Princeton v. Stanford - STEM

Colleges and Universities A-Z Princeton University
1

<p>Just posted this in Stanford forum, and not sure what rules are on cross-posting, but want to make sure Princeton community also has change to read and respond so posting here also:</p>

<p>D last week narrowed her choices to Yale, Stanford and Princeton. </p>

<p>D could not do the official admitted students events, but just completed a week-long, spring break tour of all three. Although she really likes all three institutions, she has now decided to eliminate Yale based on its relatively smaller STEM opportunities, courses, etc. That leaves Stanford and Princeton. </p>

<p>She is not absolutely sure what she wants to study, but likely applied math, computer science, and/or engineering. We understand that S's engineering and CS programs are rated more highly, but P's math program seems to have the edge and its engineering and CS programs are rated highly enough. So rankings/prestige is not a decision maker. </p>

<p>For Princeton, she really likes the intimate campus, chance to live on the East Coast, the social aspects such as the eating clubs, LAC atmosphere, and the whole ancient Ivy feel. She is concerned about grade deflation. To a lesser extent, she's concerned about its weaker connections to Silicon Valley in case she decides to go CS.</p>

<p>For Stanford, she likes the relaxed, open nature of campus and student body. She also likes the proximity to Silicon Valley (both physically and in terms of alumni networks, internship opportunities, etc). And even though she has lived in California all her life, the sunny weather remains a perpetual attraction too. A lurking concern for her is that she loves intellectual challenge and feels that perhaps the median intellectual capacity of the student body may be somewhat higher at P (not looking for a flame war on this, just sharing her observations, which may be colored by the lobbying of her college counselor, who is a big P fan). </p>

<p>In short, she has now toured both campuses and sees herself as very happy at either one. The father in me wants to push her toward S for easy visits and increased likelihood she will remain in California afterward, but I really just want her to be happy.</p>

<p>For an extroverted, happy female with a gift for math, what are other factors she might consider in making this decision? Any experiences anyone in the CC community can share about S v. P, particularly from STEM students who were cross-admitted and chose one over the other?</p>

2

<p>An impressive analysis.</p>

<p>You and your D have done your homework.</p>

<p>Stanford’s proximity to Silicon Valley is a plus. However, Silicon Valley recruits at Princeton so many opportunities are available. A interesting opportunity for your D might be the Program for Women and Mathematics sponsored by Princeton University and the Institute for Advanced Study. See: [2012</a> Program for Women and Mathematics | School of Mathematics](<a href=“http://www.math.ias.edu/wam/2012]2012”>2012 Program for Women and Mathematics - Women and Mathematics | Institute for Advanced Study) If your D is not familiar with the IAS she might visit their web site. Princeton and IAS have dominated the winning of the Fields Medal. [Fields</a> Medal - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fields_Medal]Fields”>Fields Medal - Wikipedia) </p>

<p>Two areas of applied math that might appeal to your D are the Program in Applied and Comptutational Mathematics [About</a> PACM](<a href=“http://www.pacm.princeton.edu/aboutus.shtml?expandable=0]About”>http://www.pacm.princeton.edu/aboutus.shtml?expandable=0) and ORFE [About</a> ORFE | Operations Research and Financial Engineering](<a href=“http://orfe.princeton.edu/]About”>http://orfe.princeton.edu/) . The certificate program in Application in Computing might be the type of computer science she would be interested in. See: [Undergraduate</a> Certificate :: Princeton Computer Science](<a href=“http://www.cs.princeton.edu/academics/ugradpgm/pac.php]Undergraduate”>Welcome and Overview | Computer Science Department at Princeton University) </p>

<p>Princeton’s small size can lead to interesting collaborations. Mechanical engineering professor Naomi Leonard and choreographer Susan Marshall showed the dance created by students using the sensing and dynamic response used to model individuals in animal groups such as schools of fish and flocks of birds. See: [Flock</a> Logic](<a href=“http://www.princeton.edu/~flocklogic/]Flock”>Flock Logic) The Lewis Center for the Creative Arts can help your D develop the right side of her brain. [Welcome</a> - Lewis Center for the Arts](<a href=“http://www.princeton.edu/arts/]Welcome”>Lewis Center for the Arts - Princeton in service of the imagination) </p>

<p>Grade deflation is a program by the admin to stop liberal arts course professors giving higher grades than are given in math, science, and engineering courses. As a STEM major grade deflation will have a small impact on her GPA.</p>

