Stanford vs. Princeton

Colleges and Universities A-Z Stanford University
1

<p>Luckily I was admitted to both of my top schools, Princeton and Stanford. After having visited both places I still cannot decide where to go. From my visits I see that the schools are very different, but each has something to offer.</p>

<p>I am thinking of pursuing math with a double major (or minor if I go to Princeton) in either econ or physics. I love academics and am a hard worker, however, I like to do participate in other activities as well. I am not really a partier, but I could see myself going out on some Saturday nights. I hate having to make a thread for this, but maybe getting some other opinions would be helpful.</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

2

<p>You can't go wrong with either academics-wise. So, go for whatever else appeals more to you - weather? food? vibe on campus? distance from home?</p>

3

<p>Imanuelli I am visiting Stanford this week. ....what I did notice at Princeton
was the school spirit thing....and that some majors seemed to have a whole lot of time compared to some others. (Math seems to be amongst the
tougher ones like Chem E and Integ Sci.) </p>

<p>The food at Princeton was superlative.
I was in awe of their dance presentations.</p>

<p>I am looking forward to the Stanford visit and hope that will help
me resolve where I will matriculate amongst my choices.</p>

<p>;)</p>

4

<p>These are two of the very top schools. I think you should just pick the one that overall feels best to you, without trying to analyze details. But if it matters to you, Princeton is primarily an undergrad school, Stanford is primarily a grad school.</p>

5

<p>Actually, vossron, you should change that last part to "Stanford HAS grad schools"
Yeah, I had (up until last Monday) the same choice as you imanuelli...i chose Stanford (not only was their fin aid package MUCH better than Princeton's, which was shocking) but I got a better "vibe" (if that actually means anything anymore) from Stanford, and that sort of "click" from the school...I really liked Princeton, I just like Stanford more.</p>

<p>Good Luck with your decision (i think math may be just slightly stronger at princeton, with the econ being about equal; stanford is probably the best school in the world, besides those pesky engineering schools, to study physics though)</p>

6

<p>Sorry, I should have been more specific:</p>

<p>Princeton
Total all undergraduates: 4918
Total all graduate and professional students: 2416</p>

<p>Stanford
Total all undergraduates: 6,584
Total all graduate and professional students: 13,198</p>

<p>From their respective Common Data Sets</p>

7

<p>Workload and accreditation are both going to be ~ the same. Both very good schools and stressful curriculums.</p>

8

<p>Stanfordddddd</p>

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<p>If you want to know which way others have gone, see</p>

<p>The</a> New York Times > Week in Review > Image > Collegiate Matchups: Predicting Student Choices</p>

10

<p>Hmmm, 48% vs. 52%, that won't help much. ;)</p>

11

<p>Woe is you. Haha. This is really about environment and where you want to live the next 4 yrs of your life. I think you need to give us some more likes/dislikes, observations etc</p>

12

<p>I'm actually surprised that Stanford has the edge in cross-admittance. I guess the Ivy infatuation isn't that ingrained when it comes to top schools. So should it really be HYSP then?</p>

<p>BTW Princeton has that undeniable "royalty" factor, what with princes/lords/viscounts (the latter two being legacies of course) attending in bulk. However Stanford is "grass-roots" in that it simply has smart, curious, and strong students who will make names for themselves without born prestige. Princeton's eating clubs may get tiring with all the snobbery.</p>

13

<p>Stanford and Princeton have enormous similarities between them. It's not surprising that you (or anyone else in your position) are having a hard time with the choice.</p>

<p>I think it comes down to some big issues:</p>

<p>-- Ritzy suburban Northern California vs. ritzy suburban New Jersey?
-- Weekends in San Francisco/San Jose vs. New York City/Philadelphia? (The distances and times are virtually the same, the public transportation situation better at Princeton.)
-- Does it matter to you if there are a bunch of professional students around? (Probably not . . . unless you want to date them.)
-- Stanford is a lot more engineering-centric than Princeton. While Princeton does have an engineering program, Stanford's is much, much bigger, and involves a much higher proportion of undergraduates and grad students, too. Princeton seems to have somewhat more student music, drama, art.
-- Stanford is diverse in the sense that people from all sorts of different cultures who live in California go there, along with some people actually
from other countries and other states, too. Princeton is probably somewhat less diverse in terms of students' cultural backgrounds, and somewhat more diverse in terms of where they went to high school. Stanford has more Asian, more Hispanic, and more Native American students than Princeton, somewhat fewer African-American students. Foreign students at Princeton are more likely to be European than Asian, and vice versa for Stanford.
-- The two colleges have very different housing systems. Princeton has the two- or four-year residential colleges, and the eating clubs. Stanford is sort of a free-for-all for four years, with people moving around a lot and living/eating in different environments with different people. Both systems have their fans, but any particular person is probably going to like one a lot more than the other.</p>

