r/IvyPlus

Let me preface this by saying the actual hate I’ve gotten is almost 99% jealousy as not a single soul of the group that has given me shit about it has ever done better than a regional school. I have to admit, it still hurts! I haven’t been braggadocios about it but when I have shared the info people will either say they don’t believe me or they don’t believe I could get in. I know it’s an enviable position to be in but it still hurts. Any other admits feel the same?

Edit: I must note that the majority of people (~70%) have been nothing but encouraging and beaming with pride and excitement for me. It’s those few outliers that Im referencing. Also, I am NOT seeking validation. I just wanted to make this post so that other people experiencing similar reactions know that they’re not alone.

I was super commited to Brown for their APMA/Econ program on a pre-PhD route for economics (for context I rejected UChicago for them despite UChicago being the place to be for econ). Just got off of the Princeton waitlist and ngl im still really in love with Brown, but I just wanted to hear other opinions. Price is negligible.

Brown (APMA/ECON + potential double in Cog Sci)

Pros:

• OPEN CURRICULUM (I love exploring different subjects like linguists/neuro/music etc)
• Campus culture/General Happiness (I LOVED ADOCH all the current/former students/profs were amazing people)
• PhD placements are literally the exact same as Princeton/UChicago/Harvard etc to top programs so im in a good position regardless.
• Seemed easier to have connections with professors (on average like 1/2 grad students per professor for my department)
• Stronger alumni network??? Tho this might be biased from my experience
• APMA/ECON at Brown is like the dream major for me so I can do math and economics at the same time
• EXTREMELY reputable APMA program
• Providence RI

Cons:

• Amenities (the dorms are meh and there are like no libraries)
• Brown has the smallest endowment in the ivies so it feels like they budget a lot and arent spending on their students as much as they should be for their status as an Ivy. So less funding for travel, research, you name it
• Worse placements if I decide that I dont want to go to grad school?
• Less reputable in econ/most other subjects?

Princeton (Econ with minor in APMA)

Pros:

• Prestige/Name Brand
• Marginally better music program (could minor easily)
• Research focused ethos
• Better study abroad/language learning institute

Cons:

• Cant double major (have to choose between math/econ)
• I dont mess with the "rumored" pre professional vibes (less finance bros the better). I want to go to a school where learning/following ur passion > future earnings
• Harder need to maintain a high GPA to pursue grad school (big reason why I rejected UChicago)
• Pure Math focus = poorer APMA program
• Idk if I would fit as well with the campus culture?!

In short: I feel I might be overly biased towards Brown so is it valid to choose Brown over Princeton

Hey, I just got off the waitlist for Princeton for chemical/bioengineering! I am currently committed to Duke for Biomedical Engineering and I don’t know which to choose. I feel so lost (I mean I’m posting this at 10:00 pm a Monday lol). I also saw someone else post about Duke vs Princeton, so I’m sorry if this feels repetitive.

I am full pay at both. I am planning to go into a biotech hub (Boston, SF, RTP, or SD) or get my PhD. I am pretty set on this plan and don’t see myself changing.

