<p>I applied to both. Neither have sent theri admissions yet but assuming best case that i get into both which one would you guys choose? I want to double major in political sciecne and economics
So i was wondering if you guys would like to compare the two great universities.</p>
<p>it depends on what you are looking to get out of the college experience. Personally, I would choose Duke for the following reasons: 1) good academics that may be equal in quality to Columbia's 2) Amazing weather 3) Duke BlueDevil Basketball 4) Good school spirit and cohesiveness within student body 4) Strong liberal arts programs and very good job placement. </p>
<p>Some others might prefer Columbia for the following reasons: 1) Columbia is in the heart of NYC 2) Good internship opportunities in the city 3) Core curriculum in liberal arts education 4) Good night life and dining outside campus 5) Impressive academics</p>
<p>Academically speaking, the two schools are both top notch and the differences, imo, are negligible. You should visit both schools and see what environment fits you better, since the two schools are vastly different socially and culturally. I've heard that Columbia's social bonds and overall student school cohesiveness isn't very strong, while Duke is completely opposite.</p>
<p>Both schools are academically amazing. </p>
<p>I'd pick Duke. Better social life by far. Better weather. More of a community feel. Less pretentious.</p>
<p>I'd choose Columbia. I think it has a more renowned reputation in poli sci and econ. Also, I love NYC...but that's just me.</p>
<p>Duke is amazing too. If you can, visit and go for cost and fit.</p>
<p>Why did you apply to these schools? What, other than outstanding academic reputations and prestige, do they have in common? The admissions committees at each school will probably make this decision for you as it is necessary to put forth a compelling application, including "Why Duke/Columbia?", to be accepted to either university. My best guess regarding your "Why Duke/Columbia?" essay is that you are a college football fanatic that wants to be part of a winning football tradition. On a more serious note, do you prefer a more liberal campus culture & curriculum or a somewhat conservative to moderate environment? Do you want to be part of a fraternity/sorority scene or a part of a large urban environment?</p>
<p>Tough choice. Columbia is slightly more reputable, but I feel like I would have gone to Duke. Would not have wanted to go to college in NYC</p>
<p>I am interantional and fiscally/politically left of center. Furthermore, I am not much of a partier. As such, I would pick Columbia over Duke. However, if you are conservative or like to party, I would probably recommend Duke. It really depends what you are looking for. Academically, both schools are amazing, so focus on fit.</p>
<p>I think too much emphasis is placed on fit. I myself was accepted a few years back by a school very well known for its intellectual rigor and another top school, known more for balance. It all depends on your essays.</p>
<p>alex,
LOL-the only way that Duke could be considered conservative and a party school would be in a comparison with a school like Columbia. IMO, it is neither conservative nor a party school. </p>
<p>While both schools attract exceptionally talented students and place large numbers of students with all of the most preferred employers, the personalities of the two schools are very, very different. As you say, it depends on what you are looking for in a college experience. To each his/her own.</p>
<p>IMO Duke is (with Stanford) the premier collegiate blend of </p>
<ol>
<li> academic excellence</li>
<li> great social life, and </li>
<li> outstanding, national-level athletic life.<br></li>
</ol>
<p>If a student is interested in the entire undergraduate experience, in and out of the classroom, then Duke would be the better choice. Exceptions might be students who really want to be in a big city as part of their college experience and who want close proximity to great museums, great theater, etc.</p>
<p>Both schools will provide you with a great education, many extracurricular and social opportunities, and offer you all the repute/prestige that you will ever need for admission to graduate/professional schools, employment, etc. The only real big difference between the two schools at the undergraduate level is location. Columbia is in a great metropolitan city that provide many non-student cultural venues off campus whereas Duke's social life is largely on campus and is student-run or university-sponsored. So the question you are asking is really one of preferred location. Best wishes and good luck!</p>
<p>Columbia: living in a city, NYC, way liberal, the Core, barely noticeable Greek presence, half your peers are poli sci majors
Duke: great weather, slower pace overall, strong social cohesiveness (as opposed to going downtown), incredibly strong econ department</p>
<p>IMO it comes down to city vs. suburbia, Core vs. none, downtown vs. Greek, and perhaps poli sci vs. econ and distance from home</p>
<p>I would pick Columbia for the city, internship opportunities, and proximity to my hometown, although I would hate the Core.</p>
<p>Hawkette, I know Duke well. I have spent a lot of time on their campus and I have many international friends who attended it. The verdict is clear. It is an awesome university with a very spirited campus and a great party scene. However, it is, by elite university standards, on the conservative side. I found comparable to UVa and Notre Dame in that respect.</p>
<p>Alexandre, I go to Duke, and it's pretty liberal. But it's probably not as far left in comparison to some colleges like Columbia. But definitely not southern conservative style. Washington and Lee comes to mind there.</p>
<p>Although I am well past college age, I know many current & former Duke students none of whom are liberal politically--although many are moderately liberal socially in the sense that they are accepting of all. In my opinion, both Alexandre and hawkette (my two favorite posters) are correct; as Duke is a large school, it depends upon whom you know. Regardless, relative to Columbia, Duke is fairly conservative. And I love NYC & Columbia. I also think that Columbia has a beautiful campus with an exciting campus culture irrespective of its proximity to Manhattan. Xeneise: I agree that compared to Washington & Lee that Duke is liberal, but compared to Columbia, Duke is more mainstream conservative than moderate. I assure you that if you were Newt Gingrich's bodyguard that your job would be much easier at Duke than at Columbia.</p>
<p>That's because now they are out of college, making money, and hating taxes.</p>
<p>If you're young and a conservative, you're heartless. If you're old and a liberal, you're brainless.</p>
<p>Xeneise, I must stress that Duke is onyl slightly conservative compared to other elites, like Brown, Cal, CMU, Chicago, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, MIT, Michigan, Northwestern, Penn, Stanford and Yale. That does not make Duke a conservative school like W&L. I definitely agree that compared to many southern schools, Duke is definitely liberal and that any reasonable point of view would be accepted on campus. I was merely saying that if the OP is liberal, and partying weren't high on his/her list, I would recommend Columbia.</p>
<p>"If you're young and a conservative, you're heartless. If you're old and a liberal, you're brainless."</p>
<p>Ouch! hehe!</p>
<p>You're absolutely right, but I have so many friends who love it here and don't drink. </p>
<p>I really think that the OP should make the decision based on two factors</p>
<ol>
<li>How much he wants to pay, and </li>
<li>How much he likes college sports</li>
</ol>
<p>I almost ended up at Tufts, and I can honestly say I could not be more glad I came to a college with a great DI basketball team and TONS of school spirit.</p>
<p>I am pretty heartless...</p>
<p>Older people become more conservative because they start paying more taxes...</p>
<p>alex,
My thinking was about Duke on its own-I don't see it as very conservative, but I would agree that it is conservative compared to Columbia. The faculty are probably equally leftist on each campus, but the students at Duke and the surrounding environment of Raleigh-Durham is definitely more conservative than Columbia and NYC. But I'm talking in terms of degree as I think Duke can be pretty liberal (though less so than their neighbors in Chapel Hill :) ).</p>