<p>So as of now, I am sort of trying to decide between Princeton and Harvard. I have not gotten into either of them (obviously - neither have ED) but I am an athlete so circumstances are a little different. </p>
<p>I was turned down as a recruit at Harvard because, from my understanding, they wanted to use the recruiting spots for athletes that would struggle to get in otherwise (my scores are high, high GPA, and I'm also a musician). I was recently told by Princeton that if it's my top choice, the coach will get me into the school. This changes the situation because I need to decide in February if I want to take the Princeton spot. It is not to say that if I don't take the spot I don't have a chance of getting in, I do, but taking the spot is almost guaranteed admission. </p>
<p>I would please like to hear your perspectives on both schools and how they compare. I realize they are both wonderful schools and I can't really go wrong but what sets them apart? Please, no posts saying "GO Princeton!" or "They both suck, go to Brown!" etc. </p>
<p>So from my understanding; you will not be recruited by Harvard; for 99% of the people; Harvard chance is crapshot anyways.
And you seem to have a guaranteed spot from Princeton? I would just take this marvelous offer.</p>
<p>Princeton is the #1 for undergrad, while Harvard is the #1 university in the world.</p>
<p>As far as the student body goes, I think its safe to assume that they must certainly be about the same, since there is likely a huge crossover among H,Y and P applicants. Have you visited both campuses? If so, choose the one at which you felt most comfortable.</p>
<p>Harvard is...Harvard. Although P is a great school, H is and will always (at least for the foreseeable future) be the top school in terms of prestige, resources, name recognition, etc.</p>
<p>"Princeton is the #1 for undergrad, while Harvard is the #1 university in the world."</p>
<p>Are you FREAKIN kidding me?!?!</p>
<p>You can't go by what rankings say. It's just not right.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Princeton is NOT the best for undergrad. One of the best, yes, but best isn't something with quantitative measurement, and many could easily argue that schools like UChicago, Swarthmore, Amherst, etc are equally as good for undergrad.</p></li>
<li><p>Harvard is harvard. It has the name, so what? Last I checked, there are a few grad schools that can easily be consider JUST as good as harvard in some areas, as well as even better in others, some big ones being Cal, UChicago, etc.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>The two schools are somewhat different in terms of undergraduate focus, social life, and the surrounding community. They're both superb schools, and you can't go wrong at either one, but do you see yourself in more of an urban or suburban environment? Does the eating club system at Princeton appeal or not? Do you have an intended major and, if so, does one have a better program in that area than the other? Those are the kinds of questions you should be asking yourself.</p>
<p>I'm going to have to second what noobcake said. Princeton, for all intents and purposes, has recruited you and intends to admit you. Harvard did not recruit you. Booklady is absolutely right that you should consider the attributes of the two schools and see which appeals to you more, especially if you intend to major in a certain area and you can compare the offerings of each. Otherwise, unless during the course of your research you find something that makes you horribly object to attending Princeton, it looks like Princeton wants you, so I would take them up on it as that would be an auspicious decision. In all seriousness, both schools offer a superb undergraduate education (the schools differ in their professional/graduate offerings, as Harvard has a lot more professional and graduate schools). </p>
<p>P.S. If you have any questions about Princeton, I am a current student there and I can attempt to answer any questions you have.</p>
<p>Princeton because it's a much nicer undergrad experience and because it's a bird in the hand. Right now you have 2 in the bush and stranger things have happened in HYP admissions than athletes not getting into both.</p>
<p>I recently met a guy who is always the nicest guy in the room. He recently graduated from Harvard. One of his best friends from school is a guy whose parents are both homicide detectives. He once asked Sean Penn for a photo for the Harvard Crimson. Sean wasn't very nice about it. At Princeton one afternoon, at an eatng club, a few of the students in for a late lunch notices that Natalie Portman was hanging out at a table on the lawn waiting for someone. No one said anything to her. She finally got up and introduced herself to the nearest student saying "Hi, I'm Natalie". Different stories. Take your pick.</p>
<p>There is some point in wondering what you will end up with from each school. So far as I can tell, and I have had reason to think about it a lot lately, what you get with your diploma are stories. The ones I know are like works of art. You can feel an underlying aesthetic to a campus. You can even generalize a bit by saying that Harvard is more catch as catch can, more gritty; Princeton is chill and supportive. But what you draw value from after you leave is the stories in their irreducible particularity. You do get to choose which kind of stories you want to carry around with you for the rest of your life. Talk to recent graduates. Find out the difference.</p>