<p>Congratulations, Clueless, what great choices! My older D graduated from Yale a few years ago. My younger D was offered the UDel distinguished scholar full ride last year, so we have done a lot of thinking about these schools. </p>
<p>I suggest that you do some serious thinking about the following: Do you think that you would do better if you were the big fish in the small pond, or would you do better in an environment where everyone was as intelligent and accomplished as you? </p>
<p>My older D loved Yale. She met interesting people and was involved in a wonderful acapella group. She traveled throughout the US and Europe with the group. The residential college system was lovely. But it was rather humbling for her when she quickly realized that she was no longer one of the smartest, most accomplished people in her grade (as she was, and I’m sure you are, in her high school). Some people thrive on the intellectual stimulation and don’t let themselves get intimidated by their amazing classmates, and they rise to the occasion. But others have a hard time knowing that there is always someone else who appears to know more. I suggest that you think about how you will handle that. </p>
<p>Also, in my experience, grad and professional schools are most interested in your gpa, the undergrad school appears to be secondary. In Yale, just about everyone there was at the very top of their high school class and there is no reason that you won’t do similarly well in college. But not everyone is able to do as well at Yale as they did in high school - half the students will graduate in the bottom half of the class. </p>
<p>Younger D is the type of person who does much better when she is the big fish in the small pond. We knew that an Ivy League school would not be for her. She ultimately decided not to go to UDel as she wanted to be closer to home and wanted a smaller school (she is in the Fordham honors program on a full tuition NMSF scholarship), but the U Del Distinguished Scholars program sounded great. It sounds like the Distinguished Scholars have a special advisor, get lots of mentoring, live in the honors dorm, get to go on winter break Honors study abroad trips and have opportunities to build close ties to professors.</p>
<p>I suggest that you seriously think about the money, research the departments (as suggested above), go to Bulldog Days and the accepted students day at UDel, and give some serious thought to which environment is most likely to work best for you. </p>
<p>I can’t advise you to go to one over the other, as I think that they are both great in different ways. You can’t go wrong with either one. I just wanted to bring up some points that I haven’t seen mentioned in prior posts.</p>
<p>Good luck with your decision!</p>