<p>This may be uncommon for this site, but I am a students athlete looking at notre dame vs some Ivy League schools such as Yale. I have always wanted to attend ND, but with the chance to attend yale I am extremely conflicted. Solely from an academic standpoint, can someone please explain to me the benefits of an Ivy League education vs that of ND. The one thing that is holding me back from committing to ND is the question of how much of an advantage after graduating will yale present to me compared to ND. In addition, at Yale I would be on the lowest end of the academic spectrum even for an athlete. The big question; ten years after I graduate, will I be saying "I should have went to Yale"</p>
<p>You can receive an outstanding education at either ND or Yale. You will be exposed to elite professors, students, facilities, programs and resources at either school. Individual departments will vary in strength, but the opportunities are limitless regardless of which of these two fine institutions you select.</p>
<p>A significant difference that should affect your decision immediately concerns money. Yale tends to be more generous with need-based aid, but cannot offer any athletic scholarships. ND commits to meeting full need for all undergraduates, but offers athletic scholarships for elite athletes.</p>
<p>Another consideration should be where you plan to live after graduation. If you would like to live anywhere in the Northeast and perhaps the West Coast, Yale would undoubtedly be the better choice in terms of reputation and brand recognition. However, for much of “flyover country”, ND enjoys equal, if not better, status due to its veneration among Catholics and athletic successes.</p>
<p>Perhaps the most important factor, in my mind at least, is fit. ND embraces its Catholic heritage and its midwestern location. Yale offers a more liberal, East Coast environment with greater diversity. ND’s social scene revolves to a large extent around its dorms which are all single-sex. Yale offers a House system that differs greatly. ND has high visibility athletics that creates tremendous school spirit. Yale offers a greater number of sports (and thus has more varsity athletes on campus) but does not have the same scale of events.</p>