<p>Could anyone share their thoughts on why they choose to apply to/not apply to/accept/reject an offer from Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, and/or Columbia. I am having trouble narrowing down my college list and would like some input. Any factors about one college that made you love it or hate it? If you could choose from any of these, which would it be and why? Which is your least favorite and why? You get the point...thanks!</p>
<p>We're from the west coast and D did not apply to S because she wanted to go further away. She didn't apply to Columbia because she wasn't interested in the Core (leaned more towards an open curriculum like Brown) and didn't think she was ready to live in NYC. Didn't like the affluent, small town setting of P. Liked the residential colleges at Y and some other factors specific to her academic interests. Liked H due to the location in Cambridge/Boston.</p>
<p>Columbia has the best looking wall diplomas and the coolest baby blue football jerseys.</p>
<p>D2 applied to HYPC as her reaches last year. She chose them in part because her HS foreign language was Arabic and she wanted to be able to continue in that language beyond the first four levels. Her take on the schools was just like Entomom's D. We suggested C to her, but she was never really into the NYC thing and the notion that many students would be more city-focused than campus-focused. The small-town remoteness of P was a deterrent, but she'd have considered it if she hadn't gotten in at H or Y. She really liked H and Y, and was especially comfortable at H having visited there several times. The urban / suburban feel of Harvard Square was a big plus. She got into H and Y, declined the waitlist at C, and was turned down at P. The financial aid so favored H over Y that there was no real decision to make.</p>
<p>look at the similarities between the schools...
which one do you like most.. or ask ur self if u would go to one school over the other.</p>
<p>Apply to all 5 schools and your decision may be made for you.</p>
<p>i really need to get rid of some reaches...my college list is at like 14 schools right now...i would just like to hear how or why others chose what they chose...was it the vibe you got visiting, surrounding area, campus, student body, strength of program, etc.?</p>
<p>each school has their own supplement essays, so applying to all 5 would be a lot of work! plus the extra essays for the other schools on his/her list that require extra essays.</p>
<p>I agree that it will be very difficult to write high quality applications for 14 schools and that it is a good idea to drop a few reaches. You've heard some input from a couple of students who have actually visited these schools, been accepted and made choices. </p>
<p>While the student bodies of each of these schools may have somewhat different personalities, I don't believe that they are so different that you wouldn't be able to find "your people" at any of them. </p>
<p>All are incredibly strong in most academic areas, including English and PS. </p>
<p>Surrounding areas are very different with C at the far end of the spectrum, followed by H and then Y in size of the city, and finally S and P, both near large metropolitan areas, but located in the suburbs and small town, respectively. What is your preference for location, weather?</p>
<p>As gadad says, C is likely to be the least campus oriented of the group, but may be to your liking if NYC offers you opportunities or experiences that the other locations wouldn't. </p>
<p>The core at C is also different from the others, all of which have some form of general distributional requirements.</p>
<p>In the end you've just got to go with your gut.</p>
<p>Okay, here goes. I am partially changing my mind on the first two, due to the financial aid available, but as of now, they are both nos.</p>
<p>Also, if anyone else would wish to dispel the reasons for not applying to H or Y, I'm open to arguments or information.</p>
<p>Not applying:</p>
<p>H - Didn't like the location in Boston; most recognized Ivy/more people there for the name alone.</p>
<p>Y - New Haven wasn't an appetizing city, to me. Too much perceived emphasis on humanities for my tastes.</p>
<p>C - The size of the student population, the location in New York, the lack of campus, and the core. Really easy choice for me to not apply.</p>
<p>Am applying:</p>
<p>P - Liked the small town, secluded feel of Princeton and the campus itself. Small undergraduate population and heavy emphasis on undergraduate was appealing. Greater emphasis on sciences.</p>
<p>S - Absolutely everything appealed to me. I don't want to get into it, but the only thing that seemed bad to me was the lack of snowfall in the winter, and perhaps the proximity to the Bay Area. But because the campus is so big, and set on the edge of the population center, the latter concern is nearly completely negated.</p>
<p>Thats funny your choice was the absolutely opposite for me, but to each its own. Just on one note for C though, it still has a vibrant campus life, but it also has access to a world class city. So don't look at it as a loss of something like a typical college campus experience, but rather a balance between two great ones (NYC AND CAMPUS)</p>
<p>It would be interesting to know the fourteen schools on your list. Also, it's easy to understand your dilemma as all five universities are regarded as the best in the nation for good reasons. Again, I encourage you to keep all five on your list so there are no regrets later in life and because it is highly unlikely that you will get admitted to all five even with stellar apps for all.
P.S. My son spent two summers at Harvard and loved it. He was placed in the best dorm both years & was treated well. He only wanted to apply to three schools including Harvard; he did not apply to Harvard, but was admitted to his other two.</p>
<p>"S - Absolutely everything appealed to me. I don't want to get into it"</p>
<p>Wait, what?</p>
<p>I don't think the fact that some people will be at Harvard for simple prestige should deter you from applying to the school. There will be people at every Ivy who are there just because it's an Ivy.</p>
<p>I meant don't want to get into it, as is don't want to elaborate.</p>
<p>Columbia, Harvard, and Stanford may be better choices for graduate school.</p>
<p>Yale has an interesting residential system and strong undergrad focus, whereas Princeton is unrivaled in its setting the ideal balance between a university atmosphere and a liberal arts education.</p>
<p>In the end, one will most likely choose Harvard. The prestige is irresistible, especially after one has visited the Harvard Club in New York City =P</p>
<p>Does Yale really have that much of an undergraduate focus? I'm seriously reconsidering not applying there, now.</p>
<p>^^^That's why ppl who choose it over Harvard choose it, I think. That's the feeling I get from ppl I know and ppl on the boards. Residential colleges, etc...</p>
<p>Yeah, don't bother, you'll be rejected anyway =P</p>
<p>I don't understand what's wrong with undergraduate focus when you're applying to an undergraduate institution. Unless you want to get lost in the faceless crowd and hundred person lectures, never get the chance to have an in-depth conversation with your professors, be left to perish if you're failing, etc.</p>
<p>All 5 of these colleges are incredibly different and you come off as being very prestige-obsessed. Why not apply to the entire gamut of USNews top schools while you're at it?:rolleyes:</p>
<p>All of these schools will get you what you want, if prestige and top jobs, placement, etc are your goals. </p>
<p>Harvard, however, offers the biggest brand name in all of academia--which is hard to resist. IMO, Harvard trumps.</p>