately, though, I applied and got into Princeton ED, and I've never looked back since. Good luck with your decision!</p>

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<p>I think they covered it lol, but one thing I didn't like about stanford is that it's seems isolated...i don't know how far it really is from the city, but look, Princeton has 2 cities! lol and it's still uber safe. </p>

<p>Ok i'm sorry I'm bad at this, I never considered applying to Stanford so I don't know that much. I also read that they aren't as laid back...like they appear that way but they actually work really hard? </p>

<p>I'm going to stop before I keep making things up.</p>

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<p>I'm also one of those cross-admits making the tough decision. It's going to be really tough.</p>

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<p>Hmm...speaking from the purely unbiased standpoint of one who is on Stanford's waiting list...PICK PRINCETON!!! </p>

<p>Actually, if both schools accepted you, it means they both felt you would be a great fit for their campus. Ask your magic 8 ball, consult the stars, go with your gut instinct, do some more research, ask more questions. Either way, go in with no regrets and you'll come out with none.</p>

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<p>hey guys,</p>

<p>thanks so much for your magnificent advice. there were times where I wanted to be part of the princeton groupie (shrek-chris-zante-et al) but didn't have time cuz of Stanford EA; I'm glad to know that I can still be a quasi-member of the Princeton09 forum :D. Please, let the discussion continue....</p>

<hr>

<p>More discussion items:</p>

<p>[ol][li]I love taiko (Japanese drumming), and I’m leaning towards a major in Symbolic Systems. Stanford has phenomenal programs in both (in fact, the term "symbolic systems" itself comes from Stanford's program). Considering the fact that most people change their major anyway, how much should I factor taiko and symsys into my decision?</p>[/li]
<p>[<em>]Shrek, I hear ya—and I believe that everything you said about Stanford has a grain of truth in it. Lemme throw in some things I’ve heard about princeton:
[ul][li]two long-time NJ residents calling the eating clubs “racist” (yeah, I know, strange, huh?)[/li][</em>] alumni calling the place “a lion’s pit”—whatever that means
[<em>] the general perception that princeton is for “white preppy rich kids”
[</em>] the idea that princeton has the diversity, on paper, but people still clump together in their own groups and cliques[/ul]</p>

<p>Now, I don’t fully believe any of the stuff I’ve heard….but the general perception seems to be against tolerance. Personally, I need the tolerance, need the diversity. Yep, I guess that’s my main worry….[/ol]</p>

<hr>

<p>haosquared: you're absolutely right, and I don't plan to go in with any regrets. That's why I'm (trying) to do my research now. It's also great comfort to realize that both Stanford and Princeton thought I'd be a good match for them (which confirmed my gut feelings all along).</p>

<p>zante: haha, that was sweet--stanford isn't too isolated, and campus safety isn't much of a problem either. Just FYI. ;) (I’m impressed: you’re great at making stuff up hehe)</p>

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<p>Wow, I was shocked when I saw this thread because at this point I thought I was the only one in the country trying to decide between Stanford and Princeton. Everyone keeps telling me that they are such different schools and they don't get why the decision is so hard for me, but it's for similar reasons as you: I love the undergrad focus at Princeton, but there's still something about Stanford's um...haha I don't know how to say it...palm trees? California mindset? Balmy weather? (I think I need a vacation...)</p>

<p>Anyhow, I have spent a couple days in Princeton dorms during their humanities symposium and this is what I decided:
1) There are definitely some very preppy preps at Princeton, but there are lots of down to earth regular people.
2) Eating clubs are not as mysterious/sexy as they soun, but they are fun. (yea I sorta snuck in to a few...) However, some can be very hard to get into, or so said the drunk girl who decided to tell me that she engaged in "third floor bicker," a concept I personally find a bit disgusting.
3) I didn't see a lot of diversity, but I didn't see much self-segration either...
4) No hints of racism, as far as I could tell in 3 days.</p>

<p>I'm visiting Stanford a week before Admit Weekend, so I don't have much to say about them, but I do have a question: I know it can't compare to Woody Woo, but how's IR at Stanford? (Yea I know its stupid to ask this on a Princeton forum but I'm asking anyway.)</p>

<p>Oh yea one last thing, I also "need the tolerance, need the diversity." But I really think that you can meet the diversity needs on either campus...like when I was at Princeton I'm sure the non-polo wearing people were there...somewhere...and would have been easy to get to know if I'd just made the effort to find them. I'm actually more concerned that a really diversified campus like Stanford might not have much interaction between the groups, so I'm gonna check that out when I visit.</p>

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<p>well diversity as in what? stanford is mainly asians and athletes. asians + athletes are probably 80% of the school rite there =P</p>

