Is Yale still the fun alternative to Harvard, or has that all changed?

[Anonymous]

Back in the day, I recall that Yale was the alternative to other top places for people who cared about things like social life, community, good dining hall food, good dorm facilities, etc. I am aware, however, that many colleges now have a new culture, grim and marked by deterioration (see e.g., Harvard's further deteriorating social life accompanied with poor dining hall food and some sort of rate and roach infestation of the dorms; Stanford's turning into a tech office park; Duke's decades long slide into a place where smart TJ kids go to obsessively grind and battle each other for all things STEM). So what is Yale like today versus a while ago?

[Anonymous]

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/09/yale-college-undergrad-clubs-competitive/675219/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/09/yale-college-undergrad-clubs-competitive/675219/

"One of Zhang’s rejections came from the Existential Threats Initiative, which meets to discuss issues such as climate change and AI. Zhang was turned away for not having enough experience dealing with existential threats."

Talk about grim.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/09/yale-college-undergrad-clubs-competitive/675219/

"One of Zhang’s rejections came from the Existential Threats Initiative, which meets to discuss issues such as climate change and AI. Zhang was turned away for not having enough experience dealing with existential threats."

Talk about grim.

It's so depressing. I think it's difficult to be a genuine human being at any of the top 10 schools today. The pressure is absurd. I suspect the sweet spot for high performing students are the schools ranked 11-25. Much more chill and inclusive environments generally.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/09/yale-college-undergrad-clubs-competitive/675219/

"One of Zhang’s rejections came from the Existential Threats Initiative, which meets to discuss issues such as climate change and AI. Zhang was turned away for not having enough experience dealing with existential threats."

Talk about grim.

I want to know how much experience any college kids have in dealing with existential threats.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/09/yale-college-undergrad-clubs-competitive/675219/

"One of Zhang’s rejections came from the Existential Threats Initiative, which meets to discuss issues such as climate change and AI. Zhang was turned away for not having enough experience dealing with existential threats."

Talk about grim.

I want to know how much experience any college kids have in dealing with existential threats.

I'm pretty sure that this is one club you don't want to get into if that's a requirement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/09/yale-college-undergrad-clubs-competitive/675219/

"One of Zhang’s rejections came from the Existential Threats Initiative, which meets to discuss issues such as climate change and AI. Zhang was turned away for not having enough experience dealing with existential threats."

Talk about grim.

I want to know how much experience any college kids have in dealing with existential threats.

All of them?

[Anonymous]

No. Brown is now. It has risen up the ranks and requires scores this year and it is no longer the 'emo' alternative Ivy. Yale has now become the Ivy with much more emo-types. Brown student body is very athletic and clean-cut.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No. Brown is now. It has risen up the ranks and requires scores this year and it is no longer the 'emo' alternative Ivy. Yale has now become the Ivy with much more emo-types. Brown student body is very athletic and clean-cut.

Brown University is often called the "Happy Ivy" and is frequently ranked as one of the happiest Ivy League schools. Some say this is because of its relaxed environment, open curriculum, and sense of community. Students at Brown have more freedom to choose their courses, which can lead to less competition and more creative thinking. Brown also has a socially conscious student body, a lively campus in Providence, and a strong party culture. In 2023, a survey conducted by The Herald in collaboration with the Brown Opinion Project found that 81% of students reported being very or somewhat happy. The location boasts an abundance of great food, as well, and for those seeking a livelier scene, Boston is a train ride away.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. Brown is now. It has risen up the ranks and requires scores this year and it is no longer the 'emo' alternative Ivy. Yale has now become the Ivy with much more emo-types. Brown student body is very athletic and clean-cut.

Brown University is often called the "Happy Ivy" and is frequently ranked as one of the happiest Ivy League schools. Some say this is because of its relaxed environment, open curriculum, and sense of community. Students at Brown have more freedom to choose their courses, which can lead to less competition and more creative thinking. Brown also has a socially conscious student body, a lively campus in Providence, and a strong party culture. In 2023, a survey conducted by The Herald in collaboration with the Brown Opinion Project found that 81% of students reported being very or somewhat happy. The location boasts an abundance of great food, as well, and for those seeking a livelier scene, Boston is a train ride away.

^ not just happiest Ivy it is ranked #15 in the country for happiest university

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No. Brown is now. It has risen up the ranks and requires scores this year and it is no longer the 'emo' alternative Ivy. Yale has now become the Ivy with much more emo-types. Brown student body is very athletic and clean-cut.

This is not remotely true at the private high schools my kids attend. The more well rounded kids are at every Ivy except Brown and Columbia.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No. Brown is now. It has risen up the ranks and requires scores this year and it is no longer the 'emo' alternative Ivy. Yale has now become the Ivy with much more emo-types. Brown student body is very athletic and clean-cut.

That would be Penn, Princeton, and, especially, Dartmouth

[Anonymous]

Brown is the one Ivy we attended with so much activity on the lawn and professors and current students coming over to chat.

My kid also did sports camps at 6 of the 8 Ivies the past 2 years. Princeton and Brown were the two he liked the best. Cornell and Columbia felt too big. Yale, like another pp said, didn't have as many students out and about having fun--hurrying around head down, wouldn't look you in the eye. Never made it up to Dartmouth. Harvard was Harvard. Penn he didn't like campus as much.

[Anonymous]

My kid just graduated from Brown and due to his sport had opportunities to attend other Ivys. He absolutely loved it for all the reasons mentioned above and we loved it for him. Never regretted turning down HPY because he worked hard, loved his classmates/teammates and had a ton of fun. He had the same career opportunities that he would have had he attended HPY.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Brown is the one Ivy we attended with so much activity on the lawn and professors and current students coming over to chat.

My kid also did sports camps at 6 of the 8 Ivies the past 2 years. Princeton and Brown were the two he liked the best. Cornell and Columbia felt too big. Yale, like another pp said, didn't have as many students out and about having fun--hurrying around head down, wouldn't look you in the eye. Never made it up to Dartmouth. Harvard was Harvard. Penn he didn't like campus as much.

I’m not sure your kid is getting a good insider look from a sports camp.