Yale vs. Columbia - any thoughts?
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Anonymous
| Acquaintance's daughter was accepted to both with very generous aid, though more generous at Columbia. They live in a big city in Eastern Europe (where I am from as well). I have a Columbia degree and loved it but Yale is one school I have no experience with whatsoever. Any thoughts? Thanks in advance. |
Anonymous
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Yale is more prestigious.
Columbia is probably more fun and has a better location. |
Anonymous
For undergrad, Yale is a better experience than Columbia. Yes, NYC is better than New Haven, but you don't turn down a chance to attend Yale for undergrad at Columbia. The residential colleges at Yale are simply amazing and the campus life offers so much more. DD can go to Columbia for grad school or live in NYC when she's older. |
Anonymous
| Yale |
Anonymous
| Yale. I dislike the Core Curriculum at Columbia. Too rigid. Also, the residential colleges at Yale make for a very fun undergrad experience. |
Anonymous
| The Yale and Columbia campuses are just really different and give the schools very different vibes. I think which is most appealing depends a lot on your child and their preferences. I know my kids loved Yale's campus and residential colleges and really were turned off by Columbia's more urban feel. I know kids who felt the exact opposite way, though. |
Anonymous
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If the child is interested in quantitative finance / Financial Engineering, then Columbia IMO. There are some technical majors at columbia that are better than yale.
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Anonymous
Did your kids grew up in suburbs/ DC? |
Anonymous
Actually, suburbs outside Manhattan. My kids had friends who absolutely LOVED Columbia, but mine wanted more greenery and less urban grit. 
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Anonymous
+1 Although most people would probably go for Yale. I'd go with the student's preference first though. Was the child able to tour both campuses? Can't go wrong either way. |
Anonymous
Do undergrads want these majors? Yeah, I'm 18 and I want to be a hedge fund mogul who screws the rest of the world and lives in Greenwich or the UES. Yuck. |
Anonymous
| Undergrad seems "smaller" at Yale due to the residential college system. At Yale you are going to be more involved in "Yale" events because there isn't that much to do in New Haven. What's her preference - being in NYC or being very tied to a school? |
Anonymous
I think you need a little more education about Finance if this is the only thing you know about it…grow up. OP - Columbia is an excellent school with an excellent reputation, but few would turn down the opportunity to study at Yale. New Haven is not a great town (at all…) and that may throw her off if she is used a big city feel, but she should know that Yale is a more prestigious degree. As the post above said - she can go to Columbia for graduate school or at least live in NYC later in life. |
Anonymous
| Thanks everyone. I told her Yale was more prestigious and that I would probably go there myself. But somehow the conversation continued, now even I am not sure what I would do. I am not sure she would have another opportunity to live in NYC though. maybe if she makes that her priority but probably not otherwise. I don't know her that well and I don't think she has ever been to the US. The city she grew up in is pretty similar to NYC, but obviously smaller, not very important etc. |
Anonymous
| You might do better at Yale. NYC can be very distracting! |