<p>I would've posted this in a Barnard forum...but there is no Barnard forum. This is enough reason already to worry me--is there no forum because Barnard is that insignificant, or because it's so connected to Columbia?</p>
<p>I absolutely love Columbia, and know that if I went to Barnard, the good connection, and the fact that even my diploma in the end would say Columbia U, I would be fine. Buut...I would always feel just a little inferior for not having been accepted into Columbia College.</p>
<p>But...I guess my question is, later in life, will I regret it if I went to Barnard? Will really going to Barnard and not bona fide Columbia not be as prestigious? Would I be better off going to Cornell or Duke? Please help!!!</p>
<p>One more thing: I'm writing my Columbia appeal right now (I was waitlisted), and I was gonna be lame and say something like "If you don't accept me, I will stare outside my Barnard window and be sad and junk." I know the colleges face each other, but, from any of the dorms, can you actually see Columbia? Haha, it would be great if someone knew something that trivial.</p>
<p>Thanks in advance for anyone's help!!!</p>
<p>Edit: I just found the Barnard forum. Haha.</p>
<p>I got into all 3, and in terms of prestige, Duke and Columbia are around each other (according to US News, Duke's better, but don't buy that stuff)</p>
<p>Hmm...good question. I think that, despite the inferiority complex I'd have, I'd really enjoy going to Barnard/Columbia--but at the same time, I don't think I should pay thousands of dollars a year to feel inferior.</p>
<p>Cornell was a beautiful place and stuff, but it was just so...isolated. It's probably sometimes recognized as the most difficult of the Ivies academically because even the students are "isolated" in a way--they seem to have to rely on themselves, rather than individual attention from teachers or whatever. I'm sure I'd do fine there, but what worries me is that isolation. I'm from Los Angeles, so I can just imagine hiding under layers of blanket during the winters, freezing my butt off, and studying for that umpteenth test for which I've not been adequately prepared in class.</p>
<p>As for Duke...honestly, I don't know anything about Duke, except that it's got plenty of prestige. I thought I wouldn't even consider it, so I didn't even visit--but that was a mistake, because they've given me so much aid that I'd only have to pay a few thousand a year to attend.</p>
<p>Um...so...more feedback would be appreciated...anyone wanna tell me more about Duke?</p>
<p>Between Cornell and Duke, it really wasn't a question for me that Duke was a betterfit, both in regards to economics and political science (what I'm interested in) and socially.</p>
<p>I really like Columbia, but everyone always goes into the city and I don't feel like spending that much money on a week to week basis whereas the same fun could be had on Campus at duke.</p>
<p>I think that I should probably take Cornell off my list, 'cause it didn't feel right for me, either. I guess that leaves the Barnard and Duke, the two problems being that Barnard isn't Columbia, and that I haven't even seen Duke. Why have I heard that Durham is so lame? I'm sure there's plenty to do there...</p>
<p>I would go to Duke. I feel as if at Barnard, as good as a school it is, people still think they are sort of back door admits. Its not necesarily reality, but it does exist. And on your diploma it says "Barnard College of Columbia University" so its a Barnard degree.</p>
<p>Duke is an awesome school with an awesome community. Academically it is arguably better than Barnard, and its reputation is clearly better. Plus it has an awesome quality of life. The school is less about Durham and more about the campus community, but you only get to do this once so I would take the opportunity.</p>
<p>Duke and Columbia are in no way similar. What is it about Columbia that attracted you to the school in the first place? Durham is pretty lame, but on the other hand, there's much more on campus stuff to do than at Columbia. It's a rah rah school -- big into sports -- a lot of frat/sorority action (unlike Columbia). Weatherwise, I definitely think Duke is a better fit for you. You'd be miserable at Cornell. I'd say that Duke is more prestegious than Barnard and getting that prestige at a reduced rate would be tempting. Unless you have to be in New York City and a relatively small college setting, I'd opt for Duke.</p>
