So I got into Stanford and vassar and am having trouble deciding which one to go to. I know Stanford is, like Stanford, but I am really drawn to the liberal arts college environment at Vassar. Also, I want to major in English and I’m kinda worried that I will be surrounded by STEM majors at Stanford. Help?
Well, Vassar would be a great choice for the study of literature, and seemingly your stronger choice in this comparison.
You will get an excellent education in English at Stanford as well. It sounds to me that you prefer Vassar, and if that’s the case, it’s an excellent choice.
You may want to look at the course catalogs at both and map out what your hypothetical 4 years would look like. Give thought to studying abroad too.
The quarter system vs semesters may matter to you. Personally, having done both, I preferred the quarters.
Congratulations on your acceptances. You’re in a win/win situation.
Stanford is Stanford but consider why you applied to both schools. What drew you to each? Location, travel, weather, size, and curriculum will all impact your experience.
Visit both campuses if you haven’t yet. Trust yourself and embrace your choice.
My son is a freshman at Vassar and loves it.
Stanford will be strong in all the liberal arts and sciences, including English. I would not choose against it just because it also has strong STEM departments.
But it sounds like you prefer Vassar. Nothing wrong with that! It is an amazing college. In size, location, and vibe, it is different from Stanford. If you clearly prefer it, pick it: it is where you will be living for four years, and you only get to experience a small liberal arts college once. A small liberal arts college experience is a very special opportunity. I know many people who went to or are going to Vassar, and they all love it.
But if you are nervous about turning down Stanford, visit it again with an open mind and check it out. Maybe you will be drawn to it. But if you still prefer Vassar, send your deposit to Vassar and don’t look back.
Any concern about the COA for either school ?
It takes courage to turn down schools such as Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, MIT and a few others. When it does happen it is often related to COA or because the student has been accepted to another among H,Y,P,S,M.
As another poster asked above, why did you apply to Stanford ?
We shouldn’t question that this student isn’t immediately saying “wow, Stanford!” Vassar has a great reputation, a gorgeous campus, and will definitely be strong in English. The library alone is worth paying the deposit. We visited Vassar and the one thing that really stuck in our minds was the classroom. Our tour guide had us sit down and we talked about what a class at Vassar would be like every day. It was a conversation, and pretty powerful. Honestly, if it wasn’t so close to home, I think my D would have applied.
If small classes from the start and getting to know professors easily is important to you, choose Vassar. Both colleges will get you where you want to go in life.
But we should question why this student applied to Stanford in the first place.
Maybe it was his or her safety school ?
Can you visit and take sample classes at each?
This seems like a touch choice due to the conflict of wanting a personalized liberal arts experience versus getting flooded by techies at Stanford. In all honesty, at Stanford people do look down at humanities majors because many of them believe tech and computer science are the work of God, but if you’re good at ignoring these things it might not bother you too much. Additionally, being exposed to tech may benefit you in some ways if you ever wish to get involved in that world - you can’t do much better than Stanford for that. But yes, if you’re dead set on English and humanities, you will likely feel more at home at Vassar. Another consideration is weather - hard to beat Stanford there!
Go to Vassar for undergrad and go to Standford for grad. This need not be a Kierkegaardian either/or dilemma. You can turn this into both/and. Also, if you choose Stanford now as an undergrad, you’ll forever foreclose the Vassar opportunity. By choosing Vassar as an undergrad, you can still have both.
Both are excellent choices. You’re certain to receive more personalized attention at Vassar. However, my guess is that you’ll be able to find your own group of English/humanities oriented students at Stanford, given its size.
Do you have any post-grad plans? If you’re not planning on going to grad school, I’d guess that a school like Stanford would offer significantly better career opportunities than Vassar, but I could be wrong. I do know a lot of Vassar English grads go into publishing, but that’s a business in decline.