<p>My S was accepted to all three. He was accepted ND early admissions and pictured himself going there for a while. He loves sports and traditions along with strong academics.He was accepted RD by both Harvard and Northwestern.Notre Dames would cost $12,000 more. In his heart he likes Notre Dame but do you think he would be crazy passing up on Harvard or Northwestern for less? He's leaning towards Buisness,Economics or Statistics.Can anyone help with what school they would chose and why?</p>
<p>Truthfully, you can be happy at any college. Once you are attending a school, you tend to forget about all the other choices that you had as you begin to embrace your new home, wherever it might be. If Notre Dame is going to cost $48,000 more than Harvard over the course of 4 years, send your son to Harvard, and offer to buy him a car when he graduates! it’s really a no-brainer!</p>
<p>bostown, let me share an anecdote, </p>
<p>I had a nephew admitted to both Harvard and ND (among many other schools), and at a family reunion he was talking about possibly accepting ND - citing gold helmets. touchdown Jesus, Knute Rockne, etc.</p>
<p>My father (his grandfather), who was a very quiet, proper man, looked up from his dinner as my nephew spoke about his intention to forsake his Harvard admittance for ND, and said, “Jason, are you f_cking high?” </p>
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<p>But I’m sure your son will be happy wherever he goes. If it’s ND, he’ll always be known as 'the kid who went here instead of Harvard".</p>
<p>There’s something funny about Harvard vs. ND - it seems to come up a lot. My Harvard interviewer told me he would’ve gone to ND if he hadn’t gotten into Harvard. He also said he didn’t regret it a bit. He was an econ major and now works in finance.</p>
<p>If ND is in your son’s heart, then that’s where he should go. But make sure he weighs all the options and visits each school. I do think that Harvard seems like the odd one out here - ND and NU are both very rah-rah/school spirited/midwestern schools, and Harvard is, well, none of those things.</p>
<p>If you want to take the Notre Dame option, I suggest you at least try to negotiate for more aid. I’ve heard that people negotiate by telling a school about the aid packages that other schools are offering.</p>
<p>ND has matched H & NW offer. All things being financially equal what school would you chose and why? I’m sure he’ll do great whatever school he chooses but I’m afraid whens he"s 30 y.o., he’ll ask me why I didn’t talk him into going to Harvard.</p>
<p>Has he visited these schools? The differences are clear when visiting. Harvard has a diverse student population vs the more homogeneous feel of ND. ND much more rah rah. Etc etc etc have him do his homework! Nice choices. What are his interests outside academics. That could help tip balance too.</p>
<p>I’ll share an anecdote.</p>
<p>The summer between my daughter’s freshman and sophomore year, when she was looking for a summer job, she walked into various businesses asking about employment. When told, “Sorry, we don’t have anything available.” my daughter asked if she could leave her resume. As she was walking out the door, the employers noticed Harvard on the top of her resume and said “Wait, wait, wait, . . . please come back. You go to Harvard? For you, we’ll find something!” The H-bomb definitely works. Harvard’s reputation with employers, at least on the left and right coasts, opens doors that otherwise would be shut. Would employers have reacted the same way if they saw ND on a resume? Maybe in Indiana, but not in NYC or Los Angeles. </p>
<p>If your son wants business or economics, Harvard is the place to go.</p>
<p>If your son is still lamenting his college choice at age 30, well, there may be other issues. I’m sure Gibby is right about the the Harvard network, but I’m guessing Gibby is in the northeast and thus suffers from a form of geoegcentrism common to the inhabitants of that part of the country 
ND’s network is very, very big and exists everywhere in the US, even the coasts. My sister’s ND college roommate is the head of a division of a major wall st firm and a good friend is a successful TV writer in LA. Your son has a lot of great choices. Congratulations and good luck.</p>
<p>Is your son planning on pursuing an MBA eventually? If so, his undergraduate college experience will count; as will his summer internships and first job(s). Harvard’s network of internships and on-campus recruiters is stellar.</p>
<p>If his aim is to do business in the heartland rather than on the coasts, the Harvard label is not going to matter so much (or at all.)</p>
<p>You won is not crazy. He should attend the school that speaks to him.</p>
<p>Whoever is saying go to Harvard clearly just saw the title and said “no brainer Harvard” without reading the body post…</p>
<p>Just looking at the OP- I don’t think theres enough info for us to give you a good direction.</p>
<p>I think you know all the benefits of going to Harvard so theres really no need to go indepth about them- the connections, the network, the prestige, the supposed “superior academics” that are probably not that much better than the other 2 schools.</p>
<p>I haven’t been to any of these 3 schools but I can imagine that what the other 2 schools could offer that ND and Northwestern can’t is a vastly different type of social life, probably a more exciting athletics atmosphere if hes big on that (at ND).</p>
<p>NW and ND I would imagine offer a bit more relaxed atmosphere- where you aren’t intimidated by the such intense academically competitive atmosphere to take such huge roles in different ECs or start a company or go to africa to feed all the starving kids. </p>
<p>I’m sure you will find a more realistic aspect of “real life” at ND or Northwestern.</p>
<p>They are all 3 well respected schools that turn heads and if your son is smart enough to get into all 3 then I would think he’d be fine no matter which he picks.</p>
<p>The H Bomb I would imagine work really well but I would not go to Harvard just for that.
