Harvard vs Stanford vs Jefferson Scholarship at UVA

Colleges and Universities A-Z Harvard University
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Okay everyone so I’m attempting to choose between these three options. I’m an international student coming from the UK.

I should also mention that I am British Asian (of Indian descent)

UVA Jefferson Scholarship is a full ride plus perks such as foreign travel, spending money, internships and leading opportunities. This is therefore definitely the cheapest option.

I’m honestly leaning towards Harvard or Stanford at the moment so mainly looking for perspectives on those two. Harvard is offering better financial aid than Stanford.

I’m hoping to major in philosophy or political science and then go into either journalism, politics or entrepreneurship in the future.

I’m an extrovert and I like to party but I also enjoy having fascinating conversations about everything and anything with diverse groups of incredible people. I don’t think I’d want to be in a finals club or fraternity but I definitely want to be able to party, dance etc.

In terms of ECs I’m very into the performing arts (theatre specifically), dance, debating, charity work and fine (visual) art. I’d be looking for a vibrant scene in these areas.

Concerns right now are the apparently cutthroat atmosphere at Harvard, greek life/segregation and lack of diversity at UVA, and the dominant techie feel at Stanford. I love interdisciplinary learning, particularly in areas of ethics and politics, and perhaps Harvard has a more intellectual/humanities discussion type feel around campus)

Please help give me any advice you can offer. The weather, beach and laid-back nature of the West Coast is definitely a plus but I’m trying to not let that be a deciding factor because it’s easy to go based on stereotypes of Harvard being cutthroat, competitive and socially inactive (this can’t be true with so many students and other colleges in Boston surely?!).

Sports aren’t huge for me but I’m definitely into fitness. I do like debating/discussing politics, philosophy and the world at 3 or 4 in the morning but I also like to enjoy life as a normal teenager.

I’m looking for open-minded, ambitious, collaborative, fun people and a place where I can work hard, play hard, and party hard while having an amazing 4 years with people that will open up my mind and inspire me in so many different ways.

Thanks in advance for all your help — I count myself very lucky and fortunate to be in this position!

Please let me know anything you can!

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Can you (or your parents) afford to attend Harvard with the financial aid being offered? Does money factor into the equation?

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@SomeDancinPanda If your parents can afford Harvard or Stanford without going into significant debt or anything then go for one of them vs UVA. Both choices are top notch for what you want to study/do later, maybe Stanford has a slight edge for entrepreneurship but Harvard holds its own and more. It comes down to fit I think. I don’t think Harvard is more cutthroat than Stanford and also there is a strong tech component at Stanford but I wouldn’t say it dominates all else given that Stanford is super strong in the humanities/social sciences too not just STEM. Just research the schools as much as possible, look at previous Stanford vs Harvard posts in here, ask around if there are any Stanford, Harvard alumni or current students from your high school.

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FWIW: My advice would be the opposite of @Penn95: Accept the Jefferson Scholarship at UVA. That’s a savings to your family of $250K over the full-sticker price of Harvard or Stanford. With the money your parents are saving, they can buy you a car, send you to exotic places for winter break, spring break and summer vacation or allow them to pay for graduate school! You will receive just as good an education at UVA as you would at Harvard or Stanford. I’m a firm believer in the philosophy of Jeffrey Brenzel, Yale’s recently retired Dean of Admissions

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Before deciding, speak to Stanford Fin Aid. Let them know your Harvard fin aid award. See if they will match.

Also, speak with Harvard Fin Aid. Let them know of your UVA scholarship and see if they can improve.

There is no harm in asking both H and S to try to sweeten the deal.

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One of my friend’s brother chose Jefferson Scholar over Harvard and has not regretted it. Though Harvard and Stanford are undoubtedly amazing, a Jefferson Scholar is basically set for life with all the connections you make. That’s not to say you won’t be as successful at Harvard or Stanford. Plus, the money saved will be great.

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I agree with Motodile. The connections you make as a Jeff Scholar are every bit as impressive as those you might make as a Stanford or Harvard student; lots of Jeff scholars have multiple ivy acceptances, and they turn them down for the free ride at UVA. It’s hard to justify spending anything when someone is willing to foot the bill for a prestigious school like UVA. (They’re one of the few highly ranked schools that offer merit scholarships. I would give the same advice for the Cornelius Vanderbilt Scholarship, for example.). I can’t fathom why anyone in your situation would spend the money unnecessarily. Save the $ and put it toward grad school, a house, etc.

