<p>Same to you, if I can make it :)</p>
<p>My daughter also had the choice of those two (and Princeton, lucky girl) and chose Yale. One thing she didn’t like about Brown was the completely open curriculum. Yes of course <em>you</em> can do what you like, but she didn’t like the idea of people there choosing to close themselves off from … whatever, whether it be humanities, or science, etc. I thought it was a rather slim idea to hate a school for, but I just thought I’d throw it out there.</p>
<p>Since I’m not yet in college, and don’t really know a thing about the college experience- i’ll just share one among the many things I’ve learnt (among many others) throughout this application ‘phase’- while right now it’s really important for all of us to make the right choice (and boy do you have some enviable selections to choose from!), it’ll very likely be that once we do end up somewhere, we’ll realize completely new aspects to the place we could never have imagined before. What you’re feeling about Yale could very much change after a month there, just like it could about Brown, for the better or for the worse. </p>
<p>So whatever decision you do end up making, you’ve got to remember- you can’t go wrong as long as you stick to it and refuse to regret it. I have visited neither Yale nor Brown (international <em>sniff</em> ) but I’d go for stronger academics if I were you. It’s tough to get something like your chosen major right…I believe it requires that artsy-tartsy atmosphere, but that’s just me :)</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Honestly, I think just about anybody who would like Brown would also like Yale. To me, their “vibes” are similar in many ways. So if Yale fits your academic interests better, I would suggest you go there. Go to Bulldog Days, if you can–I suspect that many of your concerns will fade if you do.</p>
<p>Brown just recently announced its ADOCH dates months after Bull Dog Days dates were announced. Guess what? They chose the same dates complicating things for cross admits like you. Peer institutions usually coordinate these things and you wouldn’t have this type of conflict at HYP. I agree with Hunt that this was an anticipatable problem for dozens (if not > 100) cross admits since these two share many similarities within the ivy league. Good luck to you in your decision making.</p>
<p>That’s too bad about the same dates between Yale and Brown. Last year when my daughter was deciding between Brown and Yale she was able to do both as they book-ended one week. Those visits can really help make the decision easier. For my daughter the constant selling of the Brown open curriculum (she hadn’t given it much thought before) is what turned her off in the end.</p>
<p>Bulldog Days does a very good job of selling the Yale experience.</p>
<p>Way to go lancesea!</p>
<p>It’s refreshing to read stuff from people like you. Congratulations on having a personality. 
I think the only person, thing, statistic, feeling etc. etc. that will help you decide is YOUUU! Take a break for a few days. Don’t talk to anyone about anything college-y for 2-3 days. And just think. Write. Doodle. Read. Sunbathe. Run. Watch Blue’s Clues on Netflix (I found it yesterday…). Just think think think. Hopefully, with all external factors eliminated, the answer will be clear.</p>
<p>Good luck dude,
bW</p>
<p>You know what? It doesn’t matter much.</p>
<p>I love Yale to death. I think it’s the greatest university on Earth. If I had my life to live over I wouldn’t hesitate for a moment to go to Yale again.</p>
<p>But Brown is a great university, too (as are Princeton and Stanford, duh). You are one person, with 3-1/2 years to spend on college, and you could not come anywhere close to exhausting the opportunities either Yale or Brown presents. You may study slightly different stuff depending on where you go – you should, since you should seek out the best of what’s available where you are – but that doesn’t mean that one experience would be deficient compared to the other.</p>
<p>You, not the university you attend, probably represent 90-95% of what determines the outcome of your education and your career. The differences between Yale and Brown, at most, might represent 5-10% of the remainder. I.e., if Yale is 100%, Brown would be somewhere between 99% and 99.75%. Neither you nor anyone else will actually notice the difference. There is no good reason to turn Brown down if Brown is really where you feel most comfortable and most excited about college.</p>
<p>Agonize all you want, about whatever factors you choose, but it’s all like . . . well, it’s the opposite of choosing deck chairs on the Titanic. It’s like whether you sing soprano or alto in the heavenly choir. Sing what your voice is.</p>
<p>
I agree with you, except that if I had it to do a second time, I think I’d go to Brown for the sake of variety.</p>
<p>Congrats lancesea - and I appreciate your response to the questions about your possible “hooks” - none except the whole package of who you are which must be great to get the early admits at Yale & Brown - two very similar schools in the Ivy league.
My D got into Yale SCEA, still waiting to hear from Brown but in visiting Brown, Princeton and Yale, found great similarities between Yale and Brown (liked both) - and thought Princeton different enough from both that she changed her plans and didn’t bother applying to Princeton. If she gets into Brown, this thread would be a resource for her also.
IMO, your choice of either one would be the one you are most comfortable with. You can hardly go wrong with your golden choices. Congrats again!</p>
<p>Just to clarify for future applicants: I retook the ACT and scored a 35, though I didn’t mention it before. Still, I’m confident I would have been admitted with my 32.</p>