<p>I mean, clearly, that is in fact the case. (Current Yale student) :)</p>
<p>It just seems like there is a strange new phenomenom, such as the article linked in the first page "Who needs Harvard" and with that, who needs Yale, Brown, and so on. It seems people seem to be devaluing an Ivy League education and trying to make it sound like it's almost a bad thing to get one.</p>
<p>I take slight exception to characterizing my Post #8 as "belittling" Yale. I think that's something of a stretch.</p>
<p>That said, I would like to point out that I am a parent. My DD is already into an Ivy-League school as an Early Decision admit. (Although this notion of people deliberately trying to "open up" a spot is interesting -- and possibly not a completely paranoid one. Present company not included in paranoia.)</p>
<p>And, in addition to DD, DS is also at any Ivy-League school. I have no grudge against the Ivies -- my station wagon bears a "Princeton" sticker.</p>
<p>Full disclosure.</p>
<p>Again -- good luck with a difficult decision, but one where you really can't go wrong.</p>
<p>You are obvously a very talented student to have two such fine options. Both schools will give you wonderful opportunities. You will be most content at a school you can totally embrace. If you could mentally and emotionally embrace UVA, you would not have posted this question. You would have been celebrating your Jefferson Scholarship. Ask yourself this question--were you more excited finding out about your acceptance to Yale or your award of the Jefferson Scholarship? You have just returned from 4 days of UVa rolling out the red carpet for you, and rather than celebrate such a tremendous honor, you immediately turn to the Yale forum questioning your decision. Both are very fine schools. But you may want to truly listen to your inner core and have a financial talk with your parents about attending your first choice school. When I read your post, it is obvious to me where you want to be. I've known some students who go to a school that is not their first choice for financial reasons and because they have a great attitude about it, they are happy after some adjustment time. I've also known some who question their choice--they gave up their "dream school" for money, and are never truly happy with their college experience for 4 years. It sounds like you may fall into the latter group. Good luck with your decision.</p>
<p>Jegan, I had a similar "dilemma" this year. Yale has always been my dream school- but my parents make just enough money so that we will likely get minimum (if any) aid. But we also live in Bergen County... which is one of the most expensive places to live in in the US =/. Anyway, UVa Scholar vs. Yale in terms of academic quality and WHAT YOU CAN TAKE FROM IT is negligible given that you work hard wherever you go. CHemistry is chemistry and shakespeare is shakespeare whether at the Ivy League or CommunityCollege. </p>
<p>Oh and if Yale is screwing you over with no aid... that's approximately $208/day everyday for 8 months. That's definitely NOT worth it.</p>
<p>Have you told Yale that you got this scholarship at UVA - because a friend of ours here deliberately "played" the colleges she got into off one another to get the best finaid package and in the end she got a good one from Yale. If you did not apply there for finaid, however, and go the JS as merit scholarship, then this won't work.</p>
<p>I agree with dellie--it is clear that you would rather go to Yale. You have been given the chance to follow your dream; don't feel bad doing it.</p>
<p>Cool Jimbob1225, if you're willing to pay for it. You know, history/anthropology/foreign affairs grads are known to make a lot of money straight out of college - enough to cover those exorbitant loans left over from a $160k price tag. ;)</p>
<p>If you cant afford Yale without putting your family in a financial bind, UVa is a great fall back choice. But ask yourself why UVa has to bribe you to go there. Would you even consider it on its own merits? The real question is where you want to spend the next four years of your life and what type of expeience you want to have.</p>
<p>Two very good but different schools. Good luck.</p>
<p>Well it looks like jegan is lucky to have a family that is willing/able to pay for it. As I said, she has been given an opportunity to follow her dream, so why not follow it?</p>
<p>She's going to have regrets either way.</p>
<p>Swish makes a really good point. I agree that you should inform Yale that you'll be receiving a full ride at UVA and see what they do; you could get some incentives in exchange. Either way, if you can afford it, I wouldn't pass up Yale.</p>
<p>"You know, history/anthropology/foreign affairs grads are known to make a lot of money straight out of college - enough to cover those exorbitant loans left over from a $160k price tag." </p>
<p>I can't tell if you're being serious or not. But unless you're a history major that found your way into IB... there's no way you're making 55k a year (at least the first 1-2 years)</p>
<p>What are your goals after your B.A? If it's law school or business, will your parents be able to help with that (without sacrificing their own retirement) if you go to Yale? </p>
<p>If it's an academic degree (PhD) you're after, grad school will be free. My D will graduate from Yale this spring, and has full funding at Harvard. But she always knew grad school was in her future. Had she wanted med or law, we would have had a much harder time with her turning down merit money from her other choices. </p>
<p>A bit of soul-searching is in order, as well as some honest discussion with the folks paying the bill. Good luck -- and a big congratulations!
