Brown v Duke?

College Search & Selection
1

Hi! I am lucky enough to have the decision between Duke and Brown, and really have no clue which to pick!

I am interested in humanities/ social sciences ( I like history right now, especially with an international outlook, even though i’m not super into languages.). I am not really sure which departments are better at either school.

I think that to social scene is probably the most different aspect of each, but I think that i could ‘fit’ in to both social scenes and can imagine myself loving either one.

Here are some of my thoughts on each (These thoughts might not be completely accurate!)

Brown:

PROS
Ivy league reputation
Open Curriculum has a lot of versatility, so i can try a lot of different things (I am very organised so think that I could manage the freedom)
Pass/ Fail option to keep up a good GPA (i know they dont really ddo GPA, but it still allows a good record)
Near New York / Boston so easier to connect with future employers?

CONS
Open curriculum can be a little bit daunting, because my major is undecided (I just know that I want to do some sort of humanity/ social science)
I dont know how good the careers help is?
Potentially weaker club sports options

Duke

PROS
Really great programs for community service, study abroad etc
Sports atmosphere creates sense of community
The distribution requirements could help me figure out exactly what I want to do
Probably stronger cllub sports options (I definitely want to do some sports)

CONS
Up-and-coming reputation means it might not be as highly regarded? Or more volatile ranking, so not as good in the future?
Durham doesnt have as much going on as Providence
More limited access to New York for careers?

I am most up in the air about which has a stronger department for humanities / social science, which is obviously the main point of college.

I am planning to go to the admitted students weekends for both, but would really appretiate any input that anyone else has!
Thanks!!

2

^^ Since when is Duke ‘up and coming’?? lol. Duke ‘arrived’ decades ago
There is no difference in prestige between the two. Both excellent and will get you where you want to go. Just different flavors

3

I like Brown because I live near Brown but what do you like for weather and your extracurriculars?

4

While Duke has been good for a while now, the acceptance rates have plummeted in recent years (in the late 90s it had a 30% acceptance rate, vs <10% now). I think that indicates how it has quickly risen, so i would call it ‘up and coming’.

Also, for my parents’ generation, duke was considered more on par with UNC, and now I would say it’s a lot better. That generation is likely to be my employer at some stage, so i think it could be worth considering.

I’d be interested to hear what other people think about duke being ‘up and coming’!

5

I like community service and club sports, which i think i can find at brown and duke. I also want to do some sort of travel (maybe just for the summer).

In terms of weather, I like the snow, but would probably prefer the more mild weather at Duke. How cold does it get in Providence?

6

What club sports?

There is a true winter. It can be in the teens for sure. But then you’re interested in Boston and New York which would be colder and more snow. We have the ocean /bay as a thermal buffer.

7

Climate figures indicate that Providence is 8 degrees (F) colder on January mornings than Durham.

8

Duke an “up and comer”?

9

Visit both during accepted students weekend, pick the one where you feel most at home, and never look back.

10

I’m interested in club field hockey, or possibly volleyball / basketball

11

Re Providence weather, Brown is on top of a hill and it gets very windy. It’s not just the mean temps, it’s the wind chill.

The schools have totally different atmospheres in terms of the student vibe. Duke is a party hard, sporty school that can lean pre-professional. Brown is more arty and intellectual. Apples and Oranges.

12
  1. Ignore the rankings.
  2. Brown’s Thayer Street is head and shoulders above cruising Durham after dark.
  3. Ignore the rankings.
13

There’s no difference. The humanities and social sciences are strong at both.

Visiting will help you decide, I think. As someone who was used to a sprawling leafy campus, Brown’s campus felt claustrophobically small and urban when I visited for a grad school recruitment weekend. Others dislike how spread out and relatively insulated Duke’s campus is. To each his/her own!

14

Here are a few meaningful differences:

  1. Brown has an open curriculum, while Duke has fairly standard distribution requirements to help ensure breadth of learning.
  2. Campus size -- Duke's campus is much larger. Check to see if dorms are too far (for you) from typical class locations.
  3. Weather -- Durham has some chilly weather in the winter, but not like Brown.
  4. Sports scene -- Duke is major league in basketball and competes in a major D1 conference. Brown has sports too, but the atmosphere isn't the same.
  5. Greek life. Duke has a more robust Greek scene.

They are very close peers academically and in the “prestige” department – you will not come close to exhausting the academic resources of either. So if you can afford both, I’d look at some of these fit variables.