<p>Here's a good post I saved from a while back (not mine). </p>
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Brown-Brown students are unique in that they tend to have a flair for everything they do. I can't really describe it, but it certainly is not the typical image of an ivy league student. You'll have to see it for yourself. Brown's major selling point is its lack of an open curriculum, a great aspect if you feel like a core curriculum would hold you down. There are requirements for a degree, but other than those, you can take absolutely anything you want, and you can even take any and all of your classes S/NC (pass/fail). You can add a class during the first 15 days of the semester, after that it costs 15 bucks. You can drop a class up until the last day of classes (if you're doing really poorly in a class and don't want it to blemish your record).
The professors are very easy to approach. The people you share your day to day life with come from varied backgrounds but are admitted on the same standards as you; you won't find too many cookie cutter, valedictorian shut-in types here. Everybody is dynamic, and it makes for a very, very fun and ambitious student body.</p>
<p>Columbia- For people who want a well-rounded education and appreciate a big city environment; on the liberal side; not as preppy as some of the other ivies; philosophical and steeped in the classics.</p>
<p>Cornell-The work is very tough but not meaningless. Cornell is not a walk in the park, but Cornell graduates, especially in some fields (engineering, hotel, AEM, ILR, etc.) are among the most sought after in the country, even above many of the other ivies. Cornell students consistently gain acceptence into the most elite medical, law, and business schools. And employers constantly turn to Cornell because they are looking for motivated, well-trained individuals to lead their companies into the future. Cornell students do work hard, but they play even harder. Don't think that just because you are going to a reputable school you will be a slave to your classes. Cornell students, even in the most labor-intensive of majors, still find time to do whatever they want. On weekends, Cornell comes alive with an intensity not usually seen outside of state schools. If you think that you will be sacrificing your social life when you come here, you are in for a big surprise. From hockey games to concerts to the massive parties which draw students by the hundreds, they all find a way to blow off steam and have a great time. </p>
<p>Dartmouth- Most Dartmouth students are incredibly friendly and open, and its easy to communicate with them. There is actually a lot to do, and people seem to enjoy random fun things such as road trips, jumping in the river, fun parties, etc. The place always has something going on. The student body is very tight, and it is amazing how people will go freely between frats and other places as compared to many other schools. The campus is beautiful, especially in the summer and winter. Students take advantage of this by going hiking, skiing, etc. The school also breeds a sense of coziness, and things like drinking hot chocolate with some friends by a fireplace in a dorm on a random night happen all the time. It's a place that breeds intellectual curious students, many of whom really get to know and appreciate each other. The professors are truly amazing and the opportunities such as grants, study abroad, etc are endless. The only thing I could say negative is that most Dartmouth students are relatively social and outgoing, so there is a tendency for some students to conform vs. other places. Also, some of the frats are jock-dominated, then again there are others that are not. </p>
<p>Harvard-The school with the name. Out of the students who get into Harvard, the ones who choose to go seem to be highly motivated by the status that the name brings, and they seem to lose motivation once in Cambridge. The friends I have here feel swept under the rug. Although it certainly has many top name professors, many of these professors are teaching at the graduate schools, while the avg. undergrad class size is the largest out of HYP, and its undergrad program is generally considered to be below the other top ivies.</p>
<p>Princeton-Atmosphere is highly intellectual, but students are down to earth. The school supports undergraduates moreso than the other ivies. Because the students mostly seem to have chosen the school based on qualitative, rather than reputational, factors, the student body remains very academically motivated, while at many other similarly prestigious schools, students are known to slack off and rely on the easy grading scales. Opens lots of doors for grad school and research opportunities because the school is known to take an active role in helping to advise/guide/find opportunities for its students. </p>
<p>Yale-People are very hardworking, and they love to learn. They're competitive with themselves, if that makes any sense. They challenge themselves, want to improve, etc., but without a cutthroat atmosphere. People generally seemed very happy and friendly. I'm not sure it's a communal effort; yes they help each other at times, but it's also very independent.</p>
<p>MIT-A school with genuine, hard-working students with a true passion for the sciences. Contains some of the world's top math/ sciences geniuses and has won the Putnam math competition many times. You have to be genuinely brillant (scientifically) to get into MIT, because admissions doesn't put as much weight on non-science extracurriculars, athletics, family fame, etc. Because of the hellish work load, people tend to be less egotistical and more collaborative. Although Princeton and Harvard are competitive in the theoretical sciences, MIT tends to have an edge in engineering and applied science.
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