<p>I went to Yale yesterday, Princeton 2 days ago. I got the feeling that Yale was much more "warm" than Princeton. The girl who did the admissions meeting was a senior and did a really good job (she was a senior). Also, the girl who did the tour was VERY good as well (junior), she knew a lot. At Princeton, the girl who did the tour was a freshman and didn't really know much, and the person who did the admissions meeting was an actual admissions counselor, but didn't seem as enthusiastic.</p>
<p>However, I talked to a friend at Harvard last night, and he said Princeton is the "warmest," followed by Yale in close second, and Harvard a far third.</p>
<p>I will be applying to all 3 of these colleges (and more) this fall, but I was wondering what you guys thought of Princeton vs. Yale in terms of school atmosphere.</p>
<p>Princeton = eating clubs. If you are into that kind of thing, that's fine. Yale is definitely an extremely warm place to be. Well, except weather wise. That said, I'm sorry you came in when nobody was there. Yale is best when it has its students around.</p>
<p>Yeah, Princeton had midterms at the time and Yale had spring break. However, I thought the Yale tour guides / admission girl was much better at presenting everything. I'm sure Princeton has the same facilities as Yale but they never said anything much about them.</p>
<p>Yale definitely has a more collaborative atmosphere, academics-wise. Princeton students are more competitive. The grading systems feed into this.
I have spent a lot of time on Princeton's campus and in the surrounding area, and I can give you a LOAD of anecdotes about the lack of warmth at Princeton. I can't really speak for Yale.</p>
<p>But I don't think random personal experiences are a sound basis for judgement (hence why I think you should be careful about evaluating based on tour experiences).
I do think it is 100% right to say that Harvard is a far third.</p>
<p>I think you should do an overnight visit, if at all possible.</p>
<p>I visited both Yale and Princeton before applying. Prior to the visit, I was 100% set on applying ED at Princeton and was visiting Yale on a whim just because it was only an hour away from Columbia. But after I visited, I came home and started my SCEA application for Yale. Princeton was GORGEOUS, but I didn't get the warm, friendly vibe that I got from Yale. Everyone I talked to at Yale was so genuine and SO friendly. And it helped that my tour guide there was AMAZING and really funny, whereas my Princeton tour guide was a little weird and kind of dull.</p>
<p>But I think it simply comes down to what fits you best. What really sealed the deal for me regarding Yale was the residential colleges. I love the idea of living with a small, close-knit group of people inside a big university. I feel like it really prevents you from getting lost in the crowd.</p>
<p>I did still apply to Princeton RD and will visit again if I'm accepted, but I'm pretty sure about my decision. Best of luck to you with the application process, and I hope you do get to make that choice!</p>
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I visited both Yale and Princeton before applying. Prior to the visit, I was 100% set on applying ED at Princeton and was visiting Yale on a whim just because it was only an hour away from Columbia. But after I visited, I came home and started my SCEA application for Yale.
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<p>Jegan- that story reminds me of my own experience. When I was a HS junior going on my East Coast college tour, I wasn't even going to visit Yale, because my impression of it was of a socially elitist college in a crappy city, which, combined with the fact that George Bush was a graduate, left me with very negative feelings. Luckily, my dad talked me into visiting, and like you, I loved it. Admittedly, I still applied EA to Stanford instead, but after visiting a second time at Bulldog Days, I was completely sold. If it weren't for the weather (which, as someone from Southern California, I consider a tad cold), I can't imagine creating a better college than Yale. </p>
<p>That said, what really matters should matter to the OP is what he thinks about Yale, not what some random Yale students/applicants tell him. Luckily, it sounds to me like he got the correct impression.</p>
<p>I have to say, that the students are absolutely the best aspect of Yale. They are really great there and there's a wonderful sense of community. I also visited Princeton and Yale at the same time.</p>
<p>Well, I wish I hadn't seen this thread, since it makes me want Yale all over again...</p>
<p>Then again, a comparatively harsher environment like H or P should give one an accurate taste of the real corporate world, which is anything but warm and fuzzy.</p>
<p>P.S. I don't know what you mean by "harsher" when you describe Princeton. In fact, Princeton has even more of an undergraduate-focused, anti-professional, pro-intellectual environment (no professional graduate schools--emphasis on learning for the sake of learning). That doesn't mean its students aren't driven or ambitious of course; just puts them on the same plane as Yale students.</p>
<p>And some of us like to think that a great education is the best prep for a successful future. Apparently we're wrong. Damn, I better get started with my resume building, networking, and throat-cutting.</p>
<p>I did get the warm and fuzzies from Princeton as well, but I was just responding to multiple posters who complained about competitiveness and not getting the "warm friendly vibes."</p>
<p>Mallomar, that depends on what you define success by.</p>
<p>Although I have not visited Princeton, my tour of Yale was superb. The tour guide (a sophomore girl) was so bubbly and genuinely excited about the college. There were students out and about on campus, laughing and having a great time in the cafeteria, and there was just a general vibe of "warmth," like everyone has already mentioned. Harvard, by contrast, was extremely cold, austere, and dull. There were barely any students out. Maybe I went at the wrong time of day? I did, however, manage to sneak into a huge Harvard class (psychology I believe?) in the beautiful Memorial Hall auditorium, and the kids there seemed really fun also. I guess it depends where you go on campus.</p>
<p>As for me, I haven't decided which college to make my first choice. I still have to do some research regarding my intended major and the different resources available at each school. On top of that, HYP all have pros and cons... I might have to do a Rory Gilmore and start making lists. :x</p>
<p>Before visiting, I was sure Princeton would be my child's first choice -- great English Dept., beautiful campus, close to New York. We went to Yale just because it was "on the list". Our first tour guide was so bad we switched tours, and the second was really nice and knowledgeable, but REALLY reserved. The campus was beautiful, it is close to New York, but once we visited Yale, the difference in the people overall was overwhelming. The senior who spoke to the whole group was incredibly smart and articulate and nice, and our tour guide was also really helpful and warm. The students and admissions people at Yale were without a doubt the friendliest of all the colleges we visited. And even though folks say you can't tell from one visit, my child is now a Junior, and it all holds true. Princeton is a great school, but everyone was just a little reserved, and my child is very outgoing and sociable, so Yale was the best fit. Maybe if you are reserved, Princeton would better fit the bill.</p>