Hello! I was extremely fortunate this past application season to be admitted to the undergraduate programs at Harvard and Stanford. Obviously this is much more that I could have ever hoped for, but it leaves me in a dilemma in terms of which school to choose. I’d appreciate any advice, insights, or recommendations that anyone has because I am extremely lost!!!
For context, my main goal through undergraduate is to attend Law School and work in politics or the legal field after obtaining a JD. I aim to major in social sciences studies (probably around political science).
you will probably find more students at Harvard interested in those areas than at Stanford, where 40%+ of all Freshman intend to study Engineering in one form or another…
So my recommendation is go to Harvard- you will find more like minded students there.
Congratulations! You have a tough choice but you can’t make the wrong choice here!
Harvard would seem to fit your interest closely. It’s on the East Coast and near the political and legal power hubs of DC, NYC, and Boston. You also develop some insane connections and have access to arguably the best political science department in the country.
The argument for Stanford, though, is that their education in humanities would definitely rival Harvard. They’re also heralded as the school of the future and the value of a Stanford degree is expecting to continually grow over the next few decades, as will your education and status there. In the Pacific region, many places actually value Stanford degrees over Harvard degress at this point. Stanford also has a much more progressive culture than Harvard does as well being much more laid back.
It all sort of comes down to what you value. It’s the old east coast, west coast divide. Definitely visit both, but I think they are distinct enough that you can nail down an answer. Have faith!
Adding to what @menloparkmom wrote. Stanford is a techie school (that also happens to have good humanities/social sciences programs). Techies, especially CS folks rule. You need to be comfortable with it. This blog is a must read for anyone considering humanities/social sciences at Stanford.
https://cathincollege.com/2016/03/28/w-for-wisdom-how-stanford-is-killing-the-very-intellectual-vitality-that-got-us-all-in/
On the other hand, if law/Gov is your interest, Harvard is your best option. Connections make a huge difference in those fields, and Harvard is where you will make those connections. It also helps that Harvard is the number 1 feeder to Yale Law.