This is my last source I’m going to use before I make up my decision tomorrow.
Which school would you pick and why?
Two absolutely outstanding options - congrats! Go to whichever school YOU prefer.
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It doesn’t matter what anyone else would pick. Your decision should be based on you - your preferences, your interests, your goals. Having told us exactly nothing about yourself, you can expect to gain exactly zero insight from what other people would do.
Tell us what you’re looking for, and you might get some meaningful feedback.
If you just want to be swayed by popular opinion, here you go:
Or, try this. Then see how you feel about the answer.
The choice is Princeton vs Stanford, which I am guessing is a closer split.
You have incredible options. Have you done a pros vs cons list with your own unique perspective? Or at least delineated the factors that matter to you and people could weigh in?
Yes I haven and nothing at all helps. I literally cannot make up my mind 
Do you like snow in winter? If so, pick Princeton. If not, pick Stanford.
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Oh, oops. I’d looked in OP’s posting history for context and saw, Cornell, and had a brain fart. Will edit, thanks.
And it’s actually not a closer split!
Is the price the same?
You need to make this choice. Both excellent options. Think of things other than the academics…weather, east coast vs west coast, size of the college, ease of getting there from your home, etc.
Sorry, there is nothing strangers on the internet can or should say to move this decision for you. I get the dilemma, but you can’t outsource this one. It’s 100% on you at this point, assuming your family has done the math and is cool with both options.
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The good news is - whichever you pick, you win !!
Congrats
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What do you want to study?
I’ve been a student at both institutions. Stanford wins hands down on weather and their engineering programs are hard to beat.
For a lot of more traditional liberal arts programs I think it would be a tougher call.
I really appreciated a couple of things about Princeton: the accessibility of faculty, the culture of independent research (students are required to do junior papers and a senior thesis to graduate), and the scale of the place relative to Stanford. It feels more manageable somehow. Unlike most of the other Ivies, Princeton doesn’t have a bunch of professional schools and has comparatively fewer PhD and Master’s students – the undergrads are really the focus. I think they also have more to spend per student than any other school in the country.
I’d say the college towns are somewhat equivalent – expensive, suburban, etc. And New York and San Francisco are an easy train ride away.
Princeton’s orchestra is better; Stanford has a stronger chamber music program.
Oh! The sports culture at Princeton is a bit more muted than at Stanford, where athletic scholarships are a thing.
If I could do it again, I’d still pick Princeton for undergrad and Stanford for grad school. YMMV.
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I understand that,
It’s just so close, and such a hard decision I am just looking for ANYTHING to sway me either way. I’ve been stuck for about 10 days and this is basically my last ditch effort haha
What if you flip a coin, with Princeton as heads and Stanford as tails? Whatever happens…how do you feel? Relieved? Disappointed? See if the answer is as simple as that.
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I love this! The only problem is, Stanford GSB is really selective, and that’s where I eventually want to get my MBA.
But Princeton, undergrad will be my one and only chance to go there.
Just such a hard choice! hahaha
That’s right…
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OTOH, if you go to Stanford, “The business school allows a few undergraduates to take some of their courses.” You could get your feet wet at GSB, and then decide you want to aim for Harvard or Wharton for your MBA.
If you’re business-oriented and looking for an entrepreneurship focus, I think I’d lean Stanford. There are so many connections to start-up culture and so many opportunities near campus. Princeton is a lot more isolated. If you wanted to write novels or become a theoretical physicist, I’d be more inclined to say Princeton. But for business… of course I’m not saying Princeton wouldn’t be good, but I’m not sure I’d turn down Stanford for Princeton. (This, again, is why context about you is important.)
I would not choose Stanford on the hope that an undergrad degree from that school will help you get into its GSB. So many other factors will come into play for that (ex. work experience, LORs, GPA, essays, etc.). And I don’t imagine a Princeton degree will hurt you in terms of grad school admissions.
Assuming the both colleges are comfortably affordable, choose the one where you want to spend the next four years. And once you make a decision, buy a hoodie and never look back.
Please let us know what you decide.
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It’s not going to matter for your MBA - Stanford, Princeton or name any other school.
You’ll need work experience - the average is 5 years.
The 431 students come from 165 schools split evenly US and International.
So you’re not penalized going to Princeton - nor would you be going to - name a school - Arizona State - just for fun.
The Stanford MBA, in my opinion, not a reason to tilt toward one or the other.
btw - many believe you look better not going to the same school for grad school - gives you more diversity of thought.
Again, there’s no wrong choice hrere - but where would you prefer to spend four years, day after day after day?
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Highly selective MBA programs typically draw approximately 50% of their classes from 11 schools (8 Ivies plus Stanford, Duke , Chicago). Consequently I wouldn’t be concerned given the two highly selective undergraduate options you are considering.
Congratulations on two great options.
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