Yale vs Stanford

<p>My D has gotten in to both Yale and Stanford. SHe is not sure what she wants to major in. Which one should she go to (we live in California)?
Any opinions welcome!!
Thanks!</p>

<p>Neither school is inherently better than the other, so there is not one that she “should” go to. They are both top schools with excellent student bodies and academic resources. The most significant differences are the campus atmospheres and, more practically, the schools’ climates; so if she has visited the schools, that will be the most helpful guide in her consideration.</p>

<p>donnas: If you do a quick search, this decision has been oft-discussed on this forum. Obviously they tend to be more tilted toward Yale. My GF attended Stanford and I worked there one summer. I preferred my undergrad experience to hers. GL to you and your family</p>

<p>Since this is so late in April, my guess is that your daughter knows enough about Stanford and Yale, and likes the feel of both of them. She sees this as a “toss up”. Since you mention you’re from California, “location” appears to be an issue, so that’s what I will discuss. Staying close to home has its advantages: known elements, weather, inexpensive, frequent visits during the year, etc. Going far away offers the excitement of total independence and discovery of the unknown. </p>

<p>One of my son’s good friends wanted to stay within 200 miles from home, and though he sent applications to various places, and made his decision to stay close to home at the end. My son knew he wanted to go away, applied to places 1000+ miles away, and made his decsion. </p>

<p>One of the parents we met at BDD is a professor at Yale. His first daughter chose to stay close to home and picked Yale. The second one, he said, is likely to pick Chicago over Yale, because she wants to go away from home.</p>

<p>Your daughter (and you) will know what she prefers and that will probably guide her decision more than anything else in the end. Congratulations and best wishes!</p>

<p>There was a thread by a stanford parent ewho who had stats showing with cross admits between Stanford and Yale, it was a 50:50 split.</p>

<p>I suspect it really comes down to - close to home or far away and what climate she prefers.</p>

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<p>Nah, it’s actually closer to 70-30 Yale.
<a href="http://college./college/tools/college-cross-admit-comparison.php?compare=yale&with=stanford%5B/url%5D">http://college./college/tools/college-cross-admit-comparison.php?compare=yale&with=stanford</a></p>

<p>last year it was 50/50 and i can back it up if you’d like it.</p>

<p><a href=“http://facultysenate.stanford.edu/2010_2011/minutes/10_07_10_SenD6388.pdf[/url]”>http://facultysenate.stanford.edu/2010_2011/minutes/10_07_10_SenD6388.pdf&lt;/a&gt;
Page 20: Stanford Official Win/Loss Analyses – ALL ADMITS (H, P, Y and M) for 2002 - 2010.</p>

<p>In Stanford 1,671 undergrads, Human Biology 217 and Biology/Biological Sciences 122. 20% Biology related major! (Source: [College</a> Navigator - Stanford University](<a href=“College Navigator - Stanford University”>College Navigator - Stanford University))</p>

<p>Yale pre-med performance is impressive. </p>

<p>7% Senior matriculated MD ([Factsheet</a> – Statistical Summary of Yale University](<a href=“http://www.yale.edu/oir/factsheet.html]Factsheet”>http://www.yale.edu/oir/factsheet.html)). 93% acceptance rate. (The link is not found now)</p>

<p>10.4% MD (1506 / 11 yrs / 1312 class size )?
(Medical School Cumulative Data 2000 - 2010 at <a href=“http://ucs.yalecollege.yale.edu/sites/default/files/med_school_stats.pdf[/url]”>http://ucs.yalecollege.yale.edu/sites/default/files/med_school_stats.pdf&lt;/a&gt; & Class size at [College</a> Navigator - Yale University](<a href=“College Navigator - Yale University”>College Navigator - Yale University))</p>

<p>OP, for what its worth, DS was accepted at 2 Ivys, but decided [ on April 30th] that he would rather go to college closer to home[ in Calif] for many reasons- among them- the huge hassle of trying to come home from the east coast during bad weather[ which does have a tendency to happen a LOT during winter], the weather in calif, which is pleasant most of the year, and the fact that more of his Calif friends would be closer, and it would be a lot easier to see them, and us, when desired. These may seem minor, but if all other factors between S and Y are essentially equal, then perhaps your DD would be happier to be going to college here in Calif.</p>

<p>Well one thing that tipped my decision among other factors was the quarter system vs. semester system. That and the financial aid situation; Yale gave almost 10k more.</p>

<p>I live in California and I picked Yale over Stanford when applying early action. I looked over the pictures of the two campuses and decided I was sick of adobe buildings, palm trees, and the constant, beating sun.</p>

<p>^^ I don’t know… that sun feels REALLY good today here !!!</p>

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<p>We are West Coast and have 2 Ds in college on the East Coast (one at Yale). In the 6 years between them that they have travelled home during winter, this has never happened once.</p>

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<p>I’m from California too and I don’t really feel the same way…I honestly like the adobe and palm trees, and I especially like the hot weather. But at the same time, I don’t know if it would be good for me to experience something as different as the northeast. To be honest, I’m kind of already sick of the whole bland, dead, gray and tan gothic architecture thing, and I was only in it for 2 or 3 days. But I don’t know if weather and architecture is a big enough deal to sway my college decision.</p>