<p>My S is a freshman at Yale… doing a sport… and he is putting in long days… but, I too echo T26E4’s view of the residential college system and the value it brings… cause my S really enjoys his room/suite mates… national debate champ, national math champ, a history guru and each one is bringing something to the late nite as they watch a baseball or basketball game… they are going to dances… and soccer matches… and one is playing frisbee and another is doing Christian stuff… and they are all happy and working HARD… </p>
<p>I just read a funny thing at the Yale Daily News about Handsome Dan… and one of the bulldogs actually was trained to play “dead” when asked if they’d rather go to Harvard or die? </p>
<p>New Haven is a great location… lots of great restaurants… easy access to NYC…
my take is that Yale is the biggest thing in New Haven so that makes it easy and fun… whereas Harvard is not the biggest thing in Boston… I think this delivers a greater sense of community to the Eli’s… and it is part of what makes Bladderball real… or any of the other things that makes Yale fun… they just do not take themselves toooo seriously… Yale rules New Haven… </p>
<p>if football is your sport, then you might want to choose Harvard or Michigan or USC or a Pac10 school …cause Yale will never win, even when they tie… but, if you want to do a big sport and yet not feel devastated if you lose, then Yale might be an option, cause winning isn’t everything to Eli’s… enjoying the journey is more important… doing your best equals winning is what I see there…</p>