<p>Obviously, the two are both spectacular universities, and I'm simply ecstatic to have such a great problem on my hands. One of the few things I am certain about is that I'm going to be studying some form of engineering. </p>
<p>In particular, I have heard a great deal about the uniqueness of residential colleges in Yale; I was wondering if anybody could compare these with eating clubs at Princeton.</p>
<p>Even though I have no advice or facts for you…</p>
<p>I would take Yale hands down.</p>
<p>I don’t know much about Yale’s res colleges offhand, but I can tell you about Princeton.
At Princeton, freshmen are randomly assigned to one of six residential colleges, three of which are four-year and three of which are two-year. After two years, sophomores have the option to draw into a four-year college (or remain in the same one, if applicable), draw into upperclass housing (where most residents are in eating clubs), go “independent” (where you don’t have a meal plan per se), or join a co-op. Princeton res colleges are different in that very few (10% or so) upperclassmen remain in colleges, and Princeton res colleges don’t have the same set of facilities Yale’s do, like the occasional squash court or cafe, and all but one of Princeton’s colleges are composed of more than one dorm building.</p>
<p>The eating clubs differ from Yale’s colleges in that you don’t live in your club unless you’re an officer. They’re more an outlet for food and socializing. You can check out this video for further info: [Princeton</a> University - Video feature: ‘Eating Clubs at Princeton’](<a href=“Video feature: 'Eating Clubs at Princeton'”>Video feature: 'Eating Clubs at Princeton')</p>
<p>If I were you, I would just pick the cheaper one. Either way, you’ll be getting a great education. </p>
<p>But if your decision boils down to campus dining/housing, pick Yale. I would consider their residential college system to be the best in America based on the research I did during the application process. But that’s just my opinion haha.</p>
<p>Both colleges are offering spectacular financial aid. My parents were prepared to pay far more than they actually do. </p>
<p>I feel that both Princeton and Yale carry a huge deal of cache and prestige, with Yale having perhaps a bit more. I guess the question is whether the campus life and prestige can carry Yale above Princeton’s prominence in engineering?</p>
<p>Princeton has a beautiful and safe campus in a quite safe community. Yales campus is more interwoven with New Havens urbanity and grittiness. </p>
<p>[The</a> Yale Herald Blog Archive Where did that crime occur? Students make map of Ronnell Higginss emails](<a href=“yaleherald.com”>yaleherald.com)</p>
<p>
You can probably throw the prestige factor out the window; Princeton and Yale are pretty much identical when it comes to prestige and having one name isn’t going to help/hurt you vs. having the other. The two have somewhat similar campus feels besides the quasi-urban vs. suburban factor IMO; if you feel like Yale’s location gives it a vibrant feeling that Princeton lacks (I’ve heard this and I’ve also heard the vice-versa where Yale’s location was a turn-off) then yes, that is something to legitimately consider. I do think that the differences in engineering strength are pretty significant.</p>
<p>Even as a Princeton parent and alumna, just to prove my honesty, I concede to both Yale and Harvard that little bit more prestige. And perhaps there are even a few more wildly brilliant kids at both places than at Princeton. See, brutally honest. But the environment of Princeton is unique. So if you like the atmosphere at Princeton best, OR, if you are an engineer or computer scientist, go to Princeton. Yale isn’t as good at engineering.</p>
<p>If you are going to be studying engineering, then Princeton is somewhat higher ranked in that area as it is also in Math and the physical sciences…</p>
<p>Yale is a fantastic university. The French, Art, Music, Spanish, Biochemistry, Biology, Neuroscience, Chemistry, Economics, Political Science, Psychology Departments are some of the best in the country. </p>
<p>Engineering education at Princeton began in 1875. The National Research Council has ranked Princeton as having top PhD programs in Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Computer Science. Twenty-eight members of the faculty are members of the National Academy of Engineering. </p>
<p>Factors that you may want to consider include:
1 42% of the engineering class of 2015 are women. </p>
<p>2 The related departments at Princeton in math, physics, chemistry,and biology are also very strong.</p>
<p>3 The Princeton area is a safe calm oasis. You can walk anywhere in safety.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>The eating clubs are generally loved by Princeton students and alumni. People that have never stepped foot in an eating club may criticize them. The eating clubs are coed and provide a comfortable place to relax between classes. I think that they are preferable to the Yale secret societies, the Harvard final clubs and frats or sororities in general. </p></li>
