<p>I know there have been several threads like this in the past, but I thought I'd start a fresh one since my situation might be a bit different. For starters, money is (thankfully) not a problem in either situation — I can attend both debt-free! I'm interested in all things humanities and art (photography, specifically) and dislike math and science. Weirdly enough, I felt more of a connection to Stanford upon visiting, but I think that might be because I live 30 minutes away. Perhaps that "home" feeling exists because I'm...well...pretty much at home. The things that bother me about Stanford are: the quarter system, the athletic/frat scene seems more pronounced than at Y, more math-sciencey than Y, the size of the campus, and the lack of cohesion when it comes to housing. You might think, "Well then, sounds like you have your mind made up!" The issue is that, on paper, Yale is a perfect fit for me. It just didn't feel perfect when I was physically there. I can't really articulate how I felt but it just didn't really... click? The whole campus was a bit eerie with that gothic architecture that perhaps I'll grow to love. Kids also seemed much happier at S than Y, though maybe I visited during a stressful week with finals coming. I'm just not sure. Thank you in advance for any and all advice you might be able to offer!</p>
<p>Your concerns about Stanford are real and commonly voiced by others. It is hard to imagine that Stanford students are happier than Yale students since the latter are generally quite enthusiastic about the school. Only you can tell is you are ready to move across the country and live more than 30 minutes from home but is easy to see why the close proximity of family would give you comfort.</p>
<p>It is important to keep in perspective that when you visit schools and make subjective determinations such as happy/very happy students, you are really looking at a small window and making a huge generalization. After attending Bulldog days, our son was worried (in the opposite way) that Yale students were a tad too care-free and happy! Now that he’s there, he knows that there is a mix of students there (just like everywhere). For you, proximity (and maybe the known vs the unknown) may be the key issue. These are two great schools. You’ll be happy with whatever decision you make. Best wishes.</p>
<p>If you live 30 minutes from Stanford, it’s not surprising that Yale would seem a bit alien. You’d get used to it, though. Think carefully about the weather.</p>
<p>But for me, the difference between quarters and semesters would be enough to decide me for Yale.</p>
<p>If you believe in the future and want to attend a university of the future, then go to Stanford, which is at the cutrting edge of research both in the sciences and the humanities. Stanford has been at the center of the creation of the next phase of the US economy for decades. If you want to look backwards and wax nostaglia about another time in America, then go to Yale. The idea that it is impossible to be happier than a Yale student is simply nonsense. Yale is a fine school, but please do no spew nonsense that there is no place where students can be happier. I have been to both campuses many times, and Yale does not hold a monopoly on happy students. Stanford, Brown, Georgetown, Rice, Duke, etc have generally happy student bodies too.</p>
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<p>Except that if you go back and actually read the previous comments, no one said those things, quite the opposite. </p>
<p>Time to brush up on those CR skills if you’re going to face the future!:)!</p>
<p>Touche! Couldn’t have said it better myself entomom. :)</p>
<p>If you live near Stanford, go to Yale. College is a time to expand your horizons, experience the seasons, new architecture, another area of the country. You can easily travel to NYC and Boston. If you can’t find another reason, decide based upon whom you’d rather have as your rival: Harvard or Cal. :)</p>
<p>A previous post stated that “it is hard to imagine that Stanford students are happier than Yale students”. The clear implication is that for Yalies it is impossible to imagine that other schools can match Yale’s atmosphere, campus life, academic offerings etc. This is simply nonsense and in my mind reflects an attitude of superiority and privilege associated with the perception that somehow Yale is above the rest. Someday, when Yalies finally realize that they are now competing with many universities which offer very compelling programs and equal (if not superior) levels of faculty and student achievement, then perhaps Yale can address its problems. When I think of Yale, I do not think of the future…I associate Yale with the past. My experience with Stanford students, alums and faculty is to talk about their society-changing achievements and the future. This is probably why Stanford attracts such an enthusiastic and engaged student body.</p>
<p>Kalorama:</p>
<p>There is no implication whatsoever that I cannot imagine other schools having students as happy as Yale students. I did not say that nor did any other person posting. I said that I doubted another student body was happier.</p>
<p>You seem more intent on bashing Yale than critically reading what others have written. My guess is that you are largely standing alone here worrying about Yale mired in its past immersed in its problems. </p>
<p>Stanford certainly is able to attract top quality students from each graduating class but no doubt Yale does very well amongst cross admitted students. I’m not sure why you are trying to pick a fight on a Yale board no less. I wonder if Kalorama DS/DD missed the opportunity to attend Yale or is sitting on a waitlist?</p>