<p>Your D might enjoy the Princeton precept system of small classes, usually a dozen or fewer students. In a small wood paneled room sitting around a wood table students engage in the topic of discussion. The dynamic is very different from sitting in a classroom.</p>

<p>The academic differences between S and P are more obvious at the grad school area. One university may have more faculty in say topology or artificial intelligence. Both universities will provide a good foundation in STEM. She cannot go wrong attending the university where she is most comfortable.</p>

3

<p>Your D has excellent options and it appears you’re analyzing things thoroughly and intelligently. My S had the same options but was undecided leaning towards physics for a major.</p>

<p>We did a similar thorough analysis. In the end it’s a personal decision based on one’s own factors. He is now a junior physics major at Princeton and while I can’t imagine things working out better for him anywhere else, I also believe he would have been happy at any of the schools.</p>

<p>Best to your daughter.</p>

4

<p>P for undergrad and S for grad school is the best choice IMO.</p>

5

<p>My daughter chose between Princeton and Stanford. My son between Princeton, Stanford, and a few others. We live right next to Stanford, my father taught there for years. Oddly, I’m going to say that it’s Princeton’s eating club system that has made my kids, on the whole, fonder of Princeton than their friends who went to Stanford were of their alma mater. Despite the “elitist” reputation, in fact, for most kids, the eating clubs make Princeton incredibly warm and family-like. This holds true for athletes, dancers, and even hipsters. (Terrace, anyone?)</p>

<p>The dorm system at Stanford, and the frat thing, seem to make it feel much bigger than Princeton.</p>

<p>While the Silicon Valley CS connection is valid, Google hires like crazy out of Princeton - Eric Schmidt’s daughter graduated in my daughter’s class:). If your daughter is talented, do not worry, she will be recruited. The guy who started Pandora? Princeton CS. It won’t hold her back at all.</p>

<p>And for us, with an East Coast family background, it was nice for the kids to experience that part of the world. </p>

<p>In the end, both my kids chose for themselves. They wanted both the new environment and the perceived academic rigor.</p>

6

<p>CS major here – obv. I don’t know what Stanford’s like, but we get heavily recruited at Princeton by Google, Facebook, Microsoft, etc plus a bunch of startups, both from the east and west coast. So I wouldn’t worry about that. I absolutely adore our department.</p>

<p>I actually support grade deflation (gasp!) as a current student. As noted above, it mostly just brought humanities grades in line with sciences / math courses.</p>

<p>One interesting thing to note is that the CS department at Princeton is growing rapidly, but I haven’t seen negative impacts from this (yet – though it might start to stretch the faculty) and as a result there are a lot of cool events that are always happening!</p>

<p>It seems like you’ve done a lot of research and at this point, she has two awesome choices…deciding will be tough, but remember that there’s no wrong answer!</p>

7

<p>Your D may be interested in considering Pton’s Integrated Sciences
courses: See [Princeton</a> University - Integrated Science - Overview](<a href=“http://www.princeton.edu/integratedscience/]Princeton”>Integrated Science | Lewis-Sigler Institute) My D is
thinking about signing up, she fell in love with the concept of a unified
science curriculum while she figures out where her STEM talents lie
(she already said yes!).</p>

8

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<p>I just want to highlight this. Grade deflation shouldn’t be a concern for your D.</p>

9

<p>Stanford has more of an entrepreneurial spirit due to its proximity to Silicon Valley, while Princeton emphasizes learning and the liberal arts. Both have strong alumni networks, so that shouldn’t be a problem.</p>

10

<p>

I second this. My S enjoyed the 2 year integrated science program. Among other things, it opened doors to internships.</p>

11

<p>EnVino,</p>

<p>Congratulations to your D! I agree with 3kids3dogs; your D can’t make a wrong choice and sounds like she’d would be happy at either school. I don’t have advice. :-)</p>

<p>My son has narrowed his choices down to Princeton, MIT, and Harvey Mudd. (Didn’t apply to Stanford) He’s interested in math or physics and I believe he can’t go wrong with any of the schools. He just got back from Mudd and loved it. He’ll be at Princeton next week but will not have an opportunity to revisit MIT. We are also in California.</p>

<p>For us, finances are playing a role in the decision making process. Are finances an issue at either school or are both affordable?</p>