<li><p>To judge the campus life visit both Princeton and Yale. The students at Princeton and Yale, like yourself, are very similar. In the past Yale had a reputation as being more artsy. Visit the Lewis Center for the Arts and see if there is much difference today. See: [Welcome</a> - Lewis Center for the Arts](<a href=“http://www.princeton.edu/arts/]Welcome”>Lewis Center for the Arts - Princeton in service of the imagination) </p></li>
<li><p>You will probably do best at the university that you are the most comfortable. Ask questions about the activities that interest you.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>At least you have a choice…hitler was rejected from both
[YouTube</a> - Hitler gets rejected from college](<a href=“Hitler gets rejected from college - YouTube”>Hitler gets rejected from college - YouTube)</p>
<p>Yale is pouring huge $$$$ into their engineering program as well as gifts like the one mentioned below:
[Gift</a> of $50M allows for engineering expansion | Yale Daily News](<a href=“http://www.yaledailynews.com/news/2011/mar/24/gift-50m-allows-engineering-expansion/]Gift”>http://www.yaledailynews.com/news/2011/mar/24/gift-50m-allows-engineering-expansion/)</p>
<p>Here’s an article from the Daily Princetonian from a couple of years ago. It’s written by a very prominent Princeton history who spent a few days at Yale and ponders the differences between the two universities:</p>
<p>[Tiger</a>? Bulldog? Tiger? - The Daily Princetonian](<a href=“http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/2006/10/23/16303/]Tiger”>http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/2006/10/23/16303/)</p>
<p>His comment that Yale class sections have more spark and fire than the typical Princeton precept is one I have heard echoed by others with experience at both schools. A close friend of mine, who is a very proud Princeton alum – still wears his Princeton ring every day, even though he’s in his 40s – noticed the same thing when he was a law student at Yale. He was a teaching assistant for a couple of Yale undergrad courses and mentioned how he find Yale students a little more intellectually engaged with their work – more vibrant class discussions, discussions that carried over into dining hall, etc. – than he found at Princeton. Just something to consider about the environment.</p>
<p>Here’s another fun article from about a year ago written by a Harvard grad about what makes Yalies “different” – take it all with a large grain of salt, but I suppose there’s a whiff of truth in the article:</p>
<p>[The</a> Yaliens Among Us | The New York Observer](<a href=“http://www.observer.com/node/125502]The”>10 Best CBD Companies to Buy From in 2023: Honest Reviews & Guide | Observer)</p>
<p>mancune</p>
<p>It’s interesting, that you chose to ignore Anthony Grafton’s actual preference for Princeton. Here is his conclusion, which indicates that he believes that Yale is more competitive and stressful and doesn’t have the rigor of the senior thesis: </p>
<p>
</p>
<p>midatlmom-</p>
<p>I did not “choose to ignore” Grafton’s last few paragraphs, that’s why I offered a link to the article in its whole. Despite the fact that I went to Yale, I can read, and am perfectly aware that Grafton is happy be a “country mouse” at Princeton.</p>
<p>The only reason I linked to the article at all is that I think it is a nice summary of points you hear again and again from people looking at both schools. One that I have heard from people who have attended both schools in one fashion or another is that the undergrads at Yale are a little more artsy and intellectual (Grafton’s preferred “intellectually tough” atmosphere) and that is felt in the social culture of the school.</p>
<p>Personally, I feel that Yale and Princeton sit at the pinnacle of US undergraduate education and any choice between them is a gut, subjective thing – “this feels like home” . I would never advocate one over the other without knowing a lot about the individual who faces this choice.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Lets take a look at where Princeton and Yale Engineering are in terms of the recent NRC Rankings for departmental Engineering:</p>
<p>CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
1—Cal Tech
2—MIT
3—Berkeley
4—UC Santa Barbara
5—UT Austin
6—Princeton
7—U. of Minnesota
8—Stanford
9—U. of Michigan
10—U. of Wisconsin</p>
<p>CIVIL ENGINEERING
1—Berkeley
2—UT Austin
3—MIT
4—Princeton
5—Yale
6—Stanford
7—U. of Illinois Urbana
8—Georgia Tech
9—Purdue
10–Northwestern</p>
<p>COMPUTER SCIENCE
1—Stanford
2—Princeton
3—MIT
4—Berkeley
5—Carnegie Mellon
6—Cornell
7—Harvard
8—UC Santa Barbara
9—Penn
10–UCLA</p>
<p>ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
1—Stanford
2—Princeton
3—Harvard
4—UC Santa Barbara
5—U. of Illinois Urbana
6—Cal Tech
7—Georgia Tech
8—UCLA
9—U. of Michigan
10–MIT</p>
<p>MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
1—MIT
2—Stanford
3—Berkeley
4—U. of Michigan
5—Brown
6—Northwestern
7—UC Santa Barbara
8—Georgia Tech
9—Princeton
10–U. of Maryland</p>
<p>BIOENGINEERING*
1 — UCSD
2 — Caltech
3 — UC Berkeley
4 — UC SF
5 — MIT
6 — Univ. of Wash
7 — Duke
8 — Boston Univ.
9 — Michigan
10 – Yale</p>
<p>*Princeton’s Bioengineering is offered through its Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering which is ranked 6th</p>