<p>My favorite thing about Princeton is its strategic admissions policies. I don't think I am good enough to get into Harvard, Stanford, or Yale, but if that is a plus in the eyes of the Princeton admissions committee, then YAY!!!</p>
<p>i wouldn't count on it, IB6: any "strategery" was the product of princeton's now long-gone dean of admissions, fred hargadon.</p>
<p>I can't believe you have the gall to say that IB6UB9. Good luck trying to get in with such a complacent attitude. Please continue to perform poorly in high school. Hey, not only will that help you get in (using your inane logic) but then I won't have to ever confront such stupidity in my life.</p>
<p>Geez guys, don't take everything so seriously.</p>
<p>for some reason, a good number of people here at Princeton picked it over Harvard. sampling error you think?</p>
<p>What are your qualifications IB6?</p>
<p>lol
I didn't even bother to apply to Harvard in the first place. :p</p>
<p>When people talk about strategic admissions at a school like Princeton, it doesn't mean that they look for less qualified students who will not get into the other top schools. It refers more to the search for top students who are more likely to be interested in Princeton. For example, typically, Yale is percieved as a more artsy school. So, under the last dean of admissions, Fred Hargadon, Princeton might have passed on a really qualified kid with a "hippie" proflile because they considered that kid more likely to turn them down for Yale. Similarly, if data showed that if a kid was, say, a Stanford legacy he would be more likely to choose Stanford, Hargadon might have waitlisted or rejected him as well.</p>
<p>Under the new dean, Janet Rapaelye, strategic admissions have been largely abandoned, hence the recent decline in yield rates.</p>
<p>Rapelye is admitting more artists and minorities though.</p>
<p>oh the irony for those who don't wanna go where their parents did.</p>
<p>Anonmous, do people really pick Princeton over HARVARD?! I thought Harvard is considered to be the best school in the world. Why would people go to Princeton if they got into Harvard? Does Princeton cost less money or gives scholarships maybe? Sorry I am just now researching colleges. In my town we consider Harvard to be the best followed by Stanford and Yale and West Point. I have heard of Princeton before but not that much.</p>
<p>I would pick Princeton over Harvard any day. If you looked strictly at US News rankings, Princeton is tied with Harvard, if not marginally higher. When you look at the quality of undergraduate education, Princeton is undoubtably the best.</p>
<p>I guess it happens to be a matter of preference as well... I don't want to make generalizations or offend anyone, but in my personal experience, I have not gotten along particularly well with six of the eight people I know in real life who have gone to Harvard or will be going to Harvard. Of the two I do get along with, I don't know them very well. (If you don't know any in real life, observe Byerly and you will see an extreme example of what I'm talking about. People are in general agreement that the Harvard personality is very intense, type A, and intellectually arrogant. There are exceptions, of course.) I mean... bluntly speaking, it's true that many students at Harvard are brilliant. But if you're not a nice person, I really wouldn't want to associate with you no matter how brilliant you are. </p>
<p>Often, a school will select students based on whether his/her personality is right for the school, and to me, it seems like a personality that is right for Harvard isn't right for me. I simply don't think I would be as happy at Harvard as I would be at Princeton or Yale.</p>
<p>An0nym0u5: I go to WWP North. You?</p>
<p>IB6, judging from your last few comments I'd advise you to find a different set of schools to apply to and save your money.</p>
<p>"IB6UB9" - hehe, I second zante. I'm not one to judge by usernames, but this poster's signposts a troll. Check out his other 7 comments.</p>
<p>ooh, you're right.</p>
<p>(but nice post up there anyway, frozen-tears : ))</p>
<p>"If you don't know any in real life, observe Byerly and you will see an extreme example of what I'm talking about."</p>
<p>frozen-tears I admire your resolve not to be like that when you grow up.</p>
<p>theoneo- sweet i probably know you. im '05</p>
<p>IB6- Harvard = Yale = Princeton = Stanford
the differences are merely personal preference, and sometimes depending on what field you're interested in. for example, an engineer would undoubtedly pick stanford. yes hollywood has you believe harvard is head and shoulders above the rest, but thats not true.</p>
<p>I personally know people who have chosen Princeton over Harvard, so shocking as it may be, yes it does happen. :p</p>