If you had a choice between H and Pton which would you choose and why?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Harvard University
81

<p>Harvard is really terrific for its reputation and its faculty, but the small school feel of Princeton greatly appealed to me. I felt like Princeton had the perfect compromise between small, friendly liberal arts colleges and world-class research universities. Not to say that Harvard doesn't provide an amazing education, of course, but I'd choose Princeton.</p>

82

<p>more than 3/4 of those with the real world option disagree with you.</p>

83

<p>...Nothing wrong with a bit of disagreement. And I would hesitate before calling Harvard or Princeton or any Ivy League school "the real world option." Also, have you considered the idea that Princeton loses so many people to Harvard not necessarily because Harvard is better academically but because they feel Princeton is too socially exclusive? I mean, from talking to people who turned down Princeton, I inferred that the primary reason they chose to go elsewhere was the whole eating club factor. Just because Harvard might be more appealing to cross-admits socially it's not necessarily a better school academically. Just speculating here...Really though, Harvard is great. But I chose (Princeton ED) and would choose in this particular situation to go to Princeton because it had everything I liked about a big school and everything I liked about a small school.</p>

84

<p>Every individual is free to choose based on factors they consider important to them, and perceptions they have acquired from here and there.</p>

<p>My only point is that, as the facts disclose, others who, over the years, have undertaken the same analysis, have chosen Harvard over Princeton by a minimum margin of 3:1, and sometimes considerably higher.</p>

85

<p>also before anyone attempts to choke me with my own words I kid with the "real world option." that is all</p>

86

<p>by "real world option" I mean people admitted to both schools who can freely choose where to matriculate.</p>

87

<p>I know, I was trying to construct a clever Princetonian play on the phrase "real world" but I realized I failed horribly, which is the reason for the subsequent post. I apologize for my shoddy attempt at cleverness. I will now shut up and humbly wallow in Harvard's superiority.</p>

88

<p>It is not intrinsic "superiority" but rather the view of most applicants that, given the option, they would prefer Harvard. </p>

<p>This in no way indicates that Princeton is other than an excellent school - one of the very best.</p>

89

<p>I totally agree about Harvard. In fact, I would really like to go to Harvard for grad school. I just want to provide my reasons for applying ED to Princeton rather than Harvard I guess.</p>

90

<p>Princeton has the world "Prince" in it.</p>

<p>I mean, hello? You're effin' royalty when you go there. :-)</p>

91

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<p>You've obviously never done research at a medical school. If you did you'd know that there are dozens and dozens of research labs at most medical schools that aren't in located in hospitals and do a lot of basic biomedical research, not just clinical research. They also can and do employ a lot of undergraduates in these labs, giving them what is often their first taste of real research. I earned my Ph.D. in just such a medical school lab. We always had two or three undergrads working along side us there too. If the college had not had a medical school, they wouldn't have had those opportunities.</p>

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<p>I agree. Princeton is a fine school, and many of its graduates get into medical schools. It's certainly possible to get a good undergraduate biomedical education at Princeton. For that matter LACs do it all the time too. But for those students the experience would be richer and the opportunities greater if there were also a medical school handy with all the advantages that brings.</p>

92

<p>meh. I'd go to Princeton over Harvard. Then again, I'm physics and engineering. And I like a good beating when it comes to academics- to feel like I deserved every B and A that I receive and to fail when it is necessary to discover my limits and full capability. </p>

<p>But on second thought... damn... Princeton is just too... picturesque and isolated. I'd feel really bad lighting things on fire.</p>

<p>Really... just neither... =\ But trust me, you wouldn't want me at either of those schools anyway :P</p>

93

<p>


My D is a freshman at Harvard. She has Harvey Mansfield for her government class. Her Econ is taught by a presidential advisor, and her Expos is taught by a member of the editorial staff of the NY Times who is also published in hardback. Her arabic is taught by the department head. Sounds like pretty good undergraduate focus to me. She had the option of Harvard, Princeton, and Yale among others.</p>

94

<p>Well, I come from Jordan, and Harvard definitly wins over Princeton</p>

<p>Mr X: I got accepted to Harvard, Princeton and Duke!(and thats almost impossible, btw)
Mr. Y: OMG OMG OMG^infinity, you were accepted by H WOW WOW(and poor pton and duke, they are nonexistent) most ppl dont know what pton is!!)</p>

95

<p>Tell Mr. X he should go wherever he thinks he'll get the best education in his chosen major, not where people like Mr. Y have heard of. For example, if Mr. X were a prospective math or physics major, why would he choose Harvard over Princeton academics-wise when it has been basically established that Princeton is a bastion for mathematical/physical studies? Mr. X would end up doing more networking with many important people in his field if he were at Princeton than if he were at Harvard (which has good theoretical math/physics programs, but can't match Princeton's level).</p>

<p>If Mr. X were a prospective law major, then that'd be a different story. He should go to Harvard in that case because of the fact that Harvard is strong in law studies, not because of that Mr. Y.</p>

96

<p>Ginny:
My S decided to apply to Harvard (and not Princeton) as a math/physics major. A big draw was Math 55 which will allow him to take graduate level classes next year. While the profs he met at Princeton were exceedingly welcoming, he got the impression that he would be discouraged from taking graduate classes ("there are enough undergraduate classes to satisfy your needs.") Another was the possibility of doing a joint math/physics degree (not allowed at Princeton). He is looking forward to taking classes with Shim-tong Yau (as in Calabi-Yau manifold), Lisa Randall, Lene Hau among other physicists.
Princeton is not the only math/physics bastion.</p>

97

<p>Ginny, lol. I just wanted to emphasize the fact that pton isnt very well known in Jordan.!!!!</p>

98

<p>And your point is? ;)</p>

99

<p>Pton Is Under The Drain!!!</p>

100

<p>Actually, Byerly, by any definition I did make the "Ivy League cut" but declined it for a superior institution in the West. But that is largely irrelevant. </p>

<p>Princeton and Harvard are both "math/physics" bastions but if someone wants a true liberal arts education, the choice is easy. </p>

<p>Harvard's education remains spotty and inconsistent. One only has to look at the lack of a core, the low level of student satisfaction (26th out of 31 top schools), and how Harvard FAS can't even claim an undergraduate focus. Sure, there may be star professors, but star professors tend to be out of touch and concerned with graduate students and research, not undergraduates. </p>

<p>The only reason that Harvard trumps Princeton in terms of cross-admits is because it has the name. The EDUCATION itself is no better and in many cases much worse (i.e. engineering). Most high-school seniors are clueless to evaluate such nebulous subjects as the "quality of undergraduate education" and can't distinguish superstar professors and their graduate students from the undergraduate education. </p>

<p>It is completely irrelevant whether Princeton or Harvard is better-known in Jordan. </p>

<p>As for Mr. Douthat, well, he did attend Harvard and write a book criticizing the common perceived problems with America's best-known institution. When I visited Harvard and talked to students, most of his criticisms appeared obvious.</p>