<p>I need to decide between these three schools. I don't know what I'll major in, but I'm definetly doing a pre-med path. I'm interested in sports, and i want to be in an environment where I can succeed academically. I'm interested in performing research and studying or performing internships abroad. Here are my pros and cons.</p>
<p>Yale
Pro
Awesome Academics
No Requirements
Math and Science Tutor readily available
Harvard vs. Yale Weekend
Collaborative Environment
Con
I was rejected for financial aid
It seemed you needed to be on some form of financial aid to perform research
Theres only Harvard vs. Yale Weekend in football for a sports event.
Not much of a Night life. ( It seems you are either drink a beer and eat pizza with friends or study or go to some play)
Study Abroad during summer</p>
<p>ND
Pro
Second In regards to Academics
Awesome Sports scene
Nice Night Life
Research Program Building up
Study Abroad and several Internships abroad readily available
Fufilled AP Exemption in English
Con
Not as much diversity
More cut throat environment
Harshest Winter
Required to take Philosophy</p>
<p>UT
Pro
Deans Scholar Honors Program
Guaranteed Research Project
Cheapest Financially
One year absolutely Free
Awesome Sports Scene
Nice Night Life
Easy Academics in comparison with other 2 schools
Easy to be the BIG FISH in a pond academically
Fufilled AP Exemption in English
Con
Not as distinguished degree as YALE or ND
Huge Campus with LOTS of people
Med schools of probable acceptance limited to TEXAS schools
54% acceptance rate into med school
Few Organizations that provide International Experiences
Frat oriented
I think you have to be a member of a frat to enter a frat party.</p>
<p>You don’t need to be on financial aid to do research. There is very much a party scene and the easy walking distance makes it possible to hit lots of parties in a single night. The Harvard/Yale game is the big one, but there are tailgates and traditions for every home football game. Back in my day, ice hockey games were well attended in the winter, the band would be there, etc. Other sporting events mainly draw from the athletes’ friends, but are still fun to attend.</p>
<p>How about finances? If you’re planning on Med School afterward, no FA at Yale might make you have to take on more debt than wanted for Med. There are grad school financial calculators around. Do you want to be paying $3000 a month when you’re 32 to your loans? </p>
<p>Regardless, congrats nonetheless. Given it’s past May 1, why is this still an issue? I’m curious.</p>
<p>To confirm what AdmissionsAddict said, hockey games have definitely been well attended - particularly the last two years, as Yale has been one of the top ranked teams in the country (yes, occasionally we’re good at popular NCAA division 1 sports).</p>
<p>Yale is not a sports school in the way that Notre Dame, and anyone here is misleading you to claim that it is close. Sure, there are great games to attend, but it is not Notre Dame football!!!</p>
<p>That said, I think you’d be making a huge, huge mistake to turn down Yale for Notre Dame or University of Texas. I don’t mean to point out the absolutely obvious, but Yale can open a lot of doors that you cannot get elsewhere! DO NOT BE FOOLISH! A sibling of mine attends Brown, and, even he will admit, the difference in terms of resource/opportunities b/w Brown and Yale are very significant… the differences b/w Yale and Notre Dame or U of T at Austin are probably nothing short of LIFE CHANGING!!!</p>
<p>There may be some truth to the statement that “smart people will succeed wherever they go to college.” But that doesn’t mean it is anywhere near as easy or happens anywhere near as often! For instance, investment banks rarely will interview people outside a handful of schools but they come to HYP to recruit on-campus (JP Morgan doesn’t even go to Brown). That’s just one small job example–I could give a million ones about academics, extracurriculars, jobs, etc.</p>
<p>It would be one thing to weigh giving up Yale to attend Duke because you like the sports more. I would still advice against it, but Duke is a lot closer in terms of opportunities to Yale. Notre Dame is a fine school, but you’d be making a huge “life mistake” to turn down Yale in my opinion.</p>
<p>Think LONG TERM! Attend Yale. You may not have the same level of football that you’d get at Notre Dame, but your chances of being able to own a football team are probably an order of magnitude higher. If you go elsewhere, you will probably strongly regret it at some point.</p>
<p>There are fabulous research opportunities at Yale, and you don’t have to be on financial aid to get them. There are definitely gen ed requirements at Yale. Check out the website.</p>
<p>Something in your post makes me feel that Yale may not be the best choice for you. You are correct that the atmosphere is highly collaborative. But among your non-cutthroat peers will be many who are brilliant. Scary smart. It can be a humbling experience to find yourself in that kind of a pool for the first time. If you embrace it, having peers to whom you look up and from whom you want to learn will be a positive experience – arguably the best part of being at Yale. But I get the sense that easier academics/being a big fish in a small pond are important to you. If that is the case, Yale may not be the right choice.</p>
<p>We LOVE Yale! The opportunities our D has had have blown us away, and she has a terrific social life. But it’s not for everyone. I think you’ve perceived the party and sports scene pretty accurately.</p>
<p>If you’re very, very certain about med school, UT followed by UT Southwestern would put you in a terrific position, financially & otherwise, to do anything you want in medicine. UT Soutwestern is fabulous, and it’s the best med school deal in the country for Texas residents. If the UT social scene and sports are more to your liking, you probably will be happier there. I was talking to a good friend yesterday about her D’s first year at Texas; I couldn’t imagine my D at UT, and I couldn’t imagine her very happy D at Yale.</p>
<p>I guarantee that your parents will be happy that they can join you once in a while for dinner or a football game Ct is a long way away…</p>
Ct is a long way away…</p>