<p>Hey fellow CC members!! This is my first experience with posting on College Confidential, but I have an extremely tough decision to make this week and would like as much and as varied input as possible.</p>
<p>So I have recently been awarded the Jefferson Scholarship at UVA, which is a full ride plus summer experiences and other benefits.</p>
<p>I have also been awarded the B.N. Duke Scholarship at Duke University, which is also a full ride plus summer experiences and other benefits.</p>
<p>AND I HAVE TO PICK ONE THIS WEEK!!!:O So I would love to hear everyone's input on both the scholarships and the schools as a whole. How they compare, for both the undergraduate experiences and the opportunities they will afford you after college in graduate school and the workplace. Any help is appreciated, I want to make as informed decision as possible. Thanks in advance!!</p>
<p>Yes tentative should be strongly emphasized. I am now thinking a double major in philosophy and neuroscience, but it changes on a monthly basis. After my undergraduate career, I want to attend medical school or graduate school to become a professor.</p>
<p>S had same decision last year with added pressure of other scholarship offers and multiple IVY acceptances. He choose BN Duke and LOVES his decision. He probably could have been happy at any of those schools. He likes the academic challenge at Duke, but I think the closeness of the BN Duke family has made his first year very relaxed and rewarding. In making the decision he indicated the academics were going to be good at all the schools on his list but he felt most comfortable with and inspired by the BN Duke students. He thought it would be his best environment to thrive.</p>
<p>@straightalk: I think I met your son at Duke! Small world. Do you have any information about what the scholarship does not cover? I know it does not pay for books, but other than that, is there anything it doesn’t cover?</p>
<p>We have paid for books. Everything else has been covered. He actually had a few local scholarships and Nat Merit $ that have more than covered the books for the first year. He (I) will pay for books from here on out.
I have also paid for a few meals as he likes to go out. He does like the meal plan and the food at Duke. He says it isn’t as good as home but he didn’t expect it to be.</p>
<p>Both are exceptionally fine universities, but Duke’s statute – and the “trend line” of its reputation – is even stronger than UVa’s. Probably more important, congratulations on your truely stellar accomplishment; being selected for both B. N. Duke and Jefferson honors is both rare and outstanding.</p>