I’d say go to the admitted student day if he can to all 3 schools and do overnight or something because they really are very different schools with 3 different atmospheres. I would definitley not rule out ND at NU so quickly especially if it all costs the same.</p>
<p>Seriously, I do believe this is not AS simple as it first appears but, in the end, it isn’t too complicated either: without a compelling reason NOT to go to Harvard, I’d say Harvard for sure. Particularly for a student interested in economics/finance!!</p>
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<p>Ha - I’d have to agree. A man of few words, but when he spoke, you’d best pay attention.</p>
<p>My S has decided it will be either ND or Harvard. He has already visited ND and loved it. He is attending Harvard Visitas and will make up his mind after that. I thought this would be a an easy decision but ND keeps tugging at his heart. Everyone is assuming that he will choose Harvard but I’m not sure. As his parent, I think ND would be a better fit for 4 years but a Harvard diploma will help him more over his career. Do you think a Harvard diploma is that much better than ND’s ?</p>
<p>It much more depends on what he does to earn the diploma, doesn’t it? For example, he’ll get a Harvard diploma with all C’s, but that won’t be as valuable to him as an ND diploma with a 4.0. I am not trying to say that all C’s at Harvard equates to straight A’s at ND, but just that once you get to a school, it’s all about what you do while you’re there, rather than what the name of the school is, and you’re likely to do a lot more and a lot better if you’re happy. If your son believes after visiting both schools that he would be happier and fit in better at ND, then he should go there. End of story.</p>
<p>^^ this is good advice. There is a fair amount of research done in this area and kids who go to elite schools do well after graduation because they are the kind of kids who got into elite schools. The schools don’t create intelligent, motivated, organized, hard-working kids who tend to make good decisions; they admit them from high school. Certainly, some fields look more for Ivy grads and the names have cachet, but it’s probably akin to the effect of legacy status on admission. I’m not anti Harvard at all. My daughter absolutely loves it there and is doing well. My sister and her remarkably successful friends loved ND. Both great schools, but very different environments.</p>
<p>I just want to say grab your child and give him or her a hug. This monday made me realize that sometimes we get so consumed with the perfect college choice that we tend to forget what is truly most important, health and family. As a firefighter with the city of boston, I was immediately on scene of the 2nd explosion at the Boston Marathon. the horror and carnage I witnessed that day will always be with me. Days later I sit here and realize how fortunate I am to be sitting here typing this while many still cling to life in nearby hospitals lives forever changed. Today I am especially proud to be an American and Bostonian knowing together we stepped up as a nation and a city and refused to bend to evil.My S will choose either Harvard or ND and whatever choice he makes I will be happy. I will be happy just to hug him or my other children whenever I see them. Say a prayer to those who will no longer have this option.</p>
<p>Well said, bostown. As a Boston firefighter on the scene you were a force for good, one of many that day.</p>
<p>I agree completely, bostown. Thanks for being “one of the good guys.”</p>