SCEA Admits: Decision Time

<p>Hello all you '13 early admits. We've all had time to fall in love with Yale and some of us have taken the plunge and made the commitment. For those of you who haven't, what are you going to do if you get into Harvard?</p>

<p>Still choose Yale, I've grown to realize that Yale really is my first choice and there is no university that I'd rather go to.</p>

<p>agree^ I mean, why would I go to harvard if yale has everything that I need, plus some.</p>

<p>Probably still go to Yale. I mostly applied to Harvard so that when I go to Yale, Harvard kids can't give me a hard time about being second-best. Basically, this is the convo that happens in my head:</p>

<p>Pompous H kid: "You go to Yale? What, did you not get into Harvard?" <em>chuckle</em>
Me: "Actually I did get into Harvard but found it to be...sub-par. BOOYAH!". *note: the booyah will probably be in my head. </p>

<p>This is random, but does anyone else have a problem with the expression "sub-par"? In golf being below par is a good thing, so why do we use it negatively? Sorry, tangent...</p>

<p>First off, Yale is an outstanding place. Great music (important for me cause I'm a serious musician), drama, and of course, some of the best academics in the world. The residential colleges are awesome, and Yale's EC's are fantastically diverse. It's also very focused on undergraduate education, unlike Harvard, which, in my understanding, lavishes the majority of its attention on its graduate programs. I would be happy at Yale, to say the least. </p>

<p>That being said, New Haven is definitely not my favorite college town. Cambridge, on the other hand, is an exciting, vibrant city. However, (unlike Columbia and NYU, for example) Harvard still has a campus life of its own- the college is pretty self-contained. If I get into Harvard, it will be a tough, tough choice for me.</p>

<p>Any thoughts?</p>

<p>Well, I too have realized that Yale is undoubtedly my top choice... and that no matter what happens next tuesday (I also applied to Harvard, Princeton, and Columbia) I will probably definitely (woahhh oxy alert?) end up in New Haven next year.</p>

<p>First and foremost, Yale is first and foremost in the things I wish to pursue later on in life (drama, music, literature, EPE!). That along with its beauty and vibrant campus life is all I could ask for from a college. </p>

<p>I don't much care that Cambridge is a better "college town" because the way I see it, Cambridge isn't really that great once you've been there for more than a week. I mean, it's definitely better than New Haven, don't get me wrong, but it's not something that would cause me to pick Harvard over Yale. Also, Yale has symphonies and musicals and dance performances and dramatic productions and art exhibitions going on EVERY WEEK, something new and exciting that interests me far more than "going out for a night on the town in Cambridge (not Boston... because who ever has time to go there)".</p>

<p>I feel like I already have a family at Yale, simply because all the people who are there now from where I live have contacted me and have told me the tricks of the trade - aka stuff I'll need to know once on campus. To be fair, my Harvard friends are freshman and don't yet have tricks of their own, but overall, I'm not feeling the same kind of love.</p>

<p>Going to Yale saddens me a bit because I would LOVE to go to Harvard or Columbia or Brown... but at the same time, I can't truly imagine myself anywhere else and I'm proud to be a Yalie.</p>

<p><3</p>

<p>Although I didn't get in SCEA, I can tell that the only school on the planet that could ever compete with Yale in my heart is Princeton. If I somehow, some way get into both next Tuesday...the decision will be tough :)</p>

<p>Harvard can't even hold a candle to Y and P!</p>

<p>what's with all this negative talk about new haven? i think it's actually a great college town. there's a lot to do, lots of opportunities to get involved and to actually make a difference in a community. the safety issues are exaggerated and most people i know like living here. while it's not as "pretty" or "idyllic" as cambridge or princeton, at least we're not stuck in a la-la land crimson/orange bubble and live a real world. it makes a difference, trust me.</p>

<p>plus b/c there are gang bangers in New Haven they don't care about petty underage drinking. Cannot say the same for Harvard, where the only thing bigger than one's ego is the stick up one's butt.</p>

<p>sgtpepper08 - </p>

<p>I 100% agree. New Haven actually played a very important role in my decision to apply to Yale. In fact, after getting accepted early, I withdrew my application from Harvard. Can't wait to be in New Haven next year.</p>

<p>Strong advice -- go to Bulldog Days before making up your mind.</p>