Hi everyone! I am a senior applying to both Yale and Princeton, but I am unsure of where to apply early to have the best chance at getting in. My GPA, test scores are high enough for the ivies, and most of my extracurriculars are science/research focused. I heard that Yale does tend to like females in STEM… would anyone give me some advice on which school to choose for the best shot at acceptance? Thank you!
These schools have basically equivalent acceptance rates. You could get into one but not the other, and you’d never know why. What worries me is your approach to this question. Yale and Princeton are very much different schools, and you should first be asking yourself which one you like the most. That should take precedence over any perceived advantage in reputation or chances of admission.
From what I know, Yale is more of a humanities-based school while Princeton is slightly more STEM focused. I guess you might say that Yale might like females in STEM, but I can’t say for certain that you’d have a better chance there vs Princeton.
You say your GPA and test scores are high enough for the ivies. It would help to know more information, but I’ll take your word for it. Depending on the quality of your research and rec. letters/essays you might have a slightly better chance at Yale, but again don’t take my word for it, and these schools are reaches for EVERY student no matter what. Applying EA would be beneficial, but again, I strongly recommend you re-evaluate your approach to choosing schools to apply to.
Their early admit rates and average stats are very close, so without knowing exactly what the adcoms are looking for, the best I can say is that Princeton and Yale are probably about equally difficult to get into.
I think you should compare them based on environmental, social and academic attributes and apply early to the one that suits your preferences better. Also, obviously consider cost – run NPC.
Things you might consider:
- New Haven or Princeton -- weather, things to do, ease of transportation, etc.
- The campuses -- beauty, size, convenience, etc.
- Academics (basics) -- majors and courses offered, distribution requirements, ease of choosing and changing majors, prof involvement with undergrads, research availability, etc.
- Special academic features: Yale's class-shopping period vs. Princeton's senior thesis.
- Social vibe/dorms -- Residential colleges (Yale) vs. dorms and eating clubs (Princeton)
- Cost
The answer depends on where you would rather attend. Both are excellent schools, but there are some key differences between the two in both academics as well as student life. I think “best shot at acceptance” is pretty subjective; because the schools are vastly different, it may be easier for you to get into one of them only because your interests and activities fit their niche. Say for example Princeton is statistically easier to get into for EA, you still may have a better chance of getting into Yale EA simply because your interests align with theirs. I suggest you make a table listing the pros and cons of each school as you see fit; then whichever school seems better to you know, apply to that one EA. If you’re applying to a school REA, might as well do it for your top choice.
Personally, when listing out the differences between Stanford and Yale, I decided applying to Yale REA would be better for me. Again, this is different for each person. Is there something at either school that really stands out to you? For me, this is Yale’s residential college system and the tradition of “blue-booking” courses. In looking up Yale faculty members, I also found a few at the medical school that are performing research on neurodegeneration, which is a major topic of interest for me. If these assets of Yale sound unfamiliar you may want to research each school more in depth to gain more insight.
Thank you everyone for your responses! I have no preference to either Yale or Princeton-- both are amazing schools and I am open to any new experience.
My stats include: 3.92 GPA, 4.67 weighted GPA, 1560 SAT, 13 AP classes total (including senior year), national merit semifinalist (yet to be released but 1520). I have been to summer camps at two different universities for science related courses, and have been doing researching at a lab.
What are some other schools you’re considering?
@worriedgal Princeton Is the stronger STEM school of the two, but you would have excellent opportunities in both. You should think about fit. Do u prefer one more than the other?
Yale has been making a push for STEM recently. Both will be extremely difficult to get into but if all factors are equal, apply to Yale
Plenty get in one and rejected by the other. I doubt that one has generally a higher SCEA boost, if any, than the other. Objective stats are competitive for both schools (although still a reach). Since both schools are EA vs ED, you will have time to figure which school you like better if you have the fortune of getting into both (or maybe a third school will trump both of them come April 2018), and you will be able to compare FA packages. Tactically speaking, which application do you feel better about? If this year is like last year, the school specific essays and short questions are very different between the two schools. I’d choose to apply early to the school where I thought my essays/answers were the strongest and most buttoned up by the EA deadline.
I know you said you like both schools, but take some time to consider the differences. Sit down and make a list of the pros and cons of each school (academic, social, location, housing etc.) if you need to. Then apply EA to the one you’d prefer to attend.