Stanford vs. Yale Early Action

Colleges and Universities A-Z Stanford University
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<p>I'm plan to apply early action next year to either Stanford or Yale. Although the admit rates at both of these schools EA are about twice what they are RD, they are both still really low and I think I'm realistic about the fact that I may very well not get into either.</p>

<p>I've been told that Stanford is better known for its graduate schools, while Yale is well known for its excellent undergrad education. If this is accurate, it would obviously be a big reason to want to go to Yale; do any of you have personal experience? Stanford's Grad/Undergrad student ratio is slightly higher than Yale's, but they're pretty similar, far away from the extremes of Harvard on one end or Dartmouth on the other. Also, a general question to any student at a university: do you feel like your education is enriched by having a graduate school there? Or do your grad student TAs just make you wish you had gone to a LAC?</p>

<p>I'm pretty sure I'll be a humanities major, and I'm quite impressed that 45% of Yalies are humanities/art majors, plus 35% are social science majors. Although I've heard nothing but positive things about humanities at Stanford, it does seem better known for its science programs. (I've tried looking for the Stanford major distribution stats, but no luck so far. Any help, please?) I've also heard people knock Stanford for being pre-professional, is this true? Even if it is, I'm not sure that's necessarily a bad thing. I have some classmates who are very driven and want to become doctors; these people who I admire, respect and like very much, some of my best friends, but that career path is just not for me personally. I very much want to avoid competitive classes, which I've heard Stanford classes can be. This doesn't mean I don't want to work hard, but rather that I'd much rather work with my classmates than against them.</p>

<p>Also, I love biking and hiking, so weather is by no means a trivial consideration to me. For this, Stanford wins, hands down.</p>

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<p><a href=“http://facultysenate.stanford.edu/2007_2008/reports/SenD6007distrib_majors.pdf[/url]”>http://facultysenate.stanford.edu/2007_2008/reports/SenD6007distrib_majors.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>Stanford does a lot for its undergrads. This past year it offered around 200 freshman and sophomore seminars each capped at 16 students (although many have less than that) and each are taught exclusively by professors. From what I’ve heard from many current students, you’ll only have TAs in labs and/or supplemental discussions to the main class (and those TAs aren’t grad students usually but rather post-docs who have already earned their PhD but aren’t full fledged professors yet). Actual professors teach the vast majority of courses including freshmen courses. </p>

<p>I would say that Stanford’s graduate schools enrich the undergrad student body in many ways. First, undergrads are allowed to take classes in any of the professional schools. So if you’re interested in law, medicine, business or education then this is a definite plus.
Also, a lot of undergrads coterm, meaning that they stay for five years and can get their masters along with their bachelors and don’t have to apply to grad school to do so. They automatically “move up” to the graduate level for their fifth year if they so choose to do so. (This is why Stanford’s 4 year grad rate is so low compared to Yales. Around 76% vs. 96%.)</p>

<p>And you’re right, the ratio of undergrads to grads at Stanford and Yale are about similar. 6800:8300 at Stanford vs 5000:6000 at Yale. So I don’t see why so many people get on Stanford’s case but not Yale’s. There are plenty of universities that are far worse in this regard (for example Harvard is 6500:13,000, Columbia is 6800:15,000, JHU is 4000:14,000, and U of Chicago is 4000:10,000).</p>