Yale vs. Jefferson Scholarship

College Search & Selection
1

Hey everyone!
So as the dust settles after the admissions season, I find myself with an incredibly difficult choice to make. I am fortunate to have been accepted into two exceptional undergraduate programs: Yale College and the University of Virginia Jefferson Scholars. While ultimately this decision is mine to make, I would love some advice and input from all of you college-minded individuals.

Yale has been my dream school for years. This dream mostly centers around the atmosphere of the university: the liberal environment, residential colleges, fairly easy-going party culture, beautiful architecture, and unfailingly friendly and interesting student body. Of course the academics are also top-notch and cater perfectly to my interests (International Relations, Political Science). Although I know Yale is not especially strong in Math and Science, these fields are of little interest to me, and I don’t plan on pursuing them in college.

Of course I also have some concerns about Yale. The wealth of the some students can be divisive and create a sort of exclusive elitism and New Haven is not really an ideal place to be. Also the price of the university, around 60,000 dollars a year, is a terrifying huge statistic, and, while my parents are willing and able to pay for it, concerns me.

This brings me to the Jefferson Scholars Program. For those who don’t know, the Jefferson Scholars Program is a merit based scholarship program that awards the full tuition for four years of education at UVA. Beyond the full tuition, all Jeffs are Echols Scholars (Honors Students at UVA) and receive extra benefits such as internships, free travel opportunities, and an extensive support system/alumni network. For all of these reasons this program is appealing. I also love some aspects of UVA itself, things that have nothing to do with the Jefferson Scholarship, like the Political Science Department, Batten School of Leadership, and the beauty of Charlottesville. ** Above all, I have the opportunity of a lifetime: to receive an undergraduate education for not a single penny of my parents money. **

However, my concerns about UVA are a little bigger than those I have about Yale. I am concerned about the Greek Life System, the size of the University, the fact that is mostly in state and therefore less diverse (at least geographically) than Yale, its isolated location, and the lack of a strong residential culture. And I would lying if I didn’t admit that I am concerned that it isn’t as prestigious as Yale (gasp!) Of course the prestige isn’t a major factor, just a small concern.

So there you have it, my current opinions on my two options. If its any help at all, I would chose Yale in a heartbeat if it weren’t for the Jefferson, but since I have been offered the scholarship, the decision has become exponentially more difficult.

** Please help me decide between these two amazing options. Feel free to argue for one school, both schools, or neither, but please back up your statements with evidence, either anecdotal or factual. Thank you so much! **

2

Congratulations. You are in an enviable position. This is something to decide with your parents. None of us has any idea how much the cost of Yale will impact your family’s finances. If they are comfortable…why not Yale? On the other hand, UVA is not all in state. You don’t have to join a fraternity; only a fraction of students participate. I have parents and siblings who have attended both UVA and Harvard and I think they have all been equally successful in life. Good luck.

3

Thanks for your input @OspreyCV22‌ ! You definitely raise some good points about the fraternity culture.
Just for future reference to posters, my parents are 100% willing and able to pay for Yale tuition. It is not something they are concerned about, but it does not take away the fact that UVA is offering me a full ride worth a great deal of money and that the University is pursuing me specifically, which obviously makes me take a closer look at it.

4

UVA is one of the great universities of the world, as is Yale; to think that one has more “prestige” than another, and to even consider that as a factor, is ridiculous. Further, if you are planning on going to law or business school (or some other professional school) after obtaining your undergraduate degree, then whatever money is not spent on your undergraduate degree can be applied to paying for your graduate education; and it is your graduate degree that will ultimately do you the most good for your career, so take the free (and amazing) undergraduate education from UVA.

Insofar as Charlottesville being “isolated,” your concerns are misplaced: the world comes to Charlottesville, and it is a lovely place. I’ve been in New Haven before, and it’s pretty grim from mid-October into the Spring. And, while 2/3 of the undergraduate student body at UVA is in-state, Virginia has a wide diversity of people in it (compare and contrast NOVA with the hills of SW Virginia or the Eastern Shore), and this diversity is reflected in its student body.

Go with the Jefferson Scholarship, and don’t look back.

5

Is the UVA scholarship a full tuition scholarship OR a full **ride/b? You used both terms in your posts, but they’re very different things.

6

Two great choices. No bad decisions here. My one comment to consider, is if you want to be truly challenged, by the depth of the school and student body, make the trek to New Haven—but just my 2 cents.

7

It sounds like you like Yale better. Your parents have the money to pay for it and are willing to do so. Accept their generosity gracefully and “pay it forward” while at Yale and once you graduate from Yale.

8

It is VERY difficult for me to counsel not attending Yale, but I know three youngsters well who were recent Jefferson Scholars, all of whom were immensely pleased with their overall education, their experiences, and their “special” stature and benefits at UVa (in addition to the munificent financial assistance).

With this said, it is Yale. However, I’m reasonably convinced that “UVa Jefferson Scholar” will have marginally more gravitas and cachet than “Yale,” on a résumé, circa 2020 or 2050 (although I am sure others will disagree).

I’ll conclude with the obvious – but highly important – facts that you are indeed fortunate and you simply cannot select anything but a wonderful alternative. CONGRATULATIONS on earning these distinctions.

9

I, too, found myself in a similar enviable situation: having to choose between Georgia Tech’s Presidential scholarship, UGA’s Foundation Fellowship, and Harvard. While I completely understand the prestige associated with the named scholarships and being considered among the elite at these universities combined with the knowledge that there won’t be a single penny to pay upon graduation, the lure of a HYPSM seems too much to give up. While parents would want to save money (who wouldn’t), we’re in a rather enviable/unenviable (from a tax perspective) situation where we would have to shell ~$65K/year after-tax money to go to H.

For whatever its worth, I have selected H over others but know others who have done the opposite.

At the end of the day, you have to decide what makes most sense for YOU. This is clearly the cliched situation of having a good problem. Can’t go wrong with either of the 2 choices - don’t get into an analysis-paralysis situation and simply follow your heart!

10

@austinmshauri (#4): The Jefferson Scholarship is a full ride scholarship: http://www.jeffersonscholars.org/scholarship