Harvard vs. Princeton - admit rate vs. 1st gen hook

Applying to College
1

Hello,

I sorted of promised myself I’d never do a “Chance Me” thread for my son, but I do need some advice.

For his one SCEA app, he is looking at Harvard and Princeton. Harvard has a lower admit rate than Princeton, but my son benefits from Harvard’s looser definition of a 1st Gen college student. Neither my wife, nor I graduated from college, but we did take a few classes at a local CC. My son has been receiving a bunch of Harvard 1st Gen mailings, so it seems like a hook (albeit a very tiny one).

My son is a high stat kid that loves all his subjects, but likes engineering, history and economics slightly more the the rest. He has a 36 ACT, 2310 SAT, a NMSF (likely NMF), National AP scholar, 4.0 UW, 3/729 class rank, and is taking CC math courses this year. He has some oddball EC’s that are good / interesting, but nothing breathtaking.

Due to time and finances, we haven’t toured either school, but we hope to do so in November. Unfortunately, that would be too late for an informed SCEA application. So we are just studying the schools online, looking at courses, professors and virtual tours.

My son really doesn’t care where he studies, he just wants a STEM + Liberal Arts school, to be surrounded by brilliant students and have challenging courses. He doesn’t have a strong opinion between the two, he likes both schools. Princeton has a better engineering record, but Harvard is rapidly catching up with recent large donations. Both schools offer excellent non-STEM opportunities.

Any advice? Is the minor hook, if it is indeed one, worth applying to Harvard, or should he apply to Prinecton with its slightly higher admit rate?

He has already completed applications to the following public schools:

Texas A&M (auto admit) - ChemE and University Honors Program
University of Alabama - Computer-based Honors Program
UT Austin (auto admit) - ChemE and Plan II Honors Program

The ChemE major is just a reflection of him wanting to choose a harder engineering program (and he likes chemistry). But he is equally happy to study Bioengineering or Electrical Engineering, both available at Harvard SEAS. At Princeton, he’d most likely go for Chemical and Biological Engineering.

I greatly appreciate your time and opinions,
psy

2

Honestly, your son has great stats but they are both still crap shoots. The difference in acceptance rates is fairly meaningless and incredibly low at both schools. If he truly doesn’t care, pick the one closer to home/cheaper flights. Good luck!

3

@doschicos :slight_smile: we are in Austin, TX so flights are about the same, and I realize the lottery-like nature of these schools. Thank you for advice!

4

Jumping out of an airplane using a parachute w 6% chance of opening is pretty much the same thing as jumping out of an airplane using a parachute w a 7% chance of opening.

Pick on the basis of some MEANINGFUL difference.

5

Have you thought about any other reach (or high match) schools? Suggestions: WUSTL, Northwestern, Cornell, Tufts, Hopkins, Vanderbilt, Rice.