Harvard vs. Stanford?

<p>I'm a junior currently thinking about whether I would like to apply early to Harvard or Stanford. My brother attended Stanford and really enjoyed it, but I'm not really sure which one I would like to attend. So, what are the pros and cons of both schools in terms of educational quality, support, atmosphere, social life, etc....anything else you can think of? If it helps, I would like to major in English, but minor in Biology and apply to medical school.</p>

<p>You wouldn't be a legacy at either school by any chance would you?</p>

<p>No. My parents went to college in India.</p>

<p>Oh, so that doesn't make the decision any easier. I think that applying EA to Harvard helps slightly more than to Stanford, as they make such a big deal out of it not mattering on their website - but that could just be speculation I guess. </p>

<p>I'd go with Stanford - same prestige as Harvard yet far more fun, better weather etc.</p>

<p>They're both equally as good. I just like Harvard more cuz it's near home.</p>

<p>stanford has much better weather</p>

<p>I'd go to Stanford, but that's just me.</p>

<p>The great majority of those who are admitted to both, and have a choice, opt for Harvard.</p>

<p>my friend got into both last year and went to Stanford.</p>

<p>Different types of college towns; many say that Palo Alto area does not offer as much for students as Cambridge/Boston. Also, slightly different culturally, from what I've heard...sports seem to be a bigger thing at Stanford. Re support, I don't think Harvard is considered an especially supportive place--you really have to be an assertive person who is comfortable taking the initiative. I don't know about Stanford in that regard.</p>

<p>ok, ok. it is very true that people think stanford is in a boring area. my friend think it's really nice to decompress because it doesn't seem as busy as boston.</p>

<p>stanford and harvard are equal and just as prestigous... can't go wrong with either.</p>

<p>actually, harvard is probably a bit more prestigious. internationally.</p>

<p>after all, its stealing harvard, not stealing stanford</p>

<p>And "Harvard Man", not "Stanford Man."</p>

<p>"Harvard gets more big-screen action than all the other Ivies combined," the Yale Daily News ruefully reports...</p>

<p>"For a lot of people, Harvard is just shorthand for American higher education." </p>

<p><a href="http://www.yaledailynews.com/article.asp?AID=20239%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.yaledailynews.com/article.asp?AID=20239&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>"The great majority of those who are admitted to both, and have a choice, opt for Harvard."</p>

<p>That doesn't mean it's right for the OP, or anyone. Majoritarianism plagues our democracy.</p>

<p>And of course, there are films like "Orange Country," which portray the California/Stanford mystique.</p>

<p>That is true. </p>

<p>Simply because most people in recent times prefer Harvard to Stanford - if they have a choice - does not mean that EVERYONE does.</p>

<p>Well, "Stealing Harvard" was originally going to be "Stealing Princeton." </p>

<p>Still, I would pick Harvard over Stanford. Both are good, but Stanford is one of the top universities while Harvard is <em>the</em> top university.</p>

<p>Even so, I'm going to apply to Stanford early. People don't know to much about it hear in WI so it won't be as great a shock if I tell people about it. I once told my GC that I was thinking about applying to Harvard early and she just stared at me. I saved myself by changing it to Stanford, which is just as prestigious, but wasn't as great a shock for her. She doesn't quite understand how tough it is, she reacted by thinking that it was a easier school for admission. </p>

<p>Besides, being accepted to Stanford and waiting on Harvard would be one of the best situations to ever be in.</p>

<p>(Too bad my chances are extremely low for both...:()</p>

<p>Don't sell yourself short.</p>

<p>if you don't believe you belong there, nobody else will
that goes for anybody
especially the people who say 'i'll just expect rejection so that either i'll be pleasantly surprised or simply right'</p>

<p>I think that you have to be able to see yourself there but there is nothing wrong with saying that you expect rejection - as it is simply so hard to get in that there is no point getting your hopes up.</p>