Hello all,
I my fortunate enough to be given the choice between Yale or Stanford. I know numerous threads exists regarding these two schools, but as someone planning to major in both economics and math I was wondering what my best option would be. I understand all the other factors such as financial aid and school visits, but through a purely objective perspective which would be better for my situation. Thanks in advance.
My son attended Yale, and my daughter went to Harvard – and BOTH kids have the exact same regrets about their college experience: November, December, January, February and March – five out of nine months you are in school are just brutally cold in the northeast. As such, myself (and my kids) are in agreement: GO TO STANFORD! The weather is infinitely nicer and you’ll have the same great experience you would at Yale (and I’m saying this as a Yale parent). Best of luck to you whatever you decide!
Both schools are great. My S is an economics and math major at Yale. He is very happy about his choice.
The following was the advise that I gave to my S last year when he was choosing his school; just my 2 cents as a practitioner in finance and a finance professor for a total of 3 decades:
If the goal is to get into a research path, say a PhD in economics or finance, HYPSM are pretty much the same. The differential factors will be (1) GPA, (2) quantitative (math, stat, econometrics, data processing) training (a major in econ and math is better than a major in econ), and (3) whether a serious publication or working paper, most likely under guidance from a research faculty, can be achieved. (1) and (2) are most important. With (3), it can be even nicer.
If the goal is to get a job right after college, HYP, columbia, and Wharton help one more in getting into top finance jobs. Stanford helps one more in getting into tech-based venture capital or entrepreneurial path. But the reality is that you have the necessary foundation to achieve pretty much everything at Yale or Stanford so long as you do reasonably well (academics, networking, ECs) there.
Congratulations! You cannot get wrong with either. Visit both and see which you like better.
My son, then a prospective CS major, faced the same decision two years ago and, with great difficulty, chose Stanford. He hasn’t regretted it, but I’m sure he would have been just as happy at Yale (perhaps happier, because of the residential colleges—but maybe unhappier, because of the distance from home and the weather). You should be fine academically at either school. They seem very different, though, in other ways—Yale struck us as much more “warm and fuzzy.” Stanford isn’t—maybe in part because of its dorm system and how spread out the campus is—but the students are very friendly and super-collaborative—even in tough majors like CS, they aren’t competing with each other for grades. Visit both schools, talk to students and professors, and then roll the dice, knowing you’ll be fine either way.
The son of a friend of mine faced a similar dilemma, except the choice was Harvard or Stanford. He also ended up as a math and economics major (he went on to get a PhD in economics.) Anyway, he went to visit Harvard in April… when it was blowing and snowing and just awful. A few days later he was visiting Stanford where students were studying by the pool. He chose Stanford.
Another anecdote: a professor who taught at both Harvard and Stanford was asked about the difference in the undergrads at both schools. He said, at Harvard they’re more nakedly ambitious. At Stanford they’re more naked.
Stanford won’t give you any more opportunities in academia than Yale, and vice versa. Strong graduates at both schools end up in the very top programs, especially those who took a more rigorous quantitative pathway. Yale also has the BA/MA option, which I know many peer schools don’t. A lot of the stronger math candidates at Yale end up pursuing academia - someone a few years above me who was a perfect scorer at IMO (= best math student in the world in high school) went onto an econ PhD.
Yale has been one of America’s top universities for mathematical finance since the inception of the field - it was arguably invented at Yale (Irving Fischer) and still remains very strong.
I think Stanford is a better place if you end up wanting to work in the business side of a tech company, but frankly the recruitment for wall street jobs is limited for Stanford. I was in a top internship program in New York (bank ranked number 1 for this particular department) and there were no Stanford students (and I met no alums). In the department and bank where I work full time, there is only one Stanford alum in my class, and 6 or so Yale students.
Of course, you’re still a teenager and you shouldn’t be expected to know exactly where you want to end up working. The only other distinguishing factors would probably be the extracurricular scene, the weather and what kind of fellowships are offered for domestic and international experiences.
For what it’s worth, I came into Yale with an extremely strong background in physical sciences and still found that there were plenty of really hard classes on offer. My mathematical intuition is a world above what it was when I matriculated and it took a hard slog to get there. If you go to Yale, there will be numerous classes that will stretch you.
Yes you will definitely like Stanford. It’s in the heart of where much of the business is being done nowadays. You will be exposed to all that and can see the top engineers and business people. If you know of any alumni in your to speak to, talk to them. An in-person conversation with an alumni will give you better perspectives on which school to attend to that fits your goals! Hope this helps!
@YaleorStanford Stanford is definitely stronger for both Econ and Math than Yale.
Also if you are interested in working in tech in any capacity Stanford would be the better choice.
That said the most important consideration is fit. Personally I find the weather, social life, campus, general vibe and the vibrant, irreverent, quirky culture at Stanford more attractive but that is subjective.
Can you visit both and see for yourself?
