Seeking Advice on Choice of School

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The discussion centers on a candidate who has been accepted into several prestigious physics PhD programs, including Stanford, Harvard, and Princeton, and is seeking advice on which to choose. The candidate expresses a desire to focus on high-energy theoretical physics (hep-th) with an interest in formal theory over phenomenology. While acknowledging Princeton's strong reputation in string theory, the candidate is uncertain about their own capabilities in that area and is leaning towards a decision between Stanford and Harvard. Participants in the discussion recommend reaching out to potential supervisors and current graduate students to gain insights into the programs, emphasizing the importance of personal experiences over rankings when making a decision.
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As the results for physics phd program admissions have come out, I am lucky enough to get into several top programs including Stanford, Harvard and Princeton. So far, I have no clue which one to choose and I would like to hear some advice.

Personally, I would like to study hep-th and I am more interested in formal theory rather than phenomenology. I know that Princeton is undoubtedly the best in string but I am not sure I am intelligent enough to pursue a career in string theory later. So it seems that I will probably make my choice between Stanford and Harvard. Any suggestions and advice are welcomed. thx
 
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If you haven't already, talk to potential supervisors and current graduate students at the institutions you're considering. Rather than the best program on paper, try to select the best one based on your experiences with each.
 
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