14

<p>the public transportation situation better at Princeton</p>

<p>Stanford's private buses go to the Palo Alto train station, from where you can ride directly into San Francisco, either via CalTrain or by transfer to BART (which also goes to SFO airport). Princeton's may be better; I dunno.</p>

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<p>Actually Vossron, I believe Stanford only has about 8,000 graduate and professional students, not over 13,000.</p>

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<p>Imannuell: Where are you from? Go to Stanford if you're from the East Coast or to Princeton if you're from the West Coast. If you're from somewhere else, revert to all other lesser advice on this board. ;)</p>

17

<p>We're cautioned not to believe everything we read, but</p>

<p>Stanford</a> University: Common Data Set 2007-2008 says:</p>

<p>Total all undergraduates: 6,584
Total all graduate and professional students: 13,198</p>

<p>I was actually on campus today (and spoke with a graduate student!), but I didn't count them nor stop to ask. ;)</p>

18

<p>Let's take this one point at a time:

[quote]
-- Ritzy suburban Northern California vs. ritzy suburban New Jersey?

[/quote]

While Palo Alto might be a "ritzy" area, neither East Palo Alto nor much of the surrounding area is. Furthermore, Palo Alto has many more working professionals comparatively and California has a egalitarian feel to it.</p>

<p>
[quote]
-- Weekends in San Francisco/San Jose vs. New York City/Philadelphia? (The distances and times are virtually the same, the public transportation situation better at Princeton.)

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Again, transportation? idk, but most time is spent on campus at Stanford, idk for Princeton.</p>

<p>
[quote]
-- Does it matter to you if there are a bunch of professional students around? (Probably not . . . unless you want to date them.)

[/quote]

Couldn't agree more-more grad students does not = more research opportunities available. </p>

<p>
[quote]
-- Stanford is a lot more engineering-centric than Princeton. While Princeton does have an engineering program, Stanford's is much, much bigger, and involves a much higher proportion of undergraduates and grad students, too. Princeton seems to have somewhat more student music, drama, art.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Unsure, while both schools are holistic, I wouldn't go so far to say that Stanford is more science-based-just look at the required IHUM and PWR courses</p>

<p>
[quote]
-- Stanford is diverse in the sense that people from all sorts of different cultures who live in California go there, along with some people actually from other countries and other states, too. Princeton is probably somewhat less diverse in terms of students' cultural backgrounds, and somewhat more diverse in terms of where they went to high school. Stanford has more Asian, more Hispanic, and more Native American students than Princeton, somewhat fewer African-American students. Foreign students at Princeton are more likely to be European than Asian, and vice versa for Stanford.

[/quote]
yup, yup. Stanford doesn't have as great Cross-Pond appeal I suppose-it's too far? :D

[quote]
-- The two colleges have very different housing systems. Princeton has the two- or four-year residential colleges, and the eating clubs. Stanford is sort of a free-for-all for four years, with people moving around a lot and living/eating in different environments with different people. Both systems have their fans, but any particular person is probably going to like one a lot more than the other.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Once again, the whole egalitarianism thing in California...</p>

<p>but, on a whole, either school is a good choice.</p>

19

<p>The positives on these two are obvious. Both are great academically. So here are the cons as I see them:
Princeton: The lack of professional schools at princeton (and many other grad programs) is an underestimated problem,when Princeton undergrads apply elsewhere to law, business and medical school etc, particularly for those who are not at the absolute top of the class. At HYS, a good percentage of the grad programs is made up of their own undergrads. At Princeton you dont have that advantage and everyone is competing with everyone else for spots at the other top schools.
The eating clubs are archaic, expensive and discriminatory.
There is an element of east coast affectation.
The winter weather is terrible.</p>

<p>Stanford: The bottom 25% does not have the same objective academic qualifications as the rest of the class due in part to the need to keep feeding a massive sports program at a relatively small school.
It is somewhat west coast centric and that is the primary market that it seeks to serve. Like Duke in the South.
Although the weather is far better than central NJ, there is a rainy season (which takes up alot of the school year) and the "travel" time from one part of campus to another is extreme.
Also, you better like, or at least be able to tolerate, mission architecture.</p>