My daughter had a similar decision to make last year, but it was between Princeton and Stanford. She was/is interested in the humanities. Both schools have phenomenal departments in those areas. She visited both for their admitted student days. For her, it came down to a “gut feeling” that the better fit was Princeton. I think Princeton’s campus size (much smaller), emphasis on undergraduate students, digging deeper on course selections within departments of interest and more comfort with the East Coast vibe sealed the deal. The very opposite might prove true for you. I agree with the posters above - visit both and you will know what to do.
Differences in recruiting and major strength are almost negligible. If there are more Yalies in finance or more Stanford grads in venture capital, it’s mostly because each school attracts a slightly different demographic.
Both schools have slightly different cultures. Yale is geared towards the arts, government, philosophy, economics and finance, while Stanford veers towards CS, entrepreneurship and engineering. Try to figure out what kind of people you’d like to hang out with, what sort of residential environment you prefer, and what sort of campus you would like. I personally chose Yale over Stanford because I felt that students there had a sense that the world was bigger than just Silicon Valley or Wall Street. I think these 2 links illustrate the differences pretty well, with Yale students having a greater variety in terms of ambition/passion:
http://www.businessinsider.sg/impressive-students-at-yale-2016-4/#ivCYKftI1oE0z8ZK.97
http://www.businessinsider.sg/impressive-students-at-stanford-2016-3/#fPeJ3JEwO8EUoobU.97
Congratulations, no bad choices here. Academically, it is pointless to argue which school has a “stronger department” in your fields of interest. What you will make of your educational opportunity at either university is up to you.
If you have a strong leaning towards tech, I am sure Stanford will give you more opportunities given its location, alumni base and prominence in Silicon Valley. If you have your sights set on Wall Street, Yale may offer more opportunities. But to me this is all marginal. There are plenty of successful Yale grad’s working in Silicon Valley and Stanford grads on Wall Street. It would be the same for academia, “main street”, government or the world of non-profits. Whether your diploma says “Stanford” or “Yale” will make no difference.
To me the choice really is about undergraduate life. Speaking as a Yale alum, there is nothing really like the residential college system. Each college is a “mini Yale” (about 500 students/college) in terms of make-up of student body. Each college has its own dining hall (many of them Hogwarts-like before we heard of Hogwarts), library, intramural teams, musical and drama groups, the list goes on. You have the social/residential benefits of a small college community with the resources of a major research university. There are plenty of opportunities to make friends outside of your college through sports, clubs, frats, sororities and other groups.
On the other hand there are the issues of location and weather. While the Yale campus is beautiful and is more or less in its own space in New Haven, it is in New Haven. That having been said, campus life tends to be more robust because New Haven really isn’t a social option vs. a Cambridge, Boston or NYC. Stanford has the benefit of being in the Bay Area, with easy access to San Francisco and all the NorCal attractions. Of course, you cannot beat the weather in Palo Alto. I went to law school across the Bay and worked in Silicon Valley for a number of years, so I did appreciate being able to play golf, bike and hike year round. However, there were times I missed crisp fall days or the appreciation of being able to go out in shorts on that first spring day when the temperature broke 55.
Finally, there is the intangible “vibe”. Here I encourage you to attend Bulldog Days and its equivalent at Stanford. If finances are an issue, I know Yale (and I assume Stanford) will offer assistance for those eligible. In one sense it will be artificial as both schools try to put their best foot forward. But if you are uncomfortable with either one when they are trying their best to lure you, that might tell you something.
Anybody that chooses a college for the weather needs to readjust there priorities. JMHO!
BTW that’s true for positions/grad schools that you might be offered, if you wait for one in a nice weather location you are severely handicapping yourself.
@YaleorStanford Please believe I’m not being “snarky” in this post. Obviously, I know nothing about you.
For MOST undergrads, whether Stanford’s or Yale’s math and econ departments are “stronger,” matters not one iota. The typical undergrad is going to have more than enough resources and course work available to him/her at either of them. I say this because I think many high school students spend way too much time trying to figure out which of the schools which admitted them is “stronger” or " best" in a given field. Even when they reach the right conclusion, reality is that which is the stronger econ department doesn’t always correlate with which does a better job teaching undergrads. I haven’t a clue as to how things work at Stanford, but there are econ departments that are considered super strong due to the presence of star professors who never teach undergrads. There are others at which a few, carefully chosen star undergrads are allowed to take grad courses. That’s great if you are lucky enough to be a star but 98% of undergrads aren’t.
Moreover, LOTS of students change their minds about what to major in. So, focusing too much on what you think you want to major in right now may not be that wise.
Still the academic differences are important. Sit down with the course catalog for both, look up all the graduation requirements, and then try to sketch out your 4 years of college. It’s extremely unlikely that you’ll actually carry out your plan, but it is nonetheless a useful exercise, IMO. Sometimes just reading the course catalog gives you a much better idea of the “slant” of a particular major. The course descriptions can make you go “WOW!!!” or you may find yourself struggling to find courses to fulfill the requirements which sound the least bit interesting.
