<p>pick princeton :)</p>
<p>i like cookiemom and alumother and simba and generally the warm posters on this board (i also like cookies, moms, alums, and lions, incidentally) : ).</p>
<p>if you're still looking for factors while you wait for your a-ha moment, I got an email today from someone suggesting i consider the 'ethos' of a school. Pton's aura of being conservative etc may be rubbing off but a lot of its culture is still pretty clubby, with an 'ethos' of sticking to little 'rules' or 'norms' in a sort of brotherly spirit sort of thingo....lots of people like that, others hate it. </p>
<p>I might PM you sometime to trade factors to weigh the next time I start fussing in my head about what to choose.</p>
<p>Anyway, you have my sympathy. I'm the type of person that regrets a lot. I'm not pessimistic, but I can get introspective and what-if-fy, so I can understand the 'happy torment' you're in. Take comfort in knowing that people on this board are generally right, and are most likely right this time.You're going to be happy wherever you choose simply because you can't go wrong. After your a-ha moment comes there's going to be plenty of reason to bleed orange, black, blue, red, purple and all the colors of the rainbow.</p>
<p>Let me throw in my 2 cents worth.</p>
<p>Almost 20 years ago I was faced with deciding between Princeton and Stanford (I was wait-listed at Yale). I vacillated, too. In the end, I flipped a coin. Literally. Princeton won. Great. Go Tigers, yehaw. I had a FANTASTIC time at Princeton.</p>
<p>But I would have had a fantastic time at Stanford. Or Yale, or Brown, or Amherst... The fact is, I sincerely believe that you CANNOT make a bad decision. Pick Yale, you win. Pick Princeton, you win. Pick Stanford, you win. I have close friends from all three school. They ALL loved their experience and none would change their decision.</p>
<p>Here's something else: I started school as an engineer in the MAE track. That may be part of the reason I was so gung-ho for Princeton and Stanford. Four years later, I graduated with a degree in English. The lesson? Things change. Your focus and interests very well might change. What you think is the perfect fit for you now might not be in a year.</p>
<p>All of your choices offer flexibility, variety, and infinite possibility. I understand your tough decision, but try instead to revel in your accomplishments.</p>
<p>Finally, your college experience is entirely within your hands no matter where you choose to go. If you, for whatever reason, had to drop out of P'ton, Yale or Stanford and go to Joe Blow University, if you made the right effort, you would have a great experience. So go with your gut, or flip a coin, or make a huge list of pros and cons and devise an insane algorithm for choosing, but don't ever look back. The next four years of your life are in all likelihood going to be the best four yet.</p>
<p>You can only not like a school if it was bad. Y, S an P are all great schools. Everyone who goes there loves it. Pick a random one, and go there. No fuss. And if it so happens that you just cannot bear one school, then by all means, transfer :) And of course, there's this thing about your applying to these three schools, based on SOME good factors at least.. so any of these three are well in tune for you. Seriously, flip for it, or pick one "from the hat"... Don't agonize over it.</p>
<p>i agree with cookiemom</p>
<p>what about Harvard? Would you put it into "great school" category as well??</p>
<p>Omigod...did you say the H-word?</p>
<p>Well, yeah, of course its in the "great" category. But it's Harvard.</p>
<p>(Go Tigers!)</p>
<p>Go to Princeton.</p>
<p>What is "clubby" ? Country clubby, do you mean? To quote Alumother in the "things I have heard" thread, "(Princeton) is no longer the clubby place of my days. I was most struck by the sheer power of the kids."