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<p>haha yea part of my worry...i'm part asian myself, but i don't know if i can handle all this athletic/asianness...Well, i think i am convincing myself against going to stanford but since i have plane tickets and stuff for my visit i'm trying to stay open-minded till then. </p>

<p>Actually, as you can see in my last post, i'm a bit california obsessed and so i'm scared that the moment i see the palm trees i'll be sold. plus, i'm not so excited about 2D (veggie co-op) at p-ton so if stanford has better vegetarian food....haha no worries i'm not really making my decision based on that stuff. I have another question to add to all this, though: how important is it for your networking/schmoozing/friend-making to be on the same coast you intend to spend your life on? Is it hard to start all over in grad school/ get internships/ jobs on the east coast if you have gone to school in the west?</p>

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<p>gggrrr i'm very bitter. stanford stole the one person from home who mite've been coming to princeton. stanford sucks. :( </p>

<p>i don't have much to add except for that i looked at both stanford and princeton (was recruited to both), and i ended up picking princeton cause it seemed like the ideal undergrad college. stanford seemed more grad focused to me, and for my personal preference, i want the full undergrad experience that i think p-ton provides.</p>

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<p>both stanford and princeton have so much prestige and power in this nation that it really wouldnt matter, however, stanford is still, nonetheless, shadowed by its sports and heavy athletic recruitment. for many, even in arizona, where palm trees also grow and stanford is located much closer, ivies are still respected more so than stanford. </p>

<p>btw do u not live near palm trees? they arent that amazing....i have 6 in my front yard and 7 in my backyard....haha :D ur funny that u love palm trees. haha</p>

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<p>yah cali has great weather, but its over-rated. really. stanford has a nice campus, but it can't compare to princeton's. the buildings can't be as beautiful due to earthquakes. can u handle earthquakes?</p>

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<p>yea i'm the only one in my school accepted at any of the schools i'm considering (it's really weird, appx. 5 really qualified people applied ed/ea to p-ton and stanford and they were all deferred, rejected)...so i definitely understand your bitterness. </p>

<p>i agree that princeton logically would seem better cuz of the undergrad focus thing, but something about stanford and harvard still draws me in anyways...i wish it were may 1st so i could be forced to make a decision and go through with it...finally.</p>

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<p>Actually, Stanford's buildings are gorgeous. I personally preferred the architecture to that of Princeton, but Princeton's beautiful as well. Earthquakes aren't a major problem for the campus since the buildings are strongly fortified thanks to the help of the seismological study center on campus (which does cutting-edge research on earthquake prediction and damage-preventative measures). I would hate to be in one, though, so I guess that was one of the factors in my ED/EA application decision, hehe.</p>

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<p>(pegdiver: i was referring to your stanford anger a coupla posts ago, i'm not suggesting you still sound bitter...haha just wanted to clear up that i don't think earthquakes sound bitter.)</p>

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<p>oh i'm not bitter b/c i didn't get in, i applied ED to pton and got in. i'm bitter b/c on of my best friends got into stanford and thus is going to go there instead of pton. :( i almost wish they rejected him.</p>

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<p>a few things that really tipped me off about stanford</p>

<p>i really disliked how frats and sororities are a huge part of stanford's life. my family friend who went there were ditched by all his friends who went off and all joined different/separated frats. </p>

<p>another thing is the huge athletic recruitment gave me the feeling while i was there of high school again. cliques, stereotypes, everything about high school that is just immature and lame. a lotta the athletes just showed off immaturity and it kinda made the entire school give off a bad impression</p>

<p>i think stanford is a nice campus, pretty but cant compare to princeton's. =P </p>

<p>and i agree peg, cali weather is overrated, especially stanford since the SF bay area does get quite cold.</p>

<p>but ultimately it is ur decision. stanford is a great school. for me personally, princeton is better =P</p>

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<p>pegdiver-yea i knew you were referring to your friend...that's what i meant saying none of my friends got in anywhere i want to go...i'm just not quick with the submitting reply thing so i didn't want to sound like i was accusing you of being bitter while you were off talking about earthquakes.</p>

<p>haha shrek it's good to know that you enjoy my palm tree obsession...i live in VA so although there is a beach it sure aint the bahamas. but there is some weird synapse in my brain that goes palm tree=paradise. maybe you guys could re-wire it for me so it says princeton=paradise...but i still insist on hopping on the plane to california and checking out those trees first. haha my host is gonna think i'm crazy but it wouldn't be beyond me to run up and hug a palm tree and have her take a picture...i could hang it in my princeton dorm room and then princeton would really have everything. (obviously to be a decent college you gotta have a palm tree...that's why the u.s. news ratings are so off. they forgot the palm trees.)</p>

<p>as far as frats and sororities go, don't you think eating clubs have the same sort of effect on social life at princeton? that's the impression i got but i could be off base.</p>