<p>I was accepted to Brown regular decision, and got into Yale off the wait list. Yale and Brown have always been my top two choices, and now I have one week to make a major decision...Help?</p>
<p>Here's what I'm looking for:
I'm interested in public policy, economics, Spanish, and maybe history or English.
I want to be happy and to thrive in college. I want to be around others who are intelligent and driven but also down to earth, humble, and interesting.
I want to have amazing professors who also have time for me.</p>
<p>I haven't received my finaid package from Yale yet (it will be sent on Monday), but I'm assuming it will be better than Brown's based on their reputation with finaid.</p>
<p>I have visited both schools. I didn't like Yale nearly as much as I liked Brown, but I only spent one day at Yale as a regular visitor, versus two days at Brown's accepted students event.</p>
<p>Some honest, unbiased (which is probably impossible) opinions would be greatly appreciated!</p>
<p>I was accepted RD by both Brown and Yale. I visited Feb of my Senior year so was only an “applicant”, not an admittee – and during the normal course of their school schedule. I spent a night in student housing at both schools. I found all the Yalies to be very excited that I had applied and sincerely well wishing for my results. It was like: “I’m so happy here – I hope you can join us!”</p>
<p>I was in Providence the day before. While everyone I met was nice, they weren’t as outgoing and frankly, I felt even didn’t like the fact that I was travelling to Yale afterward.</p>
<p>For me, the outflow of excitement was much more pronounced and sincere at Y than at B. This made the difference for me – I’m a pretty social person and I found I could easily engage at Y more than at B. Also, the residential college focus versus the Greek focus at B was a big plus for me too. I think I got this because I spent the night. If I visited for the campus tour and such, I doubt I could have gleaned these points.</p>
<p>If I’m honest, Yale’s so-called edge on “prestige” over Brown was considered – but my visit really confirmed what I was thinking of. On the train back to NYC to fly back home, I knew that if accepted, Yale would be my first choice. Honestly, I think Brown was my solid second. I think I would have loved going there. But as it was, I got the thick envelope from both and chose Yale.</p>
<p>Best of luck to you. You have a wonderful choice ahead of you.</p>
<p>WAIT. The RD Deadline was May 1… This thread was started yesterday… I hope you have already made your decision or else you might lose out on both schools.</p>
<p>Oh, and I would say Yale - Their RC system is unbelievable and the community at Yale is second to none</p>
<p>I’m assuming he sent his statement of intent to register to Brown, and then found out he got off the Yale waitlist (which notifies students AFTER May 1st).</p>
<p>@Lemoncahu, still stand by my statement about Yale… I know a few people who got the Brown - Yale acceptances, and while they all said they LOVED Brown, Yale felt more like a place they could call home, and not just a place they could call school.</p>
<p>YALE all the way. Sort of bias though, as I got off the wait list at Yale and was rejected by Brown. Just a question if anyone knows, once your off the wait list is there any “wait list sigma” left? Like am I (and all other matriculating wait listees) ever going to be reminded that I got in off the wait list or will I be randomly roomed with everyone else like any other accepted student. I don’t know…maybe it’s just a pride thing, though I am VERY excited about Yale.</p>
<p>At first, I thought you should definitely choose Yale. I had a similar choice (Brown vs. Princeton), and I chose Princeton for many reasons, one of which is I liked the campus and environment at Princeton much better. I felt more at home at Princeton. However, you say that you didn’t like Yale nearly as much as you liked Brown. That makes me think that you should follow your heart and go with Brown. My instincts told me to choose Princeton. But if your instincts are telling you to choose Brown and you know you’ll be happy there (and you don’t think you’ll be as happy at Yale), then choose Brown. best of luck!</p>
<p>Although I didn’t apply, I definitely think that it’s a school I could have called home and had an excellent time at. </p>
<p>That said, Yale is really on a different level. We’re richer - and I don’t mean this to be snotty, but the money makes a very discernible difference. Our facilities are universally top-notch and that’s something that makes the quality of life a Yale that much higher. I spent 3 weeks at Brown for a summer program and I can tell that it’s not the same. Linoleum floors vs. Hardwood. Common rooms with plasma screen tvs. The second largest university library, multiple Steinways in every college, amazing organic food. </p>
<p>and for the OP saying he wanted amazing profs who have time for him… thats Yale all the way… Each and every professor teaches undergrad (including Nobel Laureates, as all Yale propaganda will tell you), and they are some of the most accessible profs in the Ivy league</p>
<p>As of now I still haven’t really decided, but I kind of feel like I will end up choosing Yale. The only thing holding me back is that I didn’t get that “home” feel when I was at Yale, and I did at Brown. Also, this may be silly but I feel like Brown students have a better reputation for being interesting people…</p>
<p>@T26E4: The story of your experience with students at Yale is very reassuring. Honestly I was/am kind of worried about the Yalie elitist stereotype. </p>
<p>@Bluecoast: I don’t think there is a “waitlist stigma,” but I’m not completely sure. I hope there isn’t.</p>
<p>On a side note, I find it very interesting that you all assumed I am a male! I’m a girl (:</p>
<p>@Lemonchau: you’re probably right, it’s the paranoia in me talking. But I hope you choose Yale and even if there is a stigma us wait list admits will stick together :)</p>
<p>I have a great story to tell about the Yale elitist stereotype.</p>
<p>I got admitted to Yale, Columbia, and Princeton, and I was flying down to NYC to do Columbias Days on Campus. This girl gets on the plane in the seat in front of me and is wearing a Yale T-Shirt. I said excuse me, is that a Yale shirt? She said yes, and I said do you go there, hoping she would be able to tell me something about it. She rolled her eyes and said um, pshyeah and turned around in her seat to give me the cold shoulder. The guy next to me on the flight started laughing and gave me a look like holy crap man wrong person to start a convo with.</p>
<p>That freaked me out about stuck up people at Yale. But not once have I met any kid at Yale since that moment who has been anything but incredibly nice. At all three of my schools, literally every person I met had a regular personality. It was only when a couple kids started having a fluent Spanish conversation that you remember, oh yeah, everyone here is a genius.</p>
<p>I ended up choosing Yale, and I’m not worried at all about people being stuck up. My first experience ended up being my only experience with anyone who wasn’t really nice from Yale. My guess is that you’ll find some DBags everywhere you go, and while Yale is no exception to that, its as accepting a campus you’ll find with the RCs and the extensive extra curriculars. I would strongly advise you to go to Yale, especially if you’re already leaning that way.</p>
<p>I would expect Yale students to be smart enough to realize that there is no significant difference in ‘merit’ between people who got in SCEA, RD and WL. </p>
<p>When Yale selects you depends on factors that have everything to do with Yale’s needs and nothing to do with your abilities.</p>
<p>I agree with everyone on this thread that Yale’s reputation is better and probably provides a better education, however, if you truly loved Brown more, it is important to take that into consideration. I was accepted to Brown RD as well, but I decided to matriculate at Penn because I felt more “at home” there, and felt that their programs fit my interests more closely. Now that I have been accepted to Yale off the waitlist, I am in a similar situation to you (I am definitely leaning towards Yale though) @Bluecoast - about the “waitlist stigma,” that is DEFINITELY NOT the case at Yale. My father was accepted to Yale off the waitlist, and he told me that he never felt different from anyone else because of that factor. Additionally, my sister, who was accepted SCEA, had two close friends who were accepted off the waitlist. Neither of them experienced ANY issues and were never ridiculed, spoken to condescendingly, or even reminded about the fact that they were waitlisted.</p>