@GrapePocky, what was Yale’s reaction?
I would stick with what I said in post #17 above. It depends on what you want for a college experience, and my sense is that your heart is with Yale, but you having a hard time giving up Stanford’s appeal.
Several decades ago I was in a similar position. Coming from the Northeast, studying 'cello at Yale with lots of friends there. Yale was familiar, comfortable, and felt like home. But after a summer in Brazil I yearned for adventure and a different kind of experience, and fell in love with Stanford’s balance, vitality and free spirit (even though I’d never been west of Pittsburgh, and there was no internet in those days). I wanted to be challenged by something different, to be out of my comfort szone, and felt I was mature enough to be 3000 miles from home. Stanford worked for me, and I never looked back.
Both are great schools. All that matters is which one is right for you (though you’ll probably do well at either). I think you’ll get a great education, premed preparation, and plenty of research opportunities at both schools. I wouldn’t worry about specific departments or try to over-analyze it. It’s a question of where you think you will be happiest. Stanford and Yale are very different socially, but both very social environments. For what it does well (traditional NE campus, strong undergraduate focus, residential colleges, strong community, and a strong liberal arts foundation) Yale can’t be beat. Stanford is entirely different - bigger, more intellectually progressive and freewheeling with a strong entrepreneurial and commercial slant, somewhat STEM biased but still very strong in the liberal arts, and somewhat more graduate focused though still very comfortable for undergrads. It sounds like your heart is with Yale, and I’d probably stick with it in your situation; but if you want to challenge yourself and try a different environment, Stanford will be a great experience. It really comes down to what you want in terms of an overall experience. That sounds like Yale from your earlier posts. If you really can’t get Stanford out of your head, then maybe you really want something different, but it sounds like you’re swayed more by reputation and STEM strength than by actual feel.
As I said earlier, D (also a New England pup) picked S and loves it. She had been impressed with Yale as well (after YES-W), but S had been her 1st choice since freshman year of HS.
From reading your post, however, I think your heart is with Yale since you committed to it already after having a positive experience at BDD.
I don’t think you can go wrong either way. As I understand it, for undergrad in Bio and CS, it sounds like you may be selling Yale short. Just because Yale is walk-in for IGEM does not mean you won’t have exceptional faculty and peers to learn from. Don’t get hung up thinking the program differences are that significant.
Go with what is in your heart. For my D, it was S, but it sounds to me like Yale may be right for you.
@GrapePocky You will def get a better STEM education at Stanford buts till pretty well-rounded since Stanford is strong in all areas. How wet if you think you cannot fit into Stanford and won’t be happy then go to Yale.
@GrapePocky, I am getting a fantastic (!) STEM education and quality of life at Yale, was awarded a prestigious Yale summer science research grant, and absolutely have loved my first year at Yale. Few, if any, of the posts on this thread are from current STEM Yale students, so please take it from a hardcore science guy who appreciates liberal arts too, the residential college system, the professors, my classmates, the extracurriculars, the course offerings and flexibility, and the campus have exceeded my expectations. I committed the day after Bulldog Days last year, I just knew the fit was right at Yale. Whether you attend Yale or Stanford, you will win, but make sure you are crystal clear about the trade-offs of living across the country (I did not apply to Stanford, grad/med school’s a different story). PM me if I can help.
@GrapePocky I just wrote a long response to you on the Stanford site.