In addition to visiting both campuses if you can, figure out what you want in a college. For example, my kid’s college life revolved around an EC. While you can do the EC at both Yale and Stanford, it’s a heck of a lot easier to do it at Yale and it’s much better funded than it is at Stanford. Of course, there are other ECs or outside interests that are easier to do in sunny California. ECs are one area I think most students don’t give enough consideration to when choosing a college.
So sit down and check out the course catalog. Visit if you can–and when you do, check out the ECs that interest you and meet the people involved. Stay overnight in a dorm if you can. Attend a class in your prospective major and, if possible, an introductory class in another subject as well. Oh, if at all possible, go to a party.
Oh, one more thing.After some really unfortunate incidents, Stanford made pre-frosh weekend “dry.” Other weekends aren’t.
https://alcohol.stanford.edu/sites/default/files/stanford_university_student_alcohol_policy.pdf
I understand the reasoning behind the decision because of the liability issues involved, but it does make pre-frosh weekend a less than realistic portrayal of Stanford, IMO.
I don’t think any high school student should be drinking at any prospy event at any college. However, just be aware that if you do go to Stanford, the frat parties on other weekends aren’t going to be dry. This cuts both ways of course. You may love the “dry” Stanford and be shocked when you encounter the “real” Stanford. Or you may be one of those who thinks the frat parties are “lame” and then discovers you like the “real” ones more. I’m just letting you know that prospy weekend at Stanford isn’t a typical Stanford weekend.
Finally, there really is no “wrong” decision here. Most people will end up loving wherever they end up.
Have to disagree about ECs at Stanford. My son’s life revolves around his EC, and he hasn’t had any fewer opportunities at Stanford than he would have had at Yale. His roommate this year is incredibly involved in several ECs, and I’ve never heard of any funding problems.
As a parent, I actually like that Admit Weekend is “dry”; I also like that Stanford has a very active program of nonalcoholic, fun events called Cardinal Nights. My impression is that drinking varies from dorm to dorm—some are definitely “party” houses, whereas others seem virtually alcohol-free. There’s a wide range of choices, and no one is ostracized for his or her drinking decisions.
One thing I should have mentioned as an important factor to consider, though, is the semester vs. the quarter system. Yale is on the semester system, which means you take fewer courses over four years but spend more time in them at, presumably, a more leisurely pace. Stanford is on the quarter system, and students start registering for the next quarter’s courses just a few weeks into their current quarter. We initially preferred the quarter system, since the idea of being able to take many more courses (and not spend too long in them if they weren’t good) was appealing. But our opinions have changed over the past two years—some courses at Stanford seem to cram a semester’s worth of material into 10 weeks, making for a stressful experience, and the pace in general is very intense because of the quarter system. This will be fine for some students but not for others—figure out in advance, if you can, which system will be better for you.
@ Planner Please note I said my kid’s EC. I was only talking about ONE specific EC. With regard to that EC, my comment is true. I’m sure that there are other ECs which are stronger at Stanford…and I already said that. The point is that anyone who wants to get involved in a SPECIFIC EC should check out that SPECIFIC EC at the colleges (s)he is considering.
I would pick Yale for this reason alone, given how close the schools are in terms of opportunities and reputation. Stanford is a great place, but from what I have seen the housing system leaves a lot to be desired. Yale probably has the best residential system among the elite schools. Don’t discount this factor. Housing is really important and can really influence your level of happiness at a school. Much more than the weather.
My husband and I met at Stanford in graduate school (PhDs), and from that perspective the undergraduates seemed to not be a priority for the professors we worked with. But those UGs sure looked like they had a hell of a lot of fun! I used to watch them windsurfing on Lake Lagunita (RIP) and I thought man, I never did that sort of thing at Swat 
I think just talk to students at each place and make your pick.
Sorry, @jonri—mea culpa! And I definitely agree about checking out specific ECs at each school.
Also agree with @denydenzig about the relative merits of the housing systems. Though my son has been fine with the Stanford “draw,” I’m not a fan of a system in which most students end up moving every year. You do meet new people that way, but in our experience, students tend to stick with the people they met freshman year and with others they’ve met as draw roommates or friends. I really wish Stanford had a residential college option—in my opinion, it’s a huge advantage.
How hard is it to double major or minor at Stanford vs. Yale? I know Yale doesn’t have any minors, but how plausible is it to, say, takes classes in biology as a premed as well as something like Econ?
@junior1818 My daughter is a history of science and history of medicine major that is taking all of the additional classes to be on a pre med track. It is kind of like doing a double major but she is handling it fine.
For whatever it is worth- she didn’t even apply to Stanford because she has an irrational fear of bicycles and all of the informational video/literature that she watched seemed to show hundreds of them at a time. In fact at the informational session we went to, the representative said that the campus is so large that everyone rides bikes to and from classes and there was actually bicycle traffic. She loves the close proximity of all of her classes at Yale. There are bicycles but nowhere near the same volume.