<p>Its a Friday night, and I have tons of make-up work to do after Bulldog Days. Lame, I know. So why am I on CollegeConfidential, pounding on my keyboard about the merits of Yale? Because as the title, indicates, it is Heaven on Earth.</p>
<p>Normally, I’d be too lazy to write this. But as a newly matriculated member of the Class of 2013 who agonized over Yale and several of its peer schools, I felt that my experiences with Yale might give others some insight.</p>
<p>Less than a year ago, I hated Yale. Of course, this was an irrational sentiment mainly induced by the fact that my parents loved it so much and continued to push Yale on me. Teenagers have the curious tendency to reject stuff like that, so maybe you can understand my past mentality. It also didn’t help that I visited Yale on a yucky, rainy day last spring, and got to see Princeton, Harvard, and Columbia bathed in glorious sunlight.</p>
<p>Only after my admissions interview did I become excited about Yale. The guy was in the same class as Paul Krugman, lived in Stiles, covered the Chernobyl disaster as a journalist, and was full of stories about his undergraduate years. </p>
<p>And four days ago, I set foot on the Yale campus for the second time during Bulldog Days, again in bleak weather. But the energy was incredible - it began with a shuttle (thank you Connecticut Limo) from Bradley Airport filled with amazing kids who had accomplished indescribable things. Yet they were humble and SO, SO FRIENDLY. We shared financial aid advice, traded stories about our admissions reactions, and crammed dozens of new names and faces into our mental address books.</p>
<p>I didn’t meet a single person I disliked over the three days. Okay, so the girl encouraging the prefrosh to cast away the shackles that society oppresses us with on 4/20 was … interesting. But she only added to the dynamic culture of the campus she wasnt mean. My hosts were willing to spend hours answering my questions about Yale, even though finals were approaching and several unfinished essays were waiting on their laptops. They mapped out their schedules and invited us for meals. They printed out my boarding passes and offered us extra pillows. They explained in detail why they chose Princeton, Harvard, Cambridge, Stanford, and a plethora of other elite schools for the big Y in New Haven. When people say that Yalies are enthusiastic about their school, no one is kidding. Everyone, from freshmen to seniors, were eager to profess their love for Yale and speak to me as if we were old friends. </p>
<p>The weather was less than ideal, but as the admissions office predicted, Yales glory transcended the elements. I found that Old Campus looked especially romantic in the rain. As the lights flickered on during early evening from dorm room windows and sidewalk lamps, the glow reflected in the puddles. I guess that was the lux 
Even at 2:30 AM, the sounds of celebration and enthusiasm drifted through my window. Not that any of us were sleeping in our rooms. All the prefrosh in my suite were excitedly discussing the highlights of the day. </p>
<p>Now lets talk about the food. Food is a significant factor in my college decision (I kid you not), and there was variety at every meal. I managed to stumble upon some restaurant-quality Middle Eastern/North African food on my last day at Yale. And lets not forget the PIZZA IN NEW HAVEN and the endless list of restaurants located in the surrounding area. Not only will Yale keep me well-read and well-bred, I can now add well-fed to the list.</p>
<p>My parents had been a little concerned about New Haven safety, and Ill admit, I was too (initially). But I loved the urban feel and the assortment of accessible stores. J Crew, Urban Outfitters, Trailblazer, an upcoming American Apparel it was all there. And during my three days there, I was never approached by a homeless person. Yes, they exist and might hit you up for money, but that happens in any city, including my hometown. At 1:00 in the morning, I felt perfectly safe walking around campus in a small group of three, and as long as people are smart about their decisions, there should be no problems. This applies anywhere. As long as I dont stagger around at 3:00 AM on a street corner by myself, obviously inebriated, I will be okay.</p>
<p>The classes and master classes I attended were stimulating and blew my classroom experiences at UCLA, WashU, and Cornell out of the water. I was probably just lucky to have selected the right class to pop into, but I could definitely feel myself not into absorbing information, but being challenged to question conventional beliefs. Outside the classroom, intellectual vitality thrived as well. The YPU debate featuring Dick Morris (Bill Clintons former adviser) was a highlight of BDD as I watched the YPU dramatize Roberts Rules of Order, inject humor into very serious discussions, and pound tables/hiss with passion. There was tradition all around, like none I have witnessed before.</p>
<p>A week ago, I thought I would be attending Princeton or UCLA. Both offered extraordinarily generous financial aid packages for my family, one that we had not expected to get, even though we knew Princetons track record with unbeatable financial aid. But Yale doesnt have a sizable endowment for nothing. All it took was one phone call and one fax for the financial aid office to not only match Princetons offer, but reduce my student contribution requirements. And while I worried that a Yale education would be unattainable due to financial reasons, everyone from my interviewer to my admissions officer offered help and advice. I didnt ask for it they extended it willingly.</p>
<p>It is my firm belief that academically, there is little difference among undergraduate education quality at the top schools Yale, Princeton, Stanford, Harvard, elite publics/LACs, etc. I would argue that Princeton has unsurpassed undergraduate education while Stanford might be better for engineering, for example, but those are very trivial differences that are not likely to harm anyone who does not choose to follow those paths. Instead, the personal differences are the ones that count, at least for me. I found myself explaining this to a group of parents that asked my opinion in front of Woolsey Hall. I told them why I loved Yale and was sure I would be choosing it over its peer schools. By the end, they were all in concurrence, and I would like to think that I will be seeing their son or daughter next fall, though I wont be able to identify him/her. However, other admitted students events might change their mind. Either way, I felt like a Yale ambassador.</p>
<p>There is an energy at Yale I have never experienced at any other school, including most of the Ivies. Of course, no school is perfect, but Yale comes pretty damn close. And that, I suppose, is the veritas.</p>