Whatever decision you make will be the right one!</p>
<p>truazn he was being sarcastic</p>
<p>Oh, and I really like the way ASAP put it. I kept saying you will have regrets either way but ASAP is right, You will have made the right choice either way :)</p>
<p>In the words of Rod Tidwell, "Show me the money!"</p>
<p>Seriously, good luck with a very difficult decision. Either way, you will be at a great school.</p>
<p>I say to ...put the names of the schools in your favorite hat, and draw.</p>
<p>jegan, how important is the money for you and your family? personally i think you should choose yale unless money is a real problem. but i'd assume yale would give you some finaid if you needed it. also i think you should consider how different the two schools are. i live really close to UVA and i think it's overrated... but of course many people love it there.... it's just that it's like 70% in-state students... and i see people from my school go there who are really not the intellectually curious or honorable type... but of course they have to take a lot of kids from VA because they are a public school. i'm not saying that everyone at UVA is like the ones that i just described, but i'm just trying to give you a sense of why i don't like the school very much. that said, the jefferson scholarship is an amazing achievement so congrats on that.</p>
<p>it's just that obviously you are very smart, and if yale is truly your dream school i think you deserve to go there... especially since you've probably worked very hard and you're probably the type that enjoys learning.</p>
<p>My D also had Yale and Jeff Scholarship as her two top choices (unfortunately no SCEA and lost out in final round of Jeff). We are lucky enough to have no financial worries either way but she would have gone with the Jefferson and her parents agreed. I agree w a previous poster that the Jeff is more selective, and more impressive on post-grad applications, then Yale.</p>
<p>The Jeff is certainly not more impressive than Yale on any application. Maybe in select circles like in Virginia. But to the 99% of the rest of the world, Yale is more impressive than UVa and that will follow you the rest of your life. This is elitist and snobbish, but it is the truth and that truth will be extrememly valuable if you decide to apply for things outside academia after graduation, when the "Jeff" become just UVa.</p>
<p>
[quote]
personally i think you should choose yale unless money is a real problem.
[/quote]
Remember that the OP isn't just comparing UVA and Yale with a price difference. The comparison is between a highly selective program at a top-notch university and regular student status at another top-notch university.</p>
<p>The Jefferson program offers full funding for COA, leadership programs, public service programs, study abroad programs, internships, and various other events...I'd be willing to accept it over being a regular student at another top university. I've seen the difference between being a Scholar at Duke or a Morehead at UNC and being a regular student, and there is a <em>huge</em> difference in how they're treated and what they achive.</p>
<p>I liked and applied to Yale (although it was above only NC State on my list), but I would pick UVA. Paying $180,000 for more prestige (not quality) is not worth it. If Yale fits you better, and you absolutely don't like UVA, that would be different.</p>
<p>Pick Yale. </p>
<p>i got into Echols too, and my sister goes to yale. i have seen Uva numerous times, and know the many types of students who go there, some indeed are amazing, and who, like you, might turn down yale to go. but these kids are a minority. UVa has so many instate students and for someone living in Va, i need a breath of fresh air. if i was in your wonderful dilema, i would choose yale, it's more international (the student body, and the speakers who come there, OMG!) and trust me, more interesting and fun...in my oppinion of course :)</p>