Harvard Yale or Princeton?

Bay
Mon, 22 Nov 2010 15:39:20 +0000

The three schools are really different.



Imo, the three school are actually very similar, especially if you are not from the East Coast. All three have similar sized UG populations which are probably interchangeable. They all have the East Coast historical architecture, weather and tradition and are in the same athletic league.

From my experience visiting them, the differences stem mainly from their geographic locations. Harvard’s campus is integrated into a high-end urban city next to a major city, so its many offerings mean the social life is not as concentrated on campus. One may see more students dressed-up for “going out” in the city than at the other two.

Yale’s social life is more concentrated on the campus and the one block surrounding it, so it is more cohesive and relaxed than Harvard’s. But it also has a little of the “city” feel to it, with great restaurants and shopping in that one-block radius.

Princeton’s campus is located in a somewhat isolated high-end bucolic suburb. Social life is focussed on campus. If you are from a nice suburban neighborhood, you may prefer it because it is like where you came from, or you may not like it at all because you want more of a “city” experience.