I posted this in the Harvard forum, too, but want to get a more balanced perspective from Yalies, too!
I am happy to say that I was admitted to both Harvard and Yale yesterday! But now I have to decide between the two.
I am very interested in majoring in Physics and then going to grad school. Which school is better in providing undergrad research opportunities? Which has a better pipeline to grad schools? Which has better STEM teaching? Also, I’ve heard not-so-great things about discrimination against women in Harvard’s math department. As a girl, I’m interested to know what it’s like in physics at both Yale and Harvard.
I was admitted to MIT, as well, but decided not attend because I really like humanities, too. I am very interested in Yale’s Directed Studies program and Harvard’s Humanities 10a and 10b. Can anyone compare? Also, intro-level humanities class sizes?
In terms of wider life-- I currently live in a city with ~9 million population and love the art, museums, restaurants etc. Is New Haven’s size stifling? Is it dangerous enough to impact your daily life?
The undergrad physics department at H is much more supportive of women as compared to the math department, but most undergrads planning a Physics Phd end up either majoring in math or taking a very significant number of math courses, so you will be at the mercy of the math department for grad school recommendations.The thing with Harvard is that the math department will not take you seriously unless you take 55. Male or female, math 55 means ~20 hours a week of psets which translates to very little time to do anything other than math, so the theoretical benefits of being at a university with a wealth of humanities options has little practical value. Additionally, at most, only one or two women a year survive 55.
Yale prides itself on being an undergraduate focused college that happens to have grad schools. Harvard is a collection of grad schools that happen to have a college.
In terms of social life, read the recent stories in the Harvard Crimson calling for change in Harvard’s policies and traditions that impede social life. What are the improvements that are being suggested? Make Harvard more like Yale.
In terms of access to the resources of a large city. What do most H and Y students do when they want to take advantage of the resources that a world class city offer? They go to NYC.
Crime in New Haven is pretty much a non issue for Yale students.
Joining EC’s at H involves an arduous pledge process. EC’s at Yale are much more open and welcoming
Best advise is to go to BDD and Harvard’s visit weekend and talk to students and grad students in the math and physics departments and ask about what their experience has been like.
Made the same choice 5 years ago and graduated recently (despite overcoming some significant obstacles). Happy to chat more candidly over private message.
