<p>My son was admitted to HYP and is having some difficulty deciding which would be best. We are Americans living overseas, so our son was not able to attend any of the preview programs this month (although we visited these colleges during the summer). He wants to major in pure mathematics, but also loves acting and hopes to find extracurricular theatre opportunities--perhaps improv. He has also been on his high school's speech and debate team and hopes to continue debating in college. He has heard that Princeton's undergraduate caters to the upper echelon of math majors and that it fails to provide a solid grounding in fundamental math. Of course besides his major in math, he would like to have a great overall undergraduate experience. As you know, he has to make a decision soon! I would really appreciate your thoughts regarding this dilemma.</p>
<p>There is only one Harvard. Tell him to go to this site and press play.</p>
<p>Harvard</a> College Admissions Office: Experience Harvard</p>
<p>As a math major, he should either go to Harvard or Princeton. Harvard has the better reputation, though. Yale is iffy at best in terms of math.</p>
<p>^^haha. UCLA ph.d, I see that you are a harvard man. But, methinks that Princeton is a bit more artistic than H and also a bit more undergrad focused...it could fit this person better, especially bc of the theatre interest. But, I am no expert on this subject by any means.</p>
<p>As far as debate, all three schools participate in the American Parliamentary Debate Association and do very well. APDA style debate more than almost any style I've seen stresses thinking on your feet, so your improv-inclined son might really enjoy it.</p>
<p>Don't know if this helps, but Yale has by far the best graduate theater program of the three. Like, lightyears far. That might impact the quality of\opportunities for theater on campus in general. I'm not sure, just something to think about.</p>
<p>Yale and Princeton would be great for his extracurricular ambitions. Think of all the theatre interest at Yale because of the Drama School, and at Princeton (where I'm currently located), the list goes on and on: Princeton Triangle Club, Princeton Players, Theatre Intime, Quipfire Improv. Comedy, Princeton Stand-Up Comedy Club, etc... Don't forget, Princeton is also the home of the famous Whig-Cliosophic Society, the oldest debating society of its kind. </p>
<p>As for the maths concerns, I'm afraid that your son is partially right. Let us just say there are some professors in Princeton's math department that relish in teaching the nuts and bolts to undergrads, and really enjoy getting students well entrenched in the mathematical world. Then, there are some that are way up in the clouds; meaning they are primarily concerned about theory and advanced ideas, and they find teaching the basics excruciatingly boring. Unfortunately, often times both "types" of professors are obligated to teach introductory classes, so thats when students can take the initiative to find out about the professors from their classmates and see which maths classes to take and when. </p>
<p>For example, when I took integral calculus as a freshman, we got a post doc from Macedonia with an eight-syllable last name. She taught the class like it was making her late for some other appointment, and it was awful. Then when we got our paperback study guides, I noticed it was written by another Maths prof named A. Banner. I found out that Dr. Banner was teaching another section of the same class, and after finagling a little, I was able to switch to the other section. Turns out I was right: Dr. Banner was an excellent professor who really enjoyed making calculus interesting and fun for his students. So the moral of the story is, although the "head in the clouds" mentality exists in Princeton Maths, all you have to do is put your fog lights on.</p>
<p>go with princeton. for the combo of the two things your son is looking for, it beats out the other two. i posted in your thread in yale forum.</p>