<p>This is the time of year when many on this board will begin posting threads of the "I got into Yale and School X (and School Y, etc), where should I go?" variety. I'm sure I speak for all the current Yalies on the board when I say that we are willing to answer any questions you may have that can help you make your decision, but I would also like to post a few general suggestions for those of you making your decision.
1. You probably will not get very useful advice if you simply ask "should I go to Yale or School X?", particularly if you don't offer details about what you're looking for. Clearly, all of us who currently go to Yale decided that it was best for us (and many of us had to make decisions similar to yours), but the decision is ultimately a very personal one, with everything from academic interests, to size of financial aid packages, to gut feeling playing a role. You will get the best advice if you ask questions about specific programs and opportunities at Yale, and how they compare to similiar programs at other colleges.
2. For most people, when deciding between Yale and its peer institutions, quality of specific academic departments should not be important (obvious exceptions arise when your desired field of study doesn't exist at a school you are considering). Even in the physical sciences, Yale's weakest area at a graduate level, the quality of teaching, the strength of fellow students, ability to get into grad school and the academic experience generally for undergraduates are going to be equivalent to those of other top schools. After all, many people consider top liberal arts colleges, which lack graduate programs entirely, to provide an undergraduate education as good as or better than that at the nation's top research universities. So, in short, "US News says Yale is ranked 12 in physics, while Princeton is ranked 5" (and yes, I made those numbers up) is not a good reason to go to Princeton over Yale (nor is the reverse: "Yale is ranked 1 in history, while Harvard is ranked 4" a good reason to choose Yale over Harvard).
3. Visiting the schools you are considering, if possible, is the best way to decide. When I was deciding last year, I really didn't know where I wanted to go from just looking at facts about the schools I was thinking about and asking other people their opinions. But, after visiting my top 3 choices, I knew that I preferred Yale. It's not something I can really explain, but this is a situation where going with your gut really has a lot of merit. If you don't feel that you can afford to attend Bulldog Days, ask the admissions office to subsidize your travel, they will be more than willing to help (and I'm sure that this is true at the other schools you are considering).
4. Since you got into Yale, I'm sure that the other schools you are considering are also wonderful and that you will be happy wherever you go. This decision will have a huge effect on your life, but that effect will mostly come from events that can't be foreseen (particularly the people you meet in college) not from any vast inherent differences between the schools. So, if on May 2 you're unsure if you made the right choice, don't worry - it will work out.</p>
<p>Don't want this thread to be buried, so... bump.</p>
<p>And could you talk about Yale vs. Chicago vs. Princeton for economics? I want to get into public policy or government -- working at a think tank would be neat-o. </p>
<p>Also, any comments on the treatment of undergrads vs. graduate students? In terms of attention given, money spent, professors, programs, etc. </p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Charter: Chicago Econ is supposedly the best in the world, but I'm sure Yale and Pton aren't far behind if they are behind at all. At Chicago Econ is very theoretical, geared more towards research and theory as opposed to business and finance and such. Is that the same for Yale? I don't know, but if someone would like to enlighten us I'd like to know the answer.</p>
<p>Yale has the first--perhaps the one and only--student-run think tank. It's called the Roosevelt Institution. The website is down as of this moment but it might be up again next week.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.rooseveltinstitution.org%5B/url%5D">www.rooseveltinstitution.org</a></p>
<p>How about Yale vs Harvard for undergraduate research and job opps in the biological sciences. I want to go to med school.</p>
<p>Yale's new biomedical engineering building (cost several hundred million $, beautifully modern, yet not imposing) should offer a lot of research opportunities suited to your interests. If you are going to Bulldog Days you won't miss it.</p>
<p>LoL the Roosevelt Institute was started by a Columbia undergrad named "Josh". It's in the bluebook we got introducing us to Columbia students</p>
<p>Josh: "I started a progressive youth think tank called Roosevelt institute.We work with professors and students to generate progressive solutions to social and political problems"</p>
<p>I didn't realize this until now, but the Roosevelt Institution was simultaneously founded on a few American college campuses after the 2004 election. So it's not unique to Yale, but not many college campuses have it or any other youth think tank.</p>