Harvard or Yale??

MSauce
Sun, 04 Apr 2010 21:29:55 +0000

From what I hear, (I’m a prospective student, Accepted Y, WL H) they’re extremely similar in terms of programs, and in terms of prestige, Harvard has the slight advantage.

However, I’ve also heard the atmospheres are extremely different. Harvard is considered distinctly more competitive, while Yale has a more relaxed atmosphere. The way I make sense of this is that kids in Harvard are naturally competitive and that is reflected in their studies. Yale is also competitive, but that is sort of channeled through the College system, which is, in my opinion, the most distinctive aspect of Yale.

They’re really similar in terms of programs, but it sounds to me like the atmosphere is different enough to set them apart definitively.