<p>I'm trying to decide between these 2 schools, though my problem is I'm not too sure what I want to study. I'm interested in studying something involving math, but I'm not too sure about engineering. I visited both preview days and enjoyed my time at both. Any advice for either school is appreciated. Thanks.</p>
<p>Disclaimer: This is the Yale message board, so you might get biased responses.
That said, I visited both these schools in the last week (I’m a HS student, so discount me if you wish).
I thought that Princeton was more visually impressive, but Yale is no slouch. Princeton is probably more undergraduate-focused. For Princeton, did you apply to SEAS? Yale has one college, so it’s more unified if you want to explore. Princeton does have the senior thesis requirement, so that could be a major point in either’s favor depending on how you feel. Princeton also has eating clubs, which again could be a major point in either’s favor depending on how you feel on it. Location also plays a factor. Princeton is about an hour from NY, Yale is about a half hour farther from NY.
I apologize if these thoughts are disjointed/hard-to-follow.
All the above being said, there is no wrong choice here. Both are excellent choices and you will do great no matter which one you pick.</p>
<p>I’m in the same exact situation right now, not sure which I’m going to choose</p>
<p>Have you tried searching the Yale forum for the words “Princeton?” There are many other threads that have comparisons of both schools. Here are just four of those threads:
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/yale-university/154275-why-yale-over-princeton.html?highlight=princeton[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/yale-university/154275-why-yale-over-princeton.html?highlight=princeton</a>
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/yale-university/1313331-yale-princeton-cross-admits.html?highlight=princeton[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/yale-university/1313331-yale-princeton-cross-admits.html?highlight=princeton</a>
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/yale-university/1130075-princeton-v-yale-please-help-me.html?highlight=princeton[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/yale-university/1130075-princeton-v-yale-please-help-me.html?highlight=princeton</a>
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/yale-university/1116198-yale-vs-princeton-vs-penn.html?highlight=princeton[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/yale-university/1116198-yale-vs-princeton-vs-penn.html?highlight=princeton</a></p>
<p>Princeton.</p>
<p>I think you should go by your gut feeling based on your experiences at the preview days. Bulldog Days, in my opinion, gives a pretty fair (although intensified) picture of what Yale is like. I suspect Princeton’s is the same.</p>
<p>Princeton previews was a lot less fun than Bulldog days when my D attended them. Princeton probably offers more for math-oriented students. But if music in any form is important to you then Yale wins out.</p>
<p>Distance form NYC is perhaps the most overrated factor when considering these schools. The only way it might be relevant is if you are going to fly in and out of the area airports. Very few kids are going to actually take advantage of NYC with any regularity from either campus. If NYC is important then go to Columbia.</p>
<p>
I don’t know if this is the case. My son has taken the Metro train (around $20 roundtrip) to NY quite a few times this year to attend Broadway shows and to tour the city.</p>
<p>I’m a Princeton alumna and two of my children have attended Princeton. I normally don’t post on the Yale board (and I think that Yale is a wonderful school by the way), but I thought that I would give the OP my thoughts on the particular academic areas mentioned.</p>
<p>In terms of math, Princeton has long had one of the strongest math departments in the country (along with Harvard, the Courant Institute at NYU and MIT). According to the National Research Counsel ranking of graduate programs (and Princeton professors teach both graduate students and undergraduates), Princeton’s programs in both applied and pure math ranked number one in the country. In addition, Princeton has had more faculty and alumni win the Fields Medal than any other U.S. institution (Princeton has had nine Fields winners, Berkeley has had eight and Harvard and University of Chicago have had six each) and more graduates and faculty members who have won the Wolf Prize than any other institution. In addition, the last three winners of the Fermat Prize in Mathematics have been associated with Princeton.</p>
<p>Even more importantly, the faculty is approachable, the department is incredibly friendly and close-knit (tea is offered every afternoon at 3:30) and students are collaborative.</p>
<p>In terms of engineering, the Princeton engineering department is very strong (it is ranked 10th in the country by US News) and its graduates seem to do extremely well in the job market and in graduate school placement. Here’s a link to a page you can use to view job/graduate program outcomes of recent graduates [What</a> about my major?<em>«</em>Office of Career Services « Princeton University](<a href=“Search Opportunities | Human Resources”>Search Opportunities | Human Resources) And, just like other Princeton departments/majors, the engineering school offers generous project funding and close-knit relationships with professors and other students.</p>
<p>Good luck with your decision!</p>
<p>I just decided on Yale, by the way. Good luck with your choice!</p>
<p>Congrats! Great choice piedpilko (you could not go wrong either way though).</p>
<p>similar situation (schools and major), committed to Yale 10 mins ago :)</p>
<p>I think the main issue is what I’m going to study. If I’m completely sure about math/engineering, Princeton is good. If I’m just kinda figuring things out, I’m not too sure.</p>
<p>^ If you are still trying to figure things out, both are good. </p>
<p>Princeton is much better in engineering, and slightly stronger in math. If you want to do engineering, I think you should definitely go with Princeton. Otherwise, I think it’s a toss up and you should choose whichever you like more based on fit.</p>
<p>This might be another question. I heard that it’s harder for students who went to a school for undergrad to get in for grad school. Is this true or just a rumor?</p>