<p>Mississippi University for Women ;)</p>
<p>Interesting that quite a few posters said- UChicago. I considered it as well, but I will be turning down a full merit ride to go to Harvard. I decided this after visiting, it just didn’t feel “right” or like I could call it home, it just wasn’t a fit for me. I love the Boston/Cambridge area and MIT and Harvard have been at the top of my list since I started applying to schools.</p>
<p>UChicago & Tufts. Both these 2 were my top two favorite schools along with Yale, but Yale doesn’t really count in this thread.</p>
<p>However, Harvard is pretty nice – I might consider it for grad (scratch that, I WILL consider it for grad).</p>
<p>It all depends on the program and the major that one wants to pursue. For example, Harvard has an outstanding Pre-Med program, but if they didn’t have that, Washington University in St. Louis would be obvious for a number one choice. </p>
<p>Sure, Harvard has prestige and several excellent programs, but it doesn’t offer the best in every single department, and the college is not for everyone, so choose wisely, not just for its rank and prestige.</p>
<p>Honestly now, has anyone ever turned down Harvard for Tufts or Wash. U.?</p>
<p>These boards crack me up.</p>
<p>You turn down Harvard for another IVY or a top small liberal arts school. Honestly, for undergraduate education, you’ll get more attention and opportunities at a small liberal arts school, not to mention the great community. Harvard is great for graduate school and graduate programs though.</p>
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<p>And you base this observation on your own personal experience as an undergrad at both Harvard as well as “a small liberal arts school, not to mention the great community”? Or are you just pulling this out of your a$$?</p>
<p>My immediate answer is Harvard for its prestige.
However, if given the choice between Harvard and either Yale or Princeton, I would have to visit each school before making a decision.
If I wanted to study engineering, I would go to Stanford.</p>
<p>“Honestly now, has anyone ever turned down Harvard for Tufts or Wash. U.?”</p>
<p>Wash U, at least, yes. They give some enticing merit scholarships.</p>
<p>Swarthmore for undergraduate liberal arts, CalTech or MIT for undergraduate science.</p>
<p>I decided before I heard from Harvard that I would go to Pomona College. And then I was rejected, and I was sort of glad, because I already had to tell people that I was turning down Johns Hopkins.</p>
<p>Amherst, Oxford, Cambridge, Duke, Princeton. (not in that order)</p>
<p>Columbia! :)</p>
<p>If I was offered merit scholarship to Duke or Vanderbilt, I’d go there instead.
Also, if I got into a college that guaranteed me a spot in their medical school. :)</p>
<p>University of Cambridge is the only school above Harvard for me.</p>
<p>I would turn down Harvard for:
1: Stanford
2: Notre Dame
3: USC</p>
<p>I highly doubt I would ever be in this situation, but maybe Stanford, UPenn-Wharton, or Cal (I live in California, in-state tuition is WAY cheaper and Cal is still a top tier school)</p>
<p>Harvard grad, 1993</p>
<p>If I could do it over again, I might have chosen Stanford, Columbia or Penn (dual engineering/Wharton).</p>
<p>Yale? ABSOLUTELY NEVER!</p>
<p>My D, who is a swimmer, made a decision not to do D1(and the Ivies are, at least in swimming, not a minor D1 player any longer) but to do a very strong D3 program with a top tier academic program–also she thrives in a small, intimate academic settling, always has-- so the car is packed and off to Williamstown she goes tomorrow.</p>
<p>BTW-- her older brother is a rising sophomore at Harvard – so no bias. </p>
<p>To each his or her own depending on personalities and needs</p>
<p>Chose Stanford over Harvard. Sometimes I get what-ifs but then I remember my visit weekend and how awesome and at home I felt on the Palo Alto campus. It really depends on fit amongst these schools! =)</p>