<p>This discussion asks that people comment on a choice a student has between Yale and Stanford. I am entitled to give my opinion, and you have no basis to question my motives. I am not picking a fight. Just tired of people on these discussion boards giving views that I find are just plain nonsense. I am not standing alone. About 33 percent of admitted students turn down Yale each year. And my guess is that Yale loses roughly 50 percent of cross admits to Stanford. Yale cannot attract top science students, so it loses talent to many other top schools (Stanford, Harvard, MIT) in the important academic disciplines that will define the future. This is a fact. I have no idea how to measure happiness, nor how you can make the statement you did. I can discuss which schools produce top science students and research, and Yale is not on that list. Yale has the lowest percentage of students in the Ivies, Stanford, MIT, Rice majoring in the sciences. Does not bode well for its future.</p>
<p>Kalorama doth protest too much, methinks. :rolleyes:</p>
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Your posts are evidence otherwise.</p>
<p>– First, you have chosen to distort an opinion made by a poster – that he doubts that there are students happier than those at Yale – into a dogmatic, universal assertion – that it is beyond doubt that Yale students are the happiest. Other posters have pointed out your distortion yet you persist in repeating it. Why should a reader not conclude from this that you are being contentious?</p>
<p>– Second, you have used a rhetorical technique by disguising an opinion of your own as a factual claim. Yale, you say, is not on your list of schools with top science students. At the superficial level that cannot be disputed because it is certain you can put whatever schools you want on such a list for whatever reasons you want. However, presumably this is meant to suggest that Yale ought not be on any such list that has been compiled based on relevant criteria. And with that you would be wrong – evidence shows that Yale science majors go on to earn Ph.D’s at very high rates compared to science majors at other schools. While it probably true that Yale loses some, perhaps a majority, of science-focused cross-admits to certain schools with a mission or tradition that focus more heavily on the sciences, those students who do choose to attend are demonstrably talented and well-prepared. (This is based on a statistical study I saw about two years ago and for which I don’t have a link.)</p>
<p>– Third, and most tellingly, your posts become deliberately provocative when you imply that (1) only schools with technological and scientific emphasis can be prepared for the future and (2) schools that do not share this emphasis are bound to the past. This suggests you think that such liberal arts disciplines as history, literature, social and political science, philosophy, and arts and design belong primarily to the past and will have a greatly diminished role, perhaps even irrelevancy, in the future. If I think, rather, that these disciplines will continue to be at least as important as they are now, then you have effectively dismissed my opinion completely offhandedly. I suggest that this is indeed “picking a fight”.</p>
<p>I guess these forums don’t really permit open discussion. I guess Yale is perfect. I think all the relevant statistics show that Yale is not a top tier science school. You can all spin it the way you want…and that is what Yale is really good at…producing the idea that they are special and better than everyone in spite of the facts. By the way, Stanford can match Yale in humanities too, so don’t assume Yale is superior in those disciplines either…</p>
<p>Seriously, Kalorama??? Yale not a top-tier school? That is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. I happen to be at Yale visiting my daughter at this very moment. She’s furiously working on a paper for a doctoral seminar she is enrolled in as a junior undergrad. Every thing about Yale is top-tier. Stanford is fine. I would argue Stanford, while fun, techy and sunny (I’m a Californian) is not as intellectual an environment as one will find at Yale. Stanford is also significantly more conservative (e.g., the Hoover Institute). Still, it’s a fine institution so no need to bash Yale. That’s just plain silly. And yes, Yalies are quite happy–the happiest, in fact (no worries–Stanford kids do pretty well too): [College</a> Rankings 2011: Happiest Schools - The Daily Beast](<a href=“http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/features/college-rankings/2011/happiest.all.html]College”>http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/features/college-rankings/2011/happiest.all.html)</p>
<p>I went to…hehum…that other school…but I need to come to Yale’s defense here. </p>
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<p>Let’s just say that comes off with so much venom and bitterness that it’s hard to take you seriously.</p>
<p>Had you confined your claims to “Yale is not a top-tier science school” and “Stanford is very strong in the Humanities”, responses varying from concurrence to respectful disagreement might have ensued. However, implying that Yale (and any school like it) is fading into the past was just provocative…and silly.</p>
<p>Two years ago my son was choosing between Yale And Dartmouth. We live only 8 miles from Dartmouth and so he was very familiar with the campus, having taken a class there, and participated in various programs there. Understandably he felt very comfortable there during his accepted student visit – perhaps more so than at Yale’s much more urban, compact campus. Ultimately he chose Yale – he likes the architecture better 
– and is now pretty used to New Haven. The convenience of being close to home may appeal to you and your parents, but widening your horizons has pluses as well. Our S does not regret his decision</p>