<p>What makes Princeton essentially different from Harvard and Yale?
What strengths and weaknesses sets each of these schools apart from each other?</p>
<p>Just wondering...</p>
<p>In my opinion, Princeton has the most beautiful campus of any of the Ivies.
I also think that the environment at Princeton is a lot more upbeat and fun.
From what I hear, the Eating Clubs are AMAZING and the students at Princeton have a work hard, play harder lifestyle. </p>
<p>Check this to see pics of the campus</p>
<p>Although I am an adult, college parent, I know several students at each of the three schools. On that very narrow basis, I can recommend Harvard & Yale. Having visited all three schools, selecting among them-if accepted to all three-should be fairly easy because the campus cultures are quite different, in my opinion.</p>
<p>Princeton IS beautiful. But then again, so is Yale :P.</p>
<p>Really?
I don't really think Yale is all that great lol
And I'm not really fond of the surrounding area either</p>
<p>I agree with rd3!</p>
<p>To me the Yale campus seems a lot more urban and I get more of gated Country Club feel from Princeton</p>
<p>The focus of Princeton and Yale is undergrad.
The focus of Harvard is grad.</p>
<p>^o_0. Yale has great grad schools, especially law. Don't underrate Harvard undergrad (BY ANY means). and I'll agree that the focus of Princeton is undergrad because it doesn't have any grad schools. Harvard's grad schools are phenomenal as well.</p>
<p>and Yale, atleast imo, is UGLY. I heard a gunshot while I was on campus. New Haven is a trashy city. Some of the architecture is nice, but to say that it's beautiful is too much for me.</p>
<p>Princeton does have graduate schools, you surprised me for a second. Princeton</a> University - The Graduate School - Departments & Programs</p>
<p>but yea Yale has the residential college system. Harvard is next to Boston. Princeton has John Nash.</p>
<p>Princeton also has a residential college system. Along with eating clubs and secret fraternities.</p>
<p>
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Although I am an adult, college parent, I know several students at each of the three schools. On that very narrow basis, I can recommend Harvard & Yale
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</p>
<p>ColdWind, could you elaborate on this? I'm an incoming Princeton student and I'd want to know what turned you off Princeton. :)</p>
<p>
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I also think that the environment at Princeton is a lot more upbeat and fun.
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</p>
<p>lol.........</p>
<p>
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Princeton also has a residential college system. Along with eating clubs and secret fraternities.
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</p>
<p>They are not at all comparable.</p>
<p>what's so funny??....</p>
<p>And your right there not comparable. I actually think Princeton's social scene seems a lot better than H or Y</p>
<p>My son got into H, Y and P last year and spent time at each. Princeton won easily with its gorgeous campus, exceptional math and physics, undergraduate focus, fun people and social scene. At every step of the way, Princeton has been amazing with its support and warmth.</p>
<p>I personally hated Yale's campus and thought the people were cold and unfriendly while the people at Princeton were just the opposite. While Princeton and Yale are both quite old I thought Princeton looked majestic but Yale just looked like it needed some work. Surrounding area also goes to Princeton, quiet and suburban whereas Yale looked like it was an an industrial park. Harvard I can't comment on, didn't look at it and didn't apply. But as far as education goes you can debate it all you want but they're all pretty much the same, the courses/clubs/professors at all three are the best of the best.</p>
<p>screwitlah: My earlier post is meant to suggest that schools are often unfairly associated with the values & character of its students. Princeton University is clearly among the top universities in the world. I prefer not to comment further as every school has a variety of personalities with both good & bad character traits and, due to its status, some students will do almost anything to get admitted.</p>
<p>I only visited Princeton and Yale, but I definitely like Yale better. I think a lot of it has to do with how the tours, etc, are presented, but here are some reasons I liked Yale -</p>
<p>Agree with eatingfood about the RCs not being comparable. Most Princeton RCs are 2 years and you're just waiting to be old enough to join an eating club. At Yale, RCs are meant to be more of the Hogwarts home-away-from-home all four years.</p>
<p>Yale's in a city! This is mostly personal preference I guess, but I'd rather be somewhere urban for college - the time of seeing the world - rather than a suburb. New Haven undoubtedly has its ugly spots, but I cannot see how anyone could view Yale's own architecture as anything but beautiful, with its green courtyards and Gothic RCs.</p>
<p>The students I met at Yale were very warm and down-to-earth. Yale students always seem to be described that way, from whoever, on sites like these. Yale is described as one of the less competitive (of HYP) and I think that's important in a college.</p>
<p>I had somewhat the opposite impression as Henry Gale regarding "cold and unfriendly" people (the Yale people were really warm while the Princeton people were... average?) but I don't know if a brief visit can really tell you what the people are like. My overall impression was more like Daxzzler's, but if I'm lucky enough to be admitted to both I think I'll do those admitted student overnights before deciding.</p>
<p>As for Harvard, I didn't like it when I visited. The weather probably influenced my decision a lot, since I visited on an icky day, but the presentation and tour failed to give me a reason to apply. I heard a lot of "it's the greatest place in the world" but nothing to really set it apart.</p>
<p>As an aside -- when I read sites like this, and when I talked to a friend at Harvard, I always hear one of the best things about Harvard is "the people." What's with that? I don't hear it to that extent anywhere else.</p>