<p>Ahh… probably a PALY kid. You have good stats but not a lot of leadership.</p>
<p>I am a bit similar: from Palo Alto, app’d only to Y & S (Y SCEA), and chose Y. I CANNOT EXPRESS IN WORDS HOW MUCH I LOVE Y AND I HAVE NEVER HAD SECOND THOUGHTS ABOUT MY CHOICE.</p>
<p>Stanford is very very popular amongst local residents, Californians, asians, etc and I have many friends who attended. However, I have a variety of problems with Stanford that many of my friends who attend have strongly confirmed… the main being that Stanford is FAR more of an “athlete school” than most realize, it is a LOT less nakedly intellectual than Yale, the residential college system is a SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED way to arrange a university, and the student body at Stanford is way too divided imo b/w “tech nerds,” “jocks,” etc. Yes, Stanford is better known for sciences and Yale is better known for polisci, but Yale has spent several billion dollars improving their “weaker” programs and the differences now in any of the departments b/w HYPSM – e.g. Yale’s edge in PoliSci/Hist, Stanford’s edge in Bio – are very small, ESPECIALLY at the undergraduate level when only 1/4 of your classes are in your major. Be sure that you choose whichever school you like the culture at the most since so much of your undergrad “education” will come from outside the classroom!</p>
<p>As for choosing b/w Y & S for SCEA, that is your choice and I cannot make it for you. </p>
<p>When I did my college research, I found the advantages of Yale such that I thought it would be the best undergrad education/experience of any college. And, as someone who attends, YALE HAS INCREDIBLY EXCEEDED MY VERY VERY HIGH EXPECTATIONS.</p>
<p>But this ultimately is your choice… go with either Y or S for SCEA and do the other one for RD. And, if you are lucky enough to get into both, go with your heart. I followed my heart, and I am madly in love…</p>