Here are my thoughts

• I haven’t heard the best things about Princeton’s chemical/bioengineering department from the few alumni I’ve talked to. I have heard there is a new building coming and some new investments. I have heard great things about Duke’s BME and how it is one of the best in the country. It looks like I would be taught by leaders in the field at Duke with more specialized classes. They also have a lot of groundbreaking research that I could be part of in comparison to Princeto. It is also in a biotech hub (RTP), which I’ve heard can help with internships.
• At Princeton you cannot double major, which is very different from Duke’s interdisciplinary culture. Although I understand both approaches, the interdisciplinary one seems better for my interests.
• Princeton is more prestigious, especially outside the country. Duke isn’t too far behind in the US. From what I’ve been told, biotech is less about prestige, and employers will be equally impressed by either school. I don’t know how much this difference will actually help me, if at all. I’ve looked at LinkedIn and talked to a couple alumni, and it seems like both schools lead to similar placements for jobs and PhD programs. It does look like more Princeton CBE students go into finance or business, while more Duke students stay in the field or go to med school. Both also seem equal in terms of alumni helpfulness, based on what my parents have said.
• Princeton has a greater endowment per student, which might mean more opportunities to do cool projects. Because it has fewer grad programs, it is also more undergraduate focused. Both of these probably contribute to the perception that Princeton is a strong PhD feeder.
• Living in the northeast, I’ve seen how much weather affects my mental health. I know neither place is perfect, but NC is sunnier and has less snow. I know this shouldn’t be a deciding factor, but it still matters to me.
• If academics or prestige weren’t factors (which they obviously are), I think I would pick Duke. It seems like a very balanced environment where school spirit, Greek life, and career success are part of the culture. I have visited Princeton quite a few times, and it felt more grindy, with the eating clubs acting like a quirky version of Greek life. That said, I’m sure I would be happy at either school.

It’s funny because my mom went to Princeton and my dad went to Duke. My parents believe I can’t make a wrong choice, but they did say they saw me light up when I visited Duke, which I definitely did. I just feel like this is a life changing decision and I don’t want to make the wrong one. I saw another post on this topic that got pretty heated, and so I really don’t want this to turn into anything like that or cause any tension. Thank you so much.

edit: thanks for your perspective! I picked Duke!

From the recent 2021 U.S. Department of Education's IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) data.

Harvard University says its peers are: Yale, Princeton, Stanford, MIT, Columbia, Chicago
Yale University says its peers are: Harvard, Princeton, Stanford, MIT, Chicago, Columbia
Princeton University says its peers are: Harvard, Yale, Stanford, MIT, Columbia, Penn, Chicago
Stanford University says its peers are: Harvard, Yale, Princeton, MIT, Caltech, Chicago, Berkeley
Massachusetts Institute of Technology says its peers are: Stanford, Harvard, Princeton, Caltech, Chicago, Berkeley, Michigan
Columbia University says its peers are: Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Penn, Chicago, Northwestern, Stanford
University of Pennsylvania says its peers are: Princeton, Columbia, Cornell, Chicago, Northwestern, Duke, Michigan
Brown University says its peers are: Dartmouth, Cornell, Penn, Columbia, Duke, Chicago, Northwestern
Cornell University says its peers are: Penn, Columbia, Michigan, Berkeley, Stanford, Northwestern, Duke
Dartmouth College says its peers are: Brown, Princeton, Yale, Duke, Northwestern, Chicago
University of Chicago says its peers are: Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, MIT, Columbia, Northwestern, Duke
Duke University says its peers are: Penn, Brown, Northwestern, Chicago, Stanford, Michigan, Berkeley California Institute of Technology ? MIT, Stanford, Harvard, Princeton, Berkeley, Chicago
Northwestern University says its peers are: Chicago, Columbia, Penn, Duke, Michigan, Berkeley, Cornell
University of California, Berkeley says its peers are: Stanford, MIT, Michigan, Caltech, Chicago, Northwestern, Cornell

Do you agree with the colleges?

Committed to Princeton, but just go off the waitlist for Duke! I’m going for neuroscience, and both cost the same. Duke was my dream school and I ED’d. I pretty much positive I’m going to accept Duke! Love the traditional college culture with school spirit and Greek life, with the IVY adjacent prestige! Just wanted to know what others might think.

Got into UPenn CAS and Brown as a transfer - having a hard time deciding. Premed - Interested in med, business, humanities, social sciences, etc. Brown seems less intense + more flexible classes + collaborative community but Penn seems like it has the edge in research, clinical opportunities, and funding (?)(+possible dual degree with Wharton would be cool). Thoughts? Pros and cons? Least + most fav parts about Brown? If you picked Brown over Penn/other Ivies, why?