<p>You didn't say much about yourself personally, so I will just speak in general. Yale will be a little more stressful and difficult for you. Your family probably will not be able to help much, except with morale support. So, it will depend on your personal resources. Do you feel strong or deficient and vulnerable in certain areas- academic, social, health, physical appearance, energy level, ability to obtain jobs? If you feel tops in all of those areas, you will be able to handle the extra bit of effort and stress to go to Yale. If not, maybe you should think twice. Yale will cost a little more, you will have to work more hours in the school year and summers, and the travel may become a stress. But, it is not a big difference moneywise. However, if you are already feeling a little unsure or vulnerable in any area, maybe the easier, safer choice is better. No sense becoming overwhelmed- that is not the way to develop and thrive.</p>
<p>ok i really don't think it is worth it to think about "future connections"... this is your UNDERGRAD education. go with your heart!</p>
<p>My sister-in-law also borrowed +$150K for Pharmacy school but paid it all back less than 5-7 years. So $2000/year is not much, you will pay it back when you get a job. Inflation will eat up the value, ie you will owe less compare to your future salary. Go with what you like. It's really is a small amount in the scheme of things. Other factors you should consider like weather and location. Either way, consider yourself lucky to be able to owe less than $10K for a big name school.</p>
<p>I have a similar situation myself, I have to decide in the next couple of days between Emory and Georgia Tech (not exactly Stanford and Yale, but still a hard decision)
Emory- I have always liked the school, excellednt undergraduate business program (#4 ), Im not sure that I want to do business yet, but I know it is either that or some kind of international relations degree to go into law</p>
<p>Georgia Tech- I'm a resident of Georgia- so basically my tuition, book, room, board, everything is only about 2G
Also, my parents really want me to go to Georgia Tech
My major there would be international affairs and economics</p>
<p>scotti, the character of students at Emory and Tech are VERY different--I assume you have visited both? They are both great schools, of course, but the quality and number of friendships you have can make or break your college career.</p>
<p>On which campus do you feel a better social fit? That's huge. Good luck!</p>
<p>OneMom, I guess I do feel a little overwhelmed thinking about the extra stress of going to Yale. But I keep thinking that putting myself out of my comfort zone can only be good for me.</p>
<p>But I believe Stanford can put me out of my comfort zone just as well as Yale can. So I guess Stanford would be the better choice since I'm more comfortable with it, though it can still challenge me as much as Yale can.</p>
<p>scotti114, good luck to you. I'm not too familiar with the two schools so I can't help you there.</p>
<p>Ok, another list of pros and cons:</p>
<p>STANFORD
Pros: cheaper ($3,000/year, which is a lot to me b/c I come from low-income family), closer to home (come back for breaks easily), weather, beautiful campus
Cons: too close perhaps(?), maybe "easy" way</p>
<p>YALE
Pros: New experiences, outside of comfort zone
Cons: urban campus, far away, more expensive, lots of workstudy</p>
<p>To me, Yale's biggest con would be the lots of work study. I'm certainly not at all opposed to work study of some sort, but I think that it should be a reasonable amount (not that $4000 is an unresonable amount, exactly, but it is obviously more than you seem to be comfortable with). My parents were both on work study throughout college, and while they certainly value their educations and wouldn't have given them up to get that work study time back (they didn't have an equal, cheaper option like you have, though), my mother at least has expressed that she felt that that constant pressure did not allow her to really enjoy college as much. My father has also told me that he would prefer it if I didn't work during school, so I would be careful about overburdening yourself at Yale. </p>
<p>I can see how Stanford might seem safer, but (I apologize if this sounds presumpterous), I'm guessing that since you are from a low-income family, you haven't had a lot of opportunities to travel around, and thus even though Stanford is close, it will still probably feel like a big change for you. I'm a proponent of taking a risk, but not if it sounds uncomfortable for you, and Yale does sound kind of uncomfortable for you. Plus, that extra work study might make it harder for you to slide into life at Yale. Just my impressions.</p>
<p>OP: When you talk about Yale's work study, are you clear on what you mean? Every student has a $4,400 self-help component which is split between campus jobs ($11.30 and hour minumum) and subs. or unsub. stafford loans. You could work $2000 and come out only with $9600 in debt which is really manageable.
I'd recommend reading through the blue financial aid book that came in your acceptance packet. (And also that you go to Yale :-))</p>
<p>What amazes me about this thread is that there are such glaring flaws in both Yale and Stanford (for the OP). And if the OP could get into these two, he could certainly get into just about any other college in the world.</p>
<p>I would imagine that literally dozens of other colleges would provide superb educations without the bothersome flaws that these two have (Yale--too urban, crappy neighborhood, dirty bathrooms; Stanford--too big to even stroll around, too close to home, not especially intellectual). Is the OP that much of a slave to the US News rankings that he has to go to one of these super-elite schools even if both are so far from perfect for him?</p>
<p>Thanks for all your help guys. I have decided to go to with my heart and am heading to Yale in the fall!</p>
<p>yay congrats :D if you feel so good after making your decision, you've made the right one.</p>
<p>Good for you page--and scotti--are you going to be a 'dawg or a 'jacket???</p>