turning down yale

[The Other Ken]

Chicago (almost did), Harvard, or Stanford if the money is right and all other things equal.

I decided not to pick Chicago over Yale primarily because I'll be doing a joint program with Harvard Divinity at Yale, and my financial aid package is so sweet there that combined with my lesser Yale grant, it approximately equalizes the full tuition scholarship offered by Chicago (which would have likely compelled me to enroll in its Divinity School due to distance and for which my financial aid package < HDS).

If you have compelling reasons to do choose NYU over Yale, don't feel constrained by popular from following your dream.

[The Other Ken]

But really, where does that reputation come from? As far as I can tell the only reason Yale outranks Harvard and Standford is because its small size makes it more "selective".

Harvard, possibly, but Stanford, not so much; Stanford is almost as selective as Yale (in terms of offers made), and has approximately the same class size (although this may be a function of their yield, which is inferior to that of Harvard and Yale.

(According to the LSAC's ABA guide [older than USNWR's information for the new rankings], Stanford's acceptance rate for the year used was 7.79% and its yield was 45.65%, compared to Yale's 6.22% and 84.68% and Harvard's 11.51% and 68.68%.)

[Stuart]

I'm seriously considering turning down Yale for Harvard. It's not probable, exactly, but it's extremely possible. Go where you want to go.

[just call me elle]

I am absolutely turning down Yale for Harvard. H is quite simply a better school for me. I have no desire to spend three years in New Haven, see little difference between pass/high pass and B/A, love Boston, prefer a larger school, love the international opportunities of Harvard, and loved the social environment there. It's not the right choice for everyone, but it's completely justifiable.

[jalong]

I'm seriously considering turning down Yale for Harvard.

how come?

[245]

I'm seriously considering turning down Yale for Harvard. It's not probable, exactly, but it's extremely possible. Go where you want to go.

Stuart--It was nice to meet you (albeit briefly) at the YLS ASW!  I'm also glad to see other people who may not be attending Yale this fall.

I am also planning on turning down Yale.  It makes me really sad to give up the opportunity, but I've got compelling personal ties to the SF Bay Area.

[Stuart]

I'm seriously considering turning down Yale for Harvard.

how come?

I loved Harvard. It's an exciting place -- more exciting than Yale, or at least it was when comparing the two ASWs. There's somebody doing everything at Harvard, the teaching and faculty are unbeatable, and although I actually liked New Haven, Cambridge is awesome.

That said (and to forestall the obvious next question), Yale's smaller environment, somewhat greater flexibility, and more [uniformly] philosophic bent are extremely appealing, so I'm not just going to toss it either.

[Lil Orphan Annie]

I'd turn down Yale for Harvard.  I wouldn't exactly be at a loss for opportunity at Harvard and I'd MUCH rather live in Boston.

[letylyf]

There's definitely nothing wrong with any of the reasons listed above for not going to Yale (well, except maybe the part about actually preferring to live in Boston, lol, I hate that town). But the idea of "turning down Yale" almost sounds to me (imho) like the OP wants people to laud him/her for not letting his/her choice be dictated by US News and World Reports, for not "following the crowd" or for not "taking the easy way out." If I learned anything at Yale's ASW it was that none of these things are a reason to go - or not to go - to a school. If you're turning down Yale just because you think only lazy people who just want to coast through law school go there and then live the rest of their lives leaning on their degree and talking about how they went to Yale for law school... that's rather short-sighted.

[lovethelaw2010]

I turned down Yale undergrad for Texas A&M and it's prob. one of my poorer choices in life.  It was always my dream to go there but I guess oh well.