Hello there, strangers!
As you may have guessed, I was lucky enough to have been accepted admission (RD) to both of these world-class institutions, full ride, in the past few days!! It’s been surreal and incredible, but I’m not here to humble-brag about my achievements or discuss insights into the admissions process - I’m well aware that most people would kill to be in my position. But I apologize big time if I showcase pickiness! It’s only because I want to make the most informed decision as possible, so that facts hopefully align with gut instincts.
So I am hoping to create a discussion between the pros and cons of these two universities as an aid to my looming decision on May 1. With this in mind, I would appreciate it if posters have had direct or indirect relationships with one/both schools (alumni, current matriculates, relatives, etc.) rather than relying on second-hand hearsay.
Of course I will also be doing my homework and visiting both schools in the upcoming weeks (which I’m terribly excited for). I would also appreciate student insights who also had to make such decisions, and what they considered to be important in making the final decision.
I understand everyone’s experiences/thoughts might be different, but I believe the quality of education would be superb wherever I go, and coming from a large public school in SoCal, adapting to new situations has never been a problem. I am interested in the humanities/social sciences, but would also like to explore STEM research opportunities and interdisciplinary studies between artistic applications to science. My potential and value/contribution at each school is also an important factor to me. As of now I would love to learn your experiences regarding these and anything else about Princeton or Stanford (Princeford! haha.):
Study abroad programs - Ease of use? What did you study? Where did you go (I am hoping for Europe)? For how long?
Location/ Campus Life - How insular is Princeton’s “Orange Bubble”?
What are the advantages of Stanford’s Palo Alto/Silicon Valley/ San Fran ties?
Is Princeton’s connectivity to East Coast art/cultural centers better than Stanford’s entrepreneurial tech life?
How bad is the weather at Princeton (I am a laid back, sun-spoiled Californian)?
Is the stress/rigor of academia prevalent in the student body?
Academia - HOW IMPACTED WERE YOU BY PRINCETON’S GRADE DEFLATION? (this is possibly a deal breaker for me, since I am exploring grad school)
How is Stanford’s support for the arts/humanities?
Will I be more valued here than at Princeton?
What if I decide to take CS courses?
Feel free to input your experiences beyond my burning questions, I would love to learn anything to guide my decision to the right one!