Hey guys,
So I’m considering applying ED to UPenn or REA to either Princeton or Stanford for Comp science / engineering (most likely Princeton because Stanford doesn’t accept November testing) for Fall 2017.
I’m really confused as to where I should apply. I’ve not done enough research to determine where I would be most happy, but I’ve been advised that no matter where I go, I’ll be happy because they are all top notch ivy schools
Applying UPenn ED would significantly increase my chances to get in because of the ED advantage, but I’m still not sure if I should lock myself in and not even try at places like Stanford (1st choice) or Princeton.
I think you shouldn’t be applying ED to Penn if it isn’t your first choice, because you would probably regret it. Either do REA to Princeton or Stanford, so you aren’t locked into a school.
@yonceonhismouth I guess, but it is basically my third choice, so is it worth giving up the ED advantage and risk not getting into any? Also considering that the chances for getting into Stanford is extremely low for nearly anyone.
But would you be content getting into Penn and wondering if maybe you might have gotten into Stanford if you tried? I’m not trying to put doubt in your mind, just sounding out possibilities so you make the best choice you can.
@yonceonhismouth yeah there would always be a “what-if” shadow, but I’ve also kind of accepted the fact that I’m not getting in to Stanford.
Haha you can’t possibly put any more doubt in my mind than I already have
I agree with the advice from @yonceonhismouth, don’t apply ED if part of you will be disappointed to get in.
But you should definitely put in the effort to research where you’d be happiest. Also, I don’t know where you live and what’s practical, but I would strongly advise against applying ED to a school unless you’ve visited while school is in session. I don’t know you and maybe you’re one of those bloom where you’re planted people and you really will be happy at any really good school. But that’s not the case for many people. Just because all three schools are excellent schools doesn’t mean a person who is happy at one would necessarily be happy at the other two. Doing that research might make it very clear where you should apply early.
@millie210 but on the other hand, what if I don’t get into any of the 3 in RD round? Then I’ll have be regretting not taking the ED advantage
And there’s no way I can visit any Unis. Do you have any advice on where and how I can do research on where I would be happier? I have spent hours reading forums, articles, and info on the individual websites but I don’t get any concrete trustworthy info and there are always contradictions.
@Dolemite yep I usually visit Philly in the summer (not this summer) but I never previously thought of visiting campus. Now I live outside of the US and have no access to campus visits anywhere haha
My parents never thought visiting campuses was that important so the idea never came up.
Don’t ED unless you are 100% certain that you can be happy there. Watch youtube videos from the schools, read niche.com, do the virtual tours, read the Fiske guide, make sure they have clubs that would interest you, look at differences in course requirements, research the faculty, etc. etc.
If you have “not done enough research to determine where I would be most happy” then don’t apply anywhere ED.
IMO ED is only a good idea 1) if one school is the applicants absolute top choice and 2) if the applicant has no need to compare financial offers between schools.
@Dolemite yeah each has its own advantages and I don’t have a clear preference, so no deal-breaker
@nw2this thank you for the advice on what to research on
But, I have a question (for @happy1 too) : Do the teaching quality, course content, campus facilities, dorms, research, etc. really differ all that much between such top schools? (I’ve always assumed that searching for differences at such a high level of university would just be being unnecessarily picky haha)
And also (sorry for the huge number of questions :/), would any of you be able to tell me if you think I have a good shot of getting into Penn RD? A big part of my indecision is doubt that if I don’t take advantage of ED, I may not get in RD.
I think that the quality of research being done by professors and the intellectual ability of the undergrads we will be similar school to school. While they will all have the facilities necessary to operate at their high academic level, you may find (totally a hypothetical example) that one school has just built brand new fabulous chemistry labs, while another has plans underway for new ones because the current ones are getting a little old and crowded as a department has grown. Undergrad teaching may vary considerably, especially since you’re looking at large research universities. Some schools will have a strong emphasis on undergrad teaching, while others will focus primarily on their grad students, leaving much undergrad instruction, particularly in lower level classes, to grad students.
Finally, and this is much of the reason people urge a visit before applying ED, different schools have very different environments. Everything from setting (college in a city is a different experience from college in a suburb) to the overall personality of the student body can vary tremendously. The Fiske Guide that someone mentioned is above is generally considered to give an accurate picture of the personality of the school. The Insider’s Guide and Princeton Review are also well thought of here.
Will you be able to visit after acceptances arrive in April?
Here are some things about both Princeton and Penn to help you figure out which is the better fit:
Princeton:
About two-thirds of the students at Princeton are undergrads. That is the highest percentage among HYPSM, by quite a bit – next-highest is Yale, under 50%. Fewer grad students means less competition for resources and, probably, professors’ time. (since there are fewer grad students for them to mentor)
Princeton has the largest per-student endowment in the US. The school can afford to spend, and does spend, a great deal on each student’s education and experiences/opportunities.
Princeton students are required to complete a senior thesis. You are assigned an advisor (or choose one) who can counsel you throughout the process.
Princeton’s social scene is largely defined by its eating clubs. Some clubs are open to any who wish to join, while others rely on a selection process called Bicker.
Princeton is in a suburban setting, roughly equidistant from Philly and NYC; it is not itself a big city. So it’s pretty safe, but i’m not sure you’d have the same cultural opportunities that you’d have in a big city. (but, again, NYC and Philly are nearby).
Penn:
Penn is known for its pre-professional vibe probably mostly because of Wharton and the nursing school.
Roughly half of all students at Penn are undergrads – more than Yale, Harvard, Stanford, or MIT (but not Princeton…).
Penn is known as the Social Ivy. There is an active party scene that, based on comments here, is fairly inclusive. It’s a work hard/play hard atmosphere.
There can be issues for upperclassmen who wish to stay in dorms – some must move to off-campus housing because there isn’t adequate dorm space.
Penn is situated in Philadelphia, home of the cheese steak. We hear about sketchy neighborhoods surrounding campus, much like UChicago and Yale, but (also like UChicago and Yale) those same commenters also say that campus is safe and if you make common-sense decisions after dark (off-campus), you’ll be fine.
Both schools are great. Princeton is more undergrad-focused and maybe more balanced between intellectualism and pre-professionalism (there is no business school…), and it is certainly the richer school. Penn offers a great social scene and is in a city – you have clubs, pro sports, more fine dining options, and museums/national landmarks right there in Philly.
In terms of selectivity, ED acceptance rate at Penn was 23% this past year. Princeton’s SCEA rate was 18.6%.
If you are unable to develop Penn as a clear favorite, I advise against applying ED. Princeton’s SCEA is not as restrictive.