<p>So I was an REA admit at Stanford and I was initially waitlisted at Princeton. I just got the call yesterday that I got off the waitlist.</p>
<p>I have been basically in love with Stanford for the past two years. Since I was an REA Admit, I also have had about 5 months to love it even more and they have done a great job enticing me to go. Also, I went to Stanford's Admit Weekend but obviously I didnt go to Princeton's Preview Days.</p>
<p>I want to go into Public Health. At Stanford, I would major in Human Biology, anticipating a concentration in International Health. At Princeton, they have the Program in Global Health, which provides a certificate, but I would hope to get into the Woodrow Wilson School. </p>
<p>To be honest, I'm seriously strongly leaning to sticking with Stanford but I wanted some other opinions. I think I just don't know enough about Princeton right now to make a good decision.</p>
<p>I believe that you live in NJ. I assume that you visited Princeton before you applied. Is there any way you could go back, maybe sit in on a class or stay overnight before you make a decision?</p>
<p>They’re both great schools, but I’d stick with the one you already love. If you still want Wilson in 4 years, Stanford is a very good place to apply from. Degrees from Stanford and Princeton would put you in pretty elite company.</p>
<p>Go with whatever school you like better. Based on what you’ve said, you love Stanford, so don’t give that up. Princeton is a great school, and I absolutely love it here. Personally, I would choose it over Stanford – but that’s me. If Stanford is the place for you, go for it and enjoy your time there.</p>
<p>flip a coin and have princeton be tales and stanford be heads. if it lands on princeton and you think “…but i want to go to stanford…” go to stanford. if it lands on stanford and you think “YES!!” then you know that’s where you belong.</p>
<p>I like mandypandy’s idea… The translation is this (as it always is): pick the one where you “feel” you should be at. Both schools are phenomenal, but if you genuinely love Stanford, go for it. You can’t go wrong at either.</p>
<p>If indeed stanford is “having talks” with Princeton, better to spend at least a few years without grade deflation, than to go to a school a where grade deflation has already been put to effect.</p>
<p>President Hennessey was speaking during Admit Weekend and he said (in response to a question about grade inflation) that Stanford has no plans to change its grading policy university-wide, but some departments are looking at changes.</p>
<p>NJDS–although financial aid may not be that important to you, I’m wondering how your parents feel about the aid differential. In addition, Stanford will of course be more expensive because of the transportation costs (air fare to CA about 3 times a year).</p>
<p>I guess I would still strongly recommend that you spend a day or at least an afternoon at Princeton if possible–you might find yourself loving it, or you might be confirmed in your view that Stanford is the place for you.</p>
<p>midatlmom: my parents are the ones who told me not to worry about the money part
they keep telling me that even though it’s hard to ignore.
we are far from having money to spare (i got 100% covered at princeton, so that tells you our income level), but Stanford was only about $3500 more per year for parents and the student is about $4500 more (including campus job). that is only because i am from NJ, so i am not expected to have a term job or contribute from the summer at my income level (for princeton). </p>
<p>however, at stanford, the student contribution can be covered by scholarships. at princeton my student contribution is $40, so i cant really use scholarships.</p>
<p>i visited princeton this past saturday and i got the same feeling as before. I definitely really like it but i cant say i “love” it. it was an inconclusive visit, mostly because it is reading period, so most students were inside reading.</p>
<p>So, if I understand you correctly, it looks like Stanford will cost $14,000 more for your parents and $18,000 more for you, although you might be able to get some private scholarships to cover those costs. In addition, Stanford’s probably going to be a few thousand more each year for travel costs.</p>
<p>I would probably factor those costs in, but I’m not sure I would make them the sole basis for my decision. Here’s a link to a loan repayment calculator [FinAid</a> | Calculators | Loan Calculator](<a href=“Your Guide for College Financial Aid - Finaid”>Loan Payment Calculator - Finaid) so that you can see how much it would cost you a month to repay your loans. I would also think about whether there is any chance you will want to go to law or medical school, in which case getting out of college without any loans is infinitely preferable.</p>
<p>There are no bad choices here and if you feel you can swing it financially, Stanford is a great school that you obviously love and that you will no doubt thrive at. The only other thing I can recommend in terms of Princeton is to email the school and ask if you can speak to any Woody Woo professors or students to get their perspective.</p>