Yale or Columbia

RadSquared
Thu, 05 Apr 2012 22:58:29 +0000

Hello everyone.

I probably should have posted this a little earlier, as I am running out of time to make preliminary decisions. But pretty much I was accepted EA to Yale and got a likely letter to Columbia, and was named a Rabi Scholar, which ~10 kids per year get. (It guaruntees funding and stipends for research, and allows you access to top labs/faculty to conduct your research, as well as providing you with another group of science-specific couselors). And now I am torn. (tl;dr at bottom… sorry for wall of text!)



My first encounter with Columbia was in 8th grade when I was dragged along on my brother’s college visit, and even then I knew I loved it. Theater is a huge part of my life, so New York and easy/cheap access to Broadway are huge boons. But I’m not sure if New York kind of detracts from life/activities on campus, in which case there would be less theater for me to get involved in. My area(s) of interest are Biophysics/Biochem as of now, and potentially Math. Having gaurunteed access to researchers and paid funding/stipends/housing is SO incredible to come by. But I’ve always been kind of “eh” towards the Core; I like humanities, but am not sure I want so much of it mandatory, especially because that leaves less room for exploring the sciences.

Yale is, of course, the pinnacle of undergraduate theater, and since being accepted in December I’ve learned SO much about all of the various groups and stayed for 2 nights this past weekend. Yale is also really good for their “Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry” major, which is what I’d like to go for. After speaking with other students (my host also was named a Rabi and seemed to dismiss it – but not haughtily/snootily – as not as good as Yale), it seems that the opportunities that being a Rabi Scholar affords me are also available at Yale, there’s just not a default “structure” to them, and I get to go pick the specifics of what research, etc. I’d want to do



Shorter version: I feel nostalgic towards Columbia because I’ve imagined myself there for years, but nostalgic towards Yale because I’ve REALLY imagined myself there for a few months. Columbia is exciting and has the dazzle of NYC & me being a ‘special’ student. But it has the Core and seems to overlook certain general facets of student life. I’ll be ‘normal’ at Yale, but everything about it is palatial, there’s TONS of theater, and they give you funding and opportunities for anything you can imagine.

Any advice is welcome. Thank you SO much in advance; I know ultimately it will be my decision and mine alone, but I’m interested to see what others have to say.
I’ll also be posting this in the Yale forum

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