<p>I'm very torn right now in this decision. I am not really sure what I want to study. I see myself doing philosophy, maybe english, and some hard sciences/maths. I think Brown might be better suited for the first two, but then again Duke and Stanford I'm sure offers great courses as well. I'm pretty ambivalent about the open curriculum, as I know that given the option I'd definitely be able to create my own path. Then again, a set curriculum doesn't really bother me at all. Stanford has two cons for me. I REALLY dislike the quarter system, and I am turned off by the "duck paddling in water"/non-intellectual stereotype (people work hard but don't talk about it and generally keep intellectual discussion in the classroom). I do very much enjoy sports and would do well in that atmosphere which is why Duke and Stanford appeal to me. But then again, I am also a musician which attracts me more to Brown's prominent music scene. So, I'm definitely artsy but I'm also beer-drinking, go-to-basketball-game type also. I think that each of these schools has a great, laid-back student body that I would do well in. As for weather, I'm from the northeast and would love a change of pace at Duke/Stanford's climate.</p>
<p>All I know is that I love the idea of an open curriculum, and Stanford looks, to me, like a Mexican village. </p>
<p>Brooooooooooown.</p>
<p>STANFOOOOOOORD. (awesome campus NOT a mexican village)</p>
<p>Duuuuuuuuuke!</p>
<p>seems like you'd fit in well at brown (but probably the others as well)
you'd be able to combine your passions for the "hard" sciences and the humanities, enjoy the artsy music scene, and then grab a beer with friends and head to an ivy league basketball game. though the ivy league is definitely not known for its mind-blowing athletics, basketball tends to be one of the more exciting sports...particulary at brown with barack obama's brother-in-law as the head coach (interestingly, obama is a frequent visitor to brown games)</p>
<p>Stanford, definitely.</p>
<p>Stanford or Brown seem to be better fits. If you can afford to visit both, I would attend the accepted days weekends at both places. I see Stanford as a better fit for you than Duke irrespective of prestige.</p>
<p>Duke Philosophy is weak, they don't even offer an undergraduate major in the field.
I personally would choose Stanford for the extremely open curriculum and the strong double-major and joint-degree programs.</p>
<p>i am also between duke and brown.
its killing me.
sldkjf</p>
<p>I vote Stanford.</p>
<p>Leland Stanford Junior University</p>
<p>
Um........</p>
<p>Stanford and Brown both seem like good fits, but weather tilts the scales in Stanford's favor.</p>
<p>Chapel Hill-Durham has a good music scene:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.rollingstone.com/schoolsthatrock%5B/url%5D">http://www.rollingstone.com/schoolsthatrock</a></p>
<p>if you want a great basketball school, there is no better combination of bball and academics than duke. id pick either duke or stanford.</p>
<p>Since you're so undecided and money (fa) does not seem to be an issue, only one way to settle this. Visit the schools (they're all great) and observe the scenery. Settle for the one with the hot chicks, might as well enjoy 4 years of college in a "nice" surrounding and related perks. Unless you swing the other way. ;)</p>
<p>The duck in the water stereotype isn't about not being intellectual, it's more about being laid-back. It basically describes the idea that students have a good balance between work and play.</p>
<p>i would say Brown or Stanford, which are better academically and have nicer campuses than Duke. Also, Brown was ranked in the top 5 for general happiness of students on Princeton Review</p>
<p>
[quote]
and I am turned off by the "duck paddling in water"/non-intellectual stereotype (people work hard but don't talk about it and generally keep intellectual discussion in the classroom). I do very much enjoy sports and would do well in that atmosphere which is why Duke and Stanford appeal to me. But then again, I am also a musician which attracts me more to Brown's prominent music scene. So, I'm definitely artsy but I'm also beer-drinking, go-to-basketball-game type also. I think that each of these schools has a great, laid-back student body that I would do well in. As for weather, I'm from the northeast and would love a change of pace at Duke/Stanford's climate.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>My vote's for Stanford. Not only is it generally considered the best university out of the three, but it seems to also fit you pretty well.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>I'm not sure where this non-intellectual stereotype at Stanford comes from. Its student body is made of the brightest students in the nation. Honestly, the three schools do not have very different student bodies. Which group/clique of students you choose to hang out with once you're on-campus will determine your peers a lot more than the campus itself. On most college campuses you will find every type of people. Yes, you'll find the intellectually-stunted students at Stanford and Duke and Brown. Not many, but they're there.</p></li>
<li><p>For athletics Duke or Stanford is definitely better than Brown. I'm not sure about the music scene. Again, at any of the three colleges you'll find concerts and musicians.</p></li>
<li><p>For weather it's hard to beat the Californian climate.</p></li>
<li><p>The surrounding city of Palo Alto is a bit boring, but it's pretty close to San Francisco which is an awesome city. Brown is right there in providence so it provides a smaller city but in closer proximity. I'm not sure what's in North Carolina (what is there in North Carolina?).</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Duke = best fit</p>