I guess you have to consider the source of info...hopefully someone who is/has been/(or, if neither of those is available, maybe someone who has a child who is a student there :) ), rather than someone clinging to stereotypes or who has an ax to grind. </p>
<p>I think that I was lucky in that having a middle class kid from a regular public school who didn't know anyone from Princeton, I didn't know the stereotypes. I only saw that people were friendly and helpful, the students loved their school and had tons of spirit (maybe that is clubby?), and that the education was unparalleled in offering the best of a university as well as what an undergrad-focused school should be. And-- that the opportunities seemed unlimited for someone with initiative, drive, and soul. I can only say that my year of Princeton parenthood has not changed my mind about these things, only reinforced them. </p>
<p>As far as conservative, I think all of the schools discussed on this thread would be considered liberal. Princeton is certainly liberal leaning but perhaps slightly less so than others; there are many voices on campus and they are heard and respected. There is somehow simultaneously a tremendous feeling of belonging (maybe that is the "clubby"?), as well as the excitement of being able to grow and to stretch as far as one wants to go, even for my very independent-minded child. Opportunities are everywhere--they are there, you decide what to seize. </p>
<p>How remarkable to have the choices of such outstanding schools. Barring financial constraints, no one can tell you (or your families) what you should do, where you should go, only to consider the sources of your information and ask your questions of many people. Most of all, to follow those strong minds and hearts of yours. Remember too that whatever campus you choose will become a little bit changed, probably a little bit better, because of what you will bring to it. </p>
<p>And Alumother, it must be difficult for your d to choose between staying on her own coast or coming east, especially with choices of such incredible schools. I'm glad to hear that you notice such vibrancy in the evolved Princeton. The stereotypes have puzzled me, because being newer on the Princeton scene, it has never been what I have seen. Good for you that you went with an open mind, and maybe for me that in the college category I had such a blank slate to begin with!</p>
<p>Remember you have an option. To assist your dilemna, remember that options in the financial markets (a fair analogy) go for a pretty penny. An option is always an asset. Therefore, think you have something others don't. How lucky you are. How grateful you should be!</p>
<p>Certain schools seem to have an aura that just won't fade on these boards. Princeton students get a good laugh over it, though. I hear that on pre-frosh weekend, one group dressed up in pink polos with popped collars, drank iced tea, and played croquet on one of the greens, just to poke fun at the stereotype. ;) The myth doesn't account for the reality that the Student Volunteer Services and the College Democrats are the two biggest organizations on campus and that the majority of students are on financial aid. As a parent I am truly grateful for a campus where the students are so supportive of one another, where faculty are world-class, available and eager to help, and where funding for travel, research, or community service is yours when you apply for it. I sympathize with those of you who are concerned, because I know my d was worried about the stereotypes she had heard before arriving on campus, but I can tell you she is having the time of her life.</p>
<p>aparent5. I saw those kids. The best part was that two or three were Indian, two or three were ethnic Chinese (i.e. Chinese-American, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, who knows) three were Caucasian. I wondered what they were doing:) They were next to the similarly constituted group of kids playing Ultimate Frisbee. In the Frisbee group, however, a not-terribly-athletically-built kid took off his shirt as the others pleaded with him to stay dressed. He insisted he was naked man, and played as is. It was hysterical. My D truly enjoyed it.</p>
<p>"a not-terribly-athletically-built kid" --> 'props' for the diplomacy</p>
<p>Please excuse my ignorance and general old-fashionedness, but what does 'props' mean? Thanks.</p>
<p>It's neither ignorance nor old-fashionedness -- are you familiar with Xanga? Xanga is like Livejournal - an online blog site, and visitors leave 'props' with their comments if they like a post. </p>
<p>Substitute 'Props' for kudos for a rough equivalent : )</p>
<p>couple good reasons to pick princeton:
- you can walk around late at night all by yourself. the campus is ridiculously safe, i did it and didnt get mugged (cant do that at yale, but maybe you could at stanford)
- it is the second best endowed university in the country. the panel of students just went on and on about how the university would pay for anything they wanted to do. that is a real asset that you may not get at the other institutions.</p>
<p>oh and i think the large influx of us asian kids shattered the elitist stereotype =P</p>
<p>wow, the pop-pinked polos playing croquet sipping iced tea, that has to be one of the funniest (and most genius) things I have ever heard.</p>
<p>and Anonymous, I walk around many places at night and don't get mugged, it's really not that hard.</p>
<p>As has been said already, you really can't lose given your choices. But you also can't win unless you go to Princeton. :)</p>
<p>Just my unbiased opinion.</p>
<p>cricket -- I didn't mean 'clubby' in a bad sense this time 'round; I don't think of princeton as 'clubby' in the negative sense that I used to since your post in the other thread : )</p>
<p>my point was that yale is relatively unsafe. lack of safety is inconvenient.</p>