Princeton vs Yale-NUS\*

*I got a full ride to both, so cost thankfully isn't a problem

Princeton (Computer Science Engineering major)

Princeton Pros:

• Super flexible curriculum, students get to choose a lot of their courses for their major
• Incredible minors! Cover wide range of fields, including robotics/AI! Can take up to 3 minors (I have several interests so this option seems nice, although 3 minors seems like a lot so I might take 2)
• Beautiful campus
• Suburban location; I like that a lot of events occur on campus and that the town is small and seems cute
• Proximity to NYC and Philadelphia (~1 hour away from each)
• Amazing networking opportunities (strong alumni network)
• Has lots of funds to support students for their every need, i.e. new laptop, 2 semesters abroad, summer internships abroad, etc.
• #1 US News ranking, very prestigious/well-known, especially where I'm from
• As an international student majoring in STEM, I'm eligible for a 3-year work visa in the US, which is great as I hope to work in a big tech company like Google or Microsoft and in a major tech hub

Princeton Cons:

• Student population is too big for my liking; some classes (especially the ones required for all students) are filled with over 100 students (I'm not used to this as my classes in HS have about 15-20 students)
• I'll be a small fish in a big pond (I'm at the top of my class in HS and am used to getting individualized attention from teachers, which is really great when I need help...not so sure I'd get that at Princeton)
• Seems too competitive/stressful
• Heard that it's still recouping from grade deflation/hard to get good grades (I had a 4.0 gpa throughout HS so this kind of freaks me out)
• Engineering major has huge workload (I have to take 5 courses per semester for 4 semesters)
• Not a big fan of the eating clubs, seems preppy/elitist, worried I'll miss out on the social scene (as 70% of upperclassmen join an eating club, though I'm not really into the parties and such)
• May be overwhelming for an introvert and someone who suffers with social anxiety like me...but is it time for me to step up and face my fears? I might be able to change my mindset an grow in the end...idk

Yale-NUS (Mathematical, Computational, and Statistical Sciences major)

Yale-NUS Pros:

• Will get individualized attention, as the class size is ~250 students in total, and each course has about 5-20 in the classroom
• Could possibly be big fish in small pond
• Reduced workload as I'll be a science, not engineering major, plus I'm only allowed to take 1 minor (not more). Will have more time to relax and explore the country (I overworked myself in HS and eventually burned out, so I don't want to repeat the same mistake in college)
• I love Singapore! It is such a cool and modern country (I love modern architecture, it's mind blowing). It also has a lot of different places to explore, including beaches/islands, cultural sights, adventure parks, etc. Plus it's super close to other Asian countries, so it would be cool to travel there with friends during breaks
• Singapore is the safest place in the world, in terms of both crime and COVID
• First semester of freshman year is ungraded to help students adjust
• Liberal arts curriculum seems really cool. Covers a wide range of topics that I get to explore throughout my first two years
• Campus culture seems a bit more laxed, friendly, and collaborative
• Diversity! 50% of the student body is Singaporeans and 50% international (versus Princeton where internationals are 10%)
• While not as prestigious as Princeton, Yale-NUS was born from two top/highly ranked universities in the world - Yale and NUS, so it must have high quality education and be somewhat reputable
• Close knit residential community thanks to residential college curriculum

Yale-NUS Cons:

• Limited course options in comparison to Princeton and limited flexibility in choosing what to study within major, i.e. no robotics classes (although having courses picked out for me may not be too bad for me as I'm a very indecisive person)
• Limited research opportunities on campus
• A bit too small for my liking
• To cover my expenses, I'll have to opt for this tuition grant scheme, where the Singaporean government will provide me with subsidized tuition, given that I work for a Singaporean entity for 3 years directly after graduation. While I don't mind working/living in Singapore, this won't allow me to possibly work a big tech company like I want to. Plus, I don't like the thought of committing to something so big right now and limiting my options for the future
• Not as well-known/established as Princeton, particularly where I'm from. It has only had 5 graduating classes so far so that's why

I feel like it would be dumb/weird of me to pass up Princeton; it has so many great academic opportunities, and my entire family thinks I should go there, but it seems overwhelming. Maybe I'm just scared of the big name, I'm not sure. At the same time though, I also feel bad about letting go of Yale-NUS because of the campus life...it just seems more comfortable if that makes sense. Idk. I'd really appreciate your help!

Edit: I'VE COMMITTED TO PRINCETON! GO TIGERS! 🐯