<p>I got into Stanford EA and also applied to Harvard. I wouldn't know what to do if Harvard accepts me.</p>
<p>Let's say you get into both Harvard and Stanford. Which school would you pick and why? What are the pros and cons of each school?</p>
<p>Harvard.</p>
<p>But, I mean, that's just me. Be more specific ;) What do you think are the pros and cons of each school? What do you want to do with your undergrad years?</p>
<p>And mazel tov on making it into Stanford!! Either school is amazing :)</p>
<p>personally, I would attend Stanford for its location, as I live in California.</p>
<p>Harvard is more prestigious world-wide if it is a factor you're considering.</p>
<p>But honestly, you can't go wrong with either.</p>
<p>stanford. more social life. better sports team. not as cold. near san francisco though....</p>
<p>Well do you like Taco Bell? If so, you'll feel right at home at Stanford.</p>
<p>ha ha ha. :D</p>
<p>I live in New York and have never been to California. Anyone know about the Stanford campus, compared to Harvard's? I wasn't too impressed with Harvard when I visited.
Also, are students at Harvard more competitive? Is Stanford's atmosphere much more laid-back? Big difference?
Any comments on the social and natural science departments at the schools would be helpful.
Thanks.</p>
<p>Camus--The only department I can comment on between the two is astronomy/astrophysics, which is much better at Harvard than at Stanford (and one of the major reasons that Stanford is lower on my list even if I'm accepted). Otherwise, I recommend visiting Stanford whenever you get a chance, sit in on a few classes, meet with profs, etc. And if you get accepted to H, visit there as well. You'll feel which is right for you :)</p>
<p>Your impression of Harvard when visiting might be enough to turn you off to the place. Remember, you're going to be there for four years of your life, you'd better like it!! That being said, I've never heard of anyone go to Stanford and not love it. So...</p>
<p>that's a great question! Although I got into Harvard, I had to decide whether or not I would apply to Stanford prior to learning of my fate because the Stanford due date was Dec. 15. Stanford had been my dream school for most of my life (almost by default since it was the most high profile school anyone from my school had gone to recently and other reasons) Anyways, I ultimately decided not to apply simply because of the location and atmosphere. Like you, I have never visted Stanford or California. I thought for the longest time that it would be great to go cross-country to school and even had connections there. However, after some "soul-searching" (granted, somewhat based on generalizations) I realized that I wouldn't been happy living in the So. Cal lifestyle. One of the teachers who wrote a recommendation, had lived near there and echoed my sentiments. Actually, she had lived near Stanford, Dartmouth, and Harvard and helped me decide which was for me, since those three schools seem to reflect three unique lifestyles and flavors.</p>
<p>However, since you are from New York (I'm assuming you live in a hustle and bustle environment) maybe you'd like the tempo change. As far as I know, Stanford students are more laid back in general and well, it's simply a great school that's the same size as Harvard. If Harvard and Stanford were neighbors in Cambridge, I probably would go to Stanford, I have to say.</p>
<p>Sorry if I just babbled and didn't help any but there should be some factual, helpful info in there somewhere!</p>
<p>Tonybonthemic: </p>
<p>Actually, Stanford is considered part of Northern, not Southern California. Anyways, Stanford's campus is extraordinarily large and filled with numerous restaurants, gyms, churches, etc. I've never visited Harvard, but have heard Stanford has arguably the best campus of any US college. It's hard for me to disagree.</p>
<p>Students at Stanford are generally less academically oriented than at Harvard, with tons of parties going on at all hours of night, although there are plenty of party animals at both colleges. </p>
<p>As for specific departments, I know that Harvard is superior at mathematics, physics, and chemistry. Stanford is better at computer science, and both schools are equally awesome for biology and pre-med. I don't have any first-hand knowledge of the other departments.</p>
<p>My daughter was accepted to both and chose Harvard - mostly because she regards Boston as the ideal town in which to attend college. So Stanford was never really in the running with her. She had a much harder time choosing between Harvard and MIT.</p>
<p>i'd choose Harvard, but that's cuz I've lived in the Bay Area my whole life.</p>
<p>I pick Stanford. Harvard's cold, the campus is crap, and the Boston/Cambridge area is overrated.</p>
<p>I've been to both places and tend to find the whole California lifestyle/weather to be largely overrated. Plus the fact that Stanford is almost 50% Californians was kind of a turn off. People like to talk about how great the campus is, but my cousin there has been begging her mother for a car.</p>
<p>I picked H. I love the colder weather. (Plus, you have so many more options for clothes!) I personally really like the red brick campus. I felt like there were just so many more options in the Boston area and thousands of other university students in the city, and enjoyed the NE lifestyle. And for me, the ability to enroll in graduate classes at the Kennedy School of Government sealed the deal.</p>
<p>It's really gonna come down to little things and basically you'll have to visit and see!
I ended up applying EA to H, and didn't even apply to Stanford.</p>
<p>candlize "i love the colder weather"</p>
<p>LOL, jk</p>
<p>i would've chosen Stanford... Stanford has been my dream school for SO long, but in the end, i decided not to apply =/ sigh.</p>
<p>Personally, Harvard. Stanford is in California, and I'm not a fan of that state...</p>
<p>I happen to have legacy from both Stanford and Harvard. I really want to go to both, but I can't decide which one to apply early admit to. Any differences between these two schools as to how they will view a legacy EA?</p>
<p>thanks in advance for your input</p>
<p>I would imagine Harvard but I'm not sure. Legacy meaning a parent went there, right? Other legacies don't count at either, I think. Anyway, your early app should be shaped by which school you truly prefer, not by which one you're more likely to get into based solely on legacy. Legacy, I believe, makes the same impact (which is actually relatively little) in each stage.</p>
<p>Of the two, Harvard is clearly the superior university - it is, after all, the best university in the world ;)</p>
<p>I think, academically, Harvard would be (slightly) more stimulating and challenging and while social life might not be as great as Stanford and while people might not be as 'laid back', it'll still be good fun - it is a university after all.</p>
<p>Whoa, how did your parents meet?</p>