Harvard, Yale, or Princeton?

[Last Child of Ungoliant]

OK j-d,
i say Oxford / Cambridge as they are most certainly
2 of the best Uni's in the UK, or the world generally (i know this doesn't matter to ben, but there are some englanders that will have opportunity for uni someday)
if u got to either of these universities, u will be rubbing shoulders with those that will later become statesmen, instantly recognisable academics, politician's, officers etc.
they have by far the best courses, professors are among the best educated(i:e they went to oxford/cambridge ) in the world, u will be in stunning campus grounds and they also offer excellent late entry associates
for my part, i will probably end up at one of those or exeter uni

[brownjenkins]

Originally posted by jerseydevil
Why don't people post what schools are like - instead of posting what he can do outside school - which is secondary anyway. Just a thought.

i think social life has a lot to do with how one does in school and enjoys their experience... all of his choices are top-notch, and putting that aside, one can be tremendously successful in what they choose to do even attending a state school if they have the personal dedication... if they do not, they won't do well wherever they go

the learning part, while facilitated by good instructors, is mostly between you and the material... the social aspect lets you blow off steam, take a break and enjoy certain things in life that you may never get to do again when you enter the working world

if you enjoy reading a book and hanging with good close friends, and don't particularly like distractions, a smaller, more suburban location might do you well... if you're more of the nightlife type, having that kind of lifestyle right outside your door, and more importantly, not having to worry about driving to it, might suit you better

there is also something to experiencing things outside of your "comfort zone" that helps you develop more perspective on life

for something more specific, the JFK school of government is a highly-respected political school with many notable instructors and alumni (GWB aside )

[jerseydevil]

Originally posted by brownjenkins
i think social life has a lot to do with how one does in school and enjoys their experience... all of his choices are top-notch, and putting that aside, one can be tremendously successful in what they choose to do even attending a state school if they have the personal dedication... if they do not, they won't do well wherever they go

the learning part, while facilitated by good instructors, is mostly between you and the material... the social aspect lets you blow off steam, take a break and enjoy certain things in life that you may never get to do again when you enter the working world

if you enjoy reading a book and hanging with good close friends, and don't particularly like distractions, a smaller, more suburban location might do you well... if you're more of the nightlife type, having that kind of lifestyle right outside your door, and more importantly, not having to worry about driving to it, might suit you better

there is also something to experiencing things outside of your "comfort zone" that helps you develop more perspective on life

for something more specific, the JFK school of government is a highly-respected political school with many notable instructors and alumni (GWB aside )

I agree - but 99% of the social aspect takes place on school, as a result of your fellow classmates and a part of the college - so no one has said anything about what the colleges themselves offer in this respect.

Also - not all the colleges are the same. Princeton is the only one where the nobel prize winners are required to teach classes. The others may have big names on the faculty - but it's undergraduates who teach their classes - while they're off doing their research. So - don't think they are all the same just because they're the best schools in the country.

Also the other thing Princeton requires is the precept -

Preceptorials. Begun at Princeton in 1905 at the suggestion of Woodrow Wilson, Princeton's president at the time, the "precept" is a small group in which the instructor promotes discussion among the student members of that week's lectures and readings. Most humanities and social science courses at Princeton include two lectures and one precept each week.

I do not think Harvard or yale have precepts.

[Insidious Rex]

Originally posted by jerseydevil
Why don't people post what schools are like - instead of posting what he can do outside school - which is secondary anyway. Just a thought.

Do we have a lot of Harvard, Yale and Princeton alumni here?

[jerseydevil]

Originally posted by Insidious Rex
Do we have a lot of Harvard, Yale and Princeton alumni here?

Well one person on her said their father works at one of the universities, many people have said they are familiar with the universities or live by them. I know a lot of what Princeton offers for it's students - because I have gone on the tours, I have looked at their website, I have even had a Princeton University library card and have been tothe libraries on campus.

[mithrand1r]

My friend's brother attended Princeton (of course that does little good for the rest of us )

I have visited both Princeton and Harvard.

I personally liked Princeton's campus better. I did meet some students from Princeton and I wondered how they were ever admitted.

(You should not use this a scientific sample of the type of people you will find there. After all it was a chance encounter with some people who may be better in other situations.)

If you have the oportunity you should visit all three campuses preferably while the students are still there and conduct an informal survey of the the type of people at each place. Act as an investigative reporter and gather as much info as possible.

[jerseydevil]

Originally posted by mithrand1r
My friend's brother attended Princeton (of course that does little good for the rest of us )

I have visited both Princeton and Harvard.

I personally liked Princeton's campus better. I did meet some students from Princeton and I wondered how they were ever admitted.

Hey - can't forget the nude olympics. Do you think Ben will participate in that if he goes there?

My friend Trish - the first time I took her to Princeton, she kept saying that the students don't have real college problems. Then we went to Thomas Sweets and were waiting in line behind several university students. They were talking about life on campus and problems they were having with people and Trish turned to me and said "I take it back, it sounds just like Salem College"

[Nurvingiel]

I go to UBC - I can't really comment on the three universities since I haven't attended or visited any of them.

I do know someone who goes to Princeton for Microbiology. Erm... that doesn't really help you though.

I'm sure you'll make the right choice. Nice essay by the way, yea Mooters! And it was very well-written and comprehensive.

Congradulations for getting accepted to great universities! You must have aced your SATs! *high 5s*

[The Gaffer]

Firstly, congratulations on having probably the highest quality problem in Christendom! I'm sure if you apply the same brainpower to choosing your uni as you've clearly done to your exams, you'll make the right choice.