<p>Duke's a great school, but as others have said, your location is really going to be all about the campus and not the city. Presumably if you're attracted to Columbia/Barnard and find Cornell remote, that's a pretty big negative to consider.</p>
<p>Durham is nothing. I know Durham pretty well as I live in Raleigh, and it's all very pleasant, but there is hardly anything to do outside of the university. Lame sums it up pretty well. You'll have the minor league baseball team (the Bulls), Ninth Street (a few shops and restaurants), a few nightspots that can't compare to NYC, and a couple of varied concert venues (again, no comparison). Then you're left with an economically depressed community where the major sources of off-campus entertainment are 1. going to the mall (it does have a nice mall, I'll grant) and 2. going to the movies. You can even go to the movies at the mall!</p>
<p>Since you probably won't have a car your first year at least (and you really can't get anywhere with public transportation), the campus is where you'll be spending the vast majority of your time.</p>
<p>I'm not saying DON'T go to Duke - it has a lot to offer academically, and the campus (which is very "rah rah") can be an exciting place. But I wouldn't even consider committing to living there for an extended period of time without visiting. If you're seriously considering Duke, book the next flight down here and see if you're comfortable in the environment.</p>
<p>Oh, and better weather than NY? Only if you're afraid of the cold...here we instead have hurricanes, a lot of borderline precipitation (ice storms, etc.), paralyzed traffic with 1in. of snow, mosquitoes, 2-3 weeks of spring and a muggy, sweltering summer from MayOctober.</p>
<p>I guess it depends what kind of weather you like. NYC is chilly but it's not half as bad as Ithaca or Boston. In Durham, a typical two week period during winter would see high temperatures throughout the range from 25-65 degrees Fahrenheit, with low temperatures anywhere from 10-55. Of perhaps three or four precipitation systems, each might have freezing rain, snow, regular rain, or some mix of all three: systems that are expected to change over from one form to another are common. The forecasters invariably are wrong about precipitation types and amounts.</p>
<p>It makes for entertaining weather watching, but I'm personally tired of it and am looking forward to a more predictable NY cold. The above events are pretty much average for any swatch of December-February, but there are occasional big snows no easier than those up North (except they take much longer to clean up) and also a few freak days in January where it's 75. (Generally followed by a snowstorm the next day!)</p>
<p>Wow! Thank you all for replying. I do think abcdefghijklm is definitely right for saying that I have to see Duke before deciding to up and go there--why didn't I take the free trip that they offered me? <em>slaps self upside head</em> What with AP exams and prom coming up (yes, our school is stupid, and insists, ever year, that prom be the weekend before APs start). </p>
<p>Most of the later posts ended up being about the weather, which I don't mind at all. I know it shouldn't concern me so much, but because I live in Los Angeles, I have very little (and I mean VERY little) weather variation tolerance. I get chilly in 70º weather, and am comfortable at 80º, ± only about two degrees. My narrow-weather-mindedness was sadly one of the things that made Ithaca seem so unappealing: I did NOT want to feel like committing suicide (and that's what Cornellians are best known for) in the middle of winter because I'd be so unaccustomed to any sort of winter at all. So, as long as Duke weather is warmer overall than NY weather, I consider that better, no matter how unpredictable Durham weather may be.</p>
<p>Now, money-wise, Duke is much cheaper for me than Barnard. But if I were only going by money, I'd go to Harvey Mudd--my mom loves this idea; it's close and cheap--even though I, for some reason, never really took to it. I tried requesting more aid from Barnard, but it doesn't seem like they will get back to me in time (gosh, I'm so stupid for not thinking logically until a week before the 1st!). I think you've all swayed me toward the conclusion that Barnard would probably not be a good place for me to be, 'cause as much as I liked it and the Columbia connection, it will never be Columbia. The NYC location seemed awfully tempting, too, but after living in L.A. for so long, it might be good for me to try something new.</p>
<p>But maybe it would be too much of a change. I desperately need to visit Duke! Now I'm looking at flight schedules...</p>