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I would go with Harvard or Stanford. It is a once in a life opportunity for you. I agree with Penn95

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Thank you for all your responses so far - I should add that, were I to accept Stanford or Harvard, I would be likely to end up with a sizeable sum of student debt. I would recieve some financial aid from Harvard but next to none from Stanford, so it would be my responsibility to pay back the money after graduation. I’m worried this could trap me into picking a better paid job that I may not enjoy long term, preventing me from taking risks.

Socially, however, I do think the diverse, open minded student bodies at Harvard and Stanford are a better fit for me than UVA.

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I would go for the full scholarship at UVA, definitely! There’s nothing like debt to tie you down later in life. I would imagine there are a large number of open minded students at UVA.

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This is a no-brainer. The education you will receive at Harvard is NOT worth going into debt for (and I’m saying this with a daughter who graduated debt-free from Harvard). Go to UVA!

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If Harvard wont give you a free ride doesn’t that mean your parents have substantial assets? What do they say? I am not sure you yourself could get very much in student loans to pay for Harvard or Stanford. It would have to be your parents anyway. There are some people in this forum who are very knowledgeable in this arena

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My kid goes to Harvard. We are paying for it. It is worth every penny and then some for the education and experiences. I completely disagree with gibby but you and your parents need to reach your own conclusion. As an aside my kid turned down competitive full rides for Harvard.

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Full Disclosure: Due to Harvard’s wonderful financial aid, my daughter attended Harvard for less than the cost of our flagship state school. As our family could not afford to pay full fare at Harvard (or any private school for that matter), if my daughter had not been admitted to Harvard, she would have gone to our state school and that would have been just fine. So, yes Harvard was worth the cost for us, but it wouldn’t have been if we would have gone into debt for it.

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“I would be likely to end up with a sizeable sum of student debt.”

What’s sizable here? $20k is ok; $80k is not.

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Yes, it is really a matter of how much debt you would be taking on. UVA is a great school and you would receive a fine education there, especially so in the program you have been accepted.
Harvard is an amazing school, but the debt piece has to be weighed very carefully. The immediate gratification of attending where you want to go has to be balanced with good sense and logic. Having no debt entering in to the next stage of your education or your working life is a very significant thing.
Lastly, Harvard is not cut throat and socially inactive. For the most part the students are very gracious and collaborate with one another. This is my perspective from a parent whose daughter is a Sophomore there (Government concentrator). Socially inactive? Not hardly! I just spoke to our daughter a short time ago, she attended a formal last night, she is headed to a Sorority retreat right now, she has a meeting this afternoon for an extra curricular activity she participates in at Harvard, she is attending a party this evening. Tomorrow is Yardfest at Harvard. I was teasing her, asking her if there was any chance she was going to fit any school work in this weekend.
There is no end to the interesting and fun things to do at Harvard.

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You have three great choices. I will add only this: my brother-in-law was accepted to Yale and UVA as a Jefferson Scholar. He chose UVA and his parents gave him a car and other perks. He has always regretted not choosing Yale, and his mother regrets it even more. If you do choose UVA, be sure you can do so without looking back.

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First, muchos congrats on getting into all three schools. There are a zillion kids who would kill to be in your position.

I agree with Eastgrad and others on the first page. A lot depends on what you want to do. In certain competitive fields, the greased pole remains a reality. Certain firms and companies recruit only at a very few top schools; sure, you can make your way in from other good schools like UVA, but it will be more difficult.

The atmosphere at Harvard is not cutthroat, though it doesn’t have the easygoing “feel” that Stanford does. Sure, you have to audition for extracurrics, but almost everyone makes it in. (And I’m sure performing arts groups everywhere require that.)

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“Sure, you have to audition for extracurrics, but almost everyone makes it in.”

Almost everyone makes it into a group where they can do the activity of their choice. It’s not true that almost everyone makes it in to the GROUP of their choice. I’d only recommend Harvard to students who can learn to be happy and at peace with that. There are some gigantic fish in that pond if you want to be in the Lampoon, a particular a cappella group, etc.