I've experienced various universities, as student, researcher and teacher, and my advice would be to choose your subject first, location second and institution last.

The department and faculty you work with will have the greatest influence on your education. Look for who will be teaching you, what they publish, what the emphasis of the course is, and think if that's what you want. However, don't be too prescriptive because you might change your mind once you start doing it!

I think that a good research profile is good for your education. It means that your work will be subject to greater scrutiny and you will probably be expected to publish stuff yourself. While you might not get the attention you get elsewhere, if you're prepared to put the effort in, you will get a better result.

Location matters because then you get to live an independent life outside the university. Maybe that's not what you want, but if it is, some campus bound prison camp may well drive you up the wall. This might also apply to these "fraternity" style things I believe you have in the states: ask yourself, is the social setup right for the time in my life when I'll have the most freedom to do what I want?

Which also brings the other element: what "old boy network" will you be plugged into, do you care or will it make you puke on a daily basis? I get the impression, however, that it doesn't really matter; in spite of people saying "he's a Balliol man you know" or whatever: what matters is that you went there at all.

[Last Child of Ungoliant]

Originally posted by The Gaffer
Which also brings the other element: what "old boy network" will you be plugged into, do you care or will it make you puke on a daily basis? I get the impression, however, that it doesn't really matter; in spite of people saying "he's a Balliol man you know" or whatever: what matters is that you went there at all.

Oi! What's wrong with Balliol?
A few of my friends went to Balliol College, and the said it
is one of the best colleges in Oxford and Cambridge put together!

[The Gaffer]

Indeed it is, that's what I meant. Clearly, I phrased it very poorly.

But even though Oxbridge types make a big thing about which college you went to, what they really mean is that if you can engage in the banter at all then you are "one of us". If you don't understand what the feck they are talking about then you are, ipso facto, an inconsequential little oik.

And the boat race was Oxford's fault for trying to cut Cambridge up. Serves them right for being scared to race against Brookes.

[Last Child of Ungoliant]

can't stand boat race, always decided months before!!
(not that i'm cynical!)

i guess what u mean is belonging to 'the boys club'
jobs for the boys, etc?

in dog showing, boys club is something completely different,
which we won't go into, as i am one!!

[The Gaffer]

Well, my guess is that there's a small amount of overlap between those "boys clubs"

Yeah, boat race is dull as hell, unless they're sinking or crashing. They should put some neds on the bridges with half bricks or something to liven it up a bit.

[Janny]

Hey! How dare you take the cantab side , you swine you!
Doesn't it work best with punts? My headmaster used to be the one at cambridge they'd dangle by the ankles to steal the punt poles because he was the lightest. Funny looking at him now...

Also, my sister is going to St. Hilda's College, Oxford... the scary feminist college!

[The Gaffer]

Nah, I've had too many lovely riverside walks ruined by twats on bikes shouting through megaphones and obliviously (nearly)knocking sundry toddlers into the water to have any loyalty at all.

Ha ha - stealing the punt poles like that would be classy.

Your sister is going to be a Hildebeest?? Ye gods. Be very afraid. Still, they refused Thatcher a doctorate, right? So they can't be all bad.

Actually I haven't a clue; don't even know where it is.

[Janny]

You know the phrase Hildabeast tho! Yeah, I've narrowed it done to the city of Oxford. I think it may be near Magdelene, but I dunno.
What are your Oxford / Cambridge connections / affiliations?

[Last Child of Ungoliant]

Originally posted by Janny
....What are your Oxford / Cambridge connections / affiliations?

my Oxbridge affiliations are that
i know a lot of ppl that went to those Uni's
and (A-level grades pemitting) i will go
to one of those 2, or Exeter University

[sun-star]

Originally posted by Janny
You know the phrase Hildabeast tho! Yeah, I've narrowed it done to the city of Oxford. I think it may be near Magdelene, but I dunno.

Oh Janny, you do disappoint me It's right next to Magdalen College School, remember? Over the bridge? And there will be no rude comments about Hildabeests, if you please

Are Harvard, Yale and Princeton basically the same for political science/history? Obviously they're all good, but isn't one better than the others in that particular field?

[The Gaffer]

Originally posted by Janny
You know the phrase Hildabeast tho! Yeah, I've narrowed it done to the city of Oxford. I think it may be near Magdelene, but I dunno.
What are your Oxford / Cambridge connections / affiliations?

Pretty tenuous. I used to work in the Department of Clinical Medicine at Oxford, and did some teaching and curriculum development for them a couple of years ago.

So I know personally lots of Oxbridge (especially Oxford) academics in biomedical sciences and they are almost all fantastic: really brilliant, usually highly supportive and often humble. That's what makes these institutions great: the people who work there (often for a pittance!) I sat on a committee once with the bloke who discovered that smoking causes cancer * swoon *

I know lots of colleges from using them as venues for short courses, conferences etc that I've been involved with. Favourite is Merton, but Balliol and St Catherine's are great too. One of my favourite moments ever was sitting on the wall bench at Merton on a warm spring morning, delegates safely beavering away in their tutorial groups, looking out over Christ Church meadow, blowing smoke rings and thinking that JRRT probably sat in that very spot and did the same thing.


Bloody nora! Your sis is going to be dipping her toes in the river of a morn; top location! You have to get her to punt you to the pub.

[Valandil]

Originally posted by sun-star
Are Harvard, Yale and Princeton basically the same for political science/history? Obviously they're all good, but isn't one better than the others in that particular field?

Probably just depends on whom you ask. (six words hector... COUNT 'em... SIX!)