How do you feel about the benefits of the Robertson vs. the benefits of Harvard?
Is there still a cost difference?
I’d advise you to take the Robertson and don’t look back, but that’s just me, and I find a lot of value in the few truly special scholarship/fellowships out there, above and beyond just attending an Ivy, even Harvard. (My D is turning down Harvard for a similar opportunity).
Right. You’d be one of a handful getting a Robertson. You’d be one of thousands attending Harvard. Add up all the special big-money fellowships at high-ranked schools and they still wouldn’t come close to Harvard’s annual intake.
“After visiting the three, I do feel that H is the best fit for me.” If that’s the case, and you won’t need loans, then go to the best fit, Harvard.
If you think H is the fit, it is hard for us to tell you otherwise. The Robertson does offer a lot that you simply can’t get anywhere else. But Harvard will surely offer you exciting opportunities as well. Best wishes.
If $ no longer an issue, the obvious answer is that you go where you feel you’d be happiest. At the level of Harvard or the Robertson it is impossible to define the “better” choice.
Duke with Robertson > Harvard > Duke = Columbia
The above assumes there are no financial considerations and there are no fit preferences. Given the financial considerations it is a “no brainer.”
You can attend Harvard for graduate school (as I did).
Add me to Robertson vote
Duke.
(and tell people that you turned down Harvard to attend).
I went to Yale and grew up living in Harvard Square. I do alumni interviews for Yale and students who get the Robertson turn Yale down (obviously not always, can’t say about Harvard). However, my son - a double legacy at Yale with great scores and grades - turned down Yale for Duke, without the Robertson. Not only did he love Duke, so did all his friends. It is such a happy place for most students. In rankings (for whatever they are worth) it is just after MIT. You can certainly tell employers you turned down Harvard.
My son was recruited heavily in college and now 3 years out is doing extremely well as are his friends. He loved the beautiful campus, the school spirit, the sports (as an onlooker - he played intramural). He felt he got a first class education along with a type of college experience he wouldn’t get at a Yale or Harvard. He also got to meet and talk to Tim Cook, Melinda Gates and other prominent alums - there is a loyal and tight alumni network.
You have 3 great choices. You are clearly a standout student and it is your intellectual ability that will make you a success in life regardless of which school you go to. I would take the Robertson and not be in debt. You may well want to go to grad school and that would be a great time to go to Harvard. If money were not an option, then of course pick your first choice, but do know Duke has come far and you will be surrounded by extremely bright students
on a beautiful campus. Congratulations.
Plus, while some people like to talk about the magic fairy dust at places like Harvard and Columbia, the fact of the matter is that people who attend those places don’t get to partake in the community-wide joy of a special season by a sports team. If you haven’t ever experienced that, you don’t know what you’re missing (nothing against Harvard-Yale, but evidently, that game doesn’t have the intensity of some HS football games).
And Duke is one of only a handful of schools that competes at the highest level in sports and also is a true Ivy-equivalent.
(Now I’m going to wash myself after lavishing so much praise on Duke).
D was one of Robertson finalists who got rejected…so congrats!! Even though Duke has the worst dorms she has seen, she would have gone to Duke if she got Robertson.
D picked Vandy (full tuition) over MIT, U Chicago, etc As we are full pay, we will be depositing $200k in her name over several years. She believes she can determine her success, not the school she goes to. And she will have better GPA for graduate or med school.
Also what is your major? If engineering, definitely Duke.
Best of luck!!
@crocadile1246 Being able to graduate debt free from Harvard makes a difference in this decision but I’m guessing there is still a tremendous amount of money to consider for you and your family. Spending that kind of money is a personal choice, but unless your family is very wealthy and can pay for Harvard without loans or significant sacrifice, then the Robertson is by far the better choice. If you think the expense of graduate school is in your future, or if your major is in an area where “brand” means very little then it’s a no brainer. Duke with the Robertson will take you just about anywhere a Harvard undergrad degree will. Duke is a top tier prestigious university and the Robertson experience is so much more than free tuition and room and board.
My kid chose the Robertson over Stanford, U Chicago and others. I think you’ll find that many, if not most, of your Robertson cohorts will have turned down HYPS or the like so it is not an unusual decision at all.
You may have come across it already, but I found post #7 from this string last year to be very insightful. Best of luck.
http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/discussion/comment/19549182#Comment_19549182
Thanks so much for all of your input!!! I ended up selecting the Robertson at Duke. However, I was hoping that the minute I committed I would feel sudden relief and excitement. But two days later, I still feel like I made the wrong decision. I’m guessing this is typical when deciding between two incredible offers, but it’s not a great feeling!!
@crocadile1246 Yeah that’s normal. Even though I know I made the right choice for myself, I’m still questioning my decision, and my friends are like that too.
@crocadile1246 - The thread above was my thread from last year where both of my kids were choosing between Stanford and full rides elsewhere. If you would like to speak to my Robertson kid, feel free to PM me. Try to relax and enjoy the rest of your senior year.
Thanks again everyone!!! I chose the Robertson, and I am very happy about it!!
Did you get my daughter’s email? Hope so. Congrats and welcome to the Robertson family!!
Congrats!! My D chose Duke over Columbia & Brown. Coming out of her freshman year, she says it was the best decision she could have made. The opportunities so far have been phenomenal. Welcome to the Robertson family.