<p>Hi. I'm a rising senior next year considering applying early to either Princeton or Stanford as an East Asian Studies major (China concentration, from more of an economic/political perspective than a humanistic one, though I am interested in the latter). I plan to do at least some study abroad in my time at college, and the quality of their china program is very important to me. Any advice? I'll be visiting both schools later this month but I really want to figure out which school is academically better suited to my interests before I visit, so that I won't be as influenced by my aesthetic attachment to either campus.</p>
<p>Also, can you give me a feel as to the overall environment and atmosphere? I'm not exactly sure about the eating club scene at Princeton, but I also worry that the strength of the engineering program at Stanford has detracted from its reputation in other areas. Oh, and I go to phillips exeter, so it doesn't make a difference to me whether the school is ED or EA since the college office will make me enroll if I'm accepted early regardless of policy.</p>
<p>Are you telling me that Exeter FORCES you to enroll in any EA school to which you gain admittance, even though the school itself would allow you to apply elsewhere RD?</p>
<p>No we aren't forced. It's just a stated policy of the office and they strongly encourage us to to encourage a more collaborative rather than competitive outlook on the process. There are those every year who still disregard the rule and apply regular despite being accepted EA. For the most part, however, they are in the minority.</p>
<p>As you know, Princeton's economics department is one of the best in the country. If you're interested in politics and economics, though, you might also consider the possibility of a Woodrow Wilson School
concentration, with an emphasis on China. </p>
<p>Re social life, from all I hear there's something for everybody. Look through the posts on these boards and you will see that there are many cultural, social service, and artistic activities going on at Princeton, as well as the eating clubs (which also vary). And, if you wish, by the time you get there you can live for four years in a residential college and never join an eating club.</p>
<p>There's a fat little booklet they give us on Study Abroad. It's encouraged and you can go for summer internships, intensive language study, as well as er- study-study during the school year. There's a Princeton-in-Beijing program that looks pretty good. Maybe you should check that out. I dont' know if you're interested as much in the Chinese language, but in case you are, the Chinese dept is amazing.</p>
<p>Overall environment : The academic culture I'd sum up in 3 points. 1) very much focused on undergraduate education. If it means anything, it's been #1 in the usnews rankings for undergrad since 2000 (except 2003 I think). 2) The environment is encouraging of independent work/research. Personally, I like that the junior paper and senior thesis isn't just for 'the best students', but that it's a major part of the academic fabric for each student to receive the resources and faculty support to pursue/create their own ideas etc. It's a sort of guarantee for me. The faculty are very accessible - I esp liked this too, that there wasn't a huge bold line boundary between 'staff' and 'student'. To me, that really opens up a lot of opportunity and adds a certain vibrancy in the campus dynamics. 3) With their excellent language depts, 2nd language proficiency requirement, and study abroad programs, I think it's also a great school to pick up a new language or continue an old one if you wish at your level.
The culture outside of academics. 1) A great chunk of the student population is involved in community service. I don't know if you're into that but I was amazed at all the diverse opportunities to be involved. In any case, it was important to me that the students weren't closed off from what was going on around them. 2) Residential Colleges (your freshman and soph year), and Eating Clubs (your junior and senior years - if you don't choose to go 'Independent' or stay with your residential colleges). I'm going to be a freshman this fall so I can't actually describe how this works first hand but from what I've heard, what's neat is that you quickly form a close 'base' group of friends in your res college, your eating club, your extra-curricular activities/clubs etc etc and from there it's easy to branch out and become friends with people across the Pton community. 3) Tons of diverse EC opps which are very active. Some really high quality music activities (and dance, right, Alumother?). </p>
<p>Urgh, that's all a little rushed up there (running off for a hike : )) but you can PM me about other differences between Stanf and Pton if you like - a couple of us on this board had to make that difficult choice after we'd been admitted.</p>
<p>I would recommend that you apply to Stanford Early Action and apply to Princeton RD. Stanford's physical location (right outside S.F., where there is a substansial Asian community) means that you will have more access to the many Asian organizations based in S.F., both political and financial.</p>