Columbia vs Duke

<p>So I’ll be posting this in each school’s forum.
I’m trying to figure which one to ED to. I love both schools, although both are different.</p>

<p>I’m from a suburban public school in georgia, so Duke environment is more of my background mold. However, I also want to explore and go to new heights. I absolutely love the city, more than most people, and I eventually hope to work/live in New York. The college community, unity thing is nice, but so is new York bar hopping and diversity and the most vibrant city in the world. I absolutely love both lifestyles. My interests lie in econ and business, and I hope to work on wall street. From what I have read, Columbia and duke have equal placement and prestige in this regard. The core at columbia doesn’t bother me and I can actually see myself coming to like it. I’m slightly, JUST slightly worried about southern frat culture dominating at duke. I want to see beyond that. Dukes got better weather and is closer to home, both huge pluses.</p>

<p>I’m almost banking on whichever one I have a better shot at getting early into…which seems to be Duke considering columbia’s ridiculously low acceptance rates…</p>

<p>Ideas and suggestions?</p>

<p>I’m really liking Columbia much more than Duke after digging into it more. More to do, Lots to explore, you can find your niche in the diverse student body, and of course it’s in a beautiful city. The downside is that Columbia doesn’t seem the type of school to “hold your hand” so the day you start classes you are on your own. From what i’ve read the meal plan sucks, the food is crappy and costs $14 dollars a meal. The cost of living in NYC is high and the weather in winter can be brutal if you are from the south or use to warmer climates. That’s about it for that. Duke has better access to sports if you wanted to play one but after reading some reviews it can be a bit cliquish (which I don’t like. high school is enough). You have better assistance than at Columbia, at Columbia you have to actually go to the advisor. They don’t come to you or check on you. People have said this is a good thing because it prepares you for the corporate world which doesn’t hold your hand. For me, I think Columbia is my fit. Hope that helped.</p>

<p>thanks a lot. what do you mean columbia doesnt hold your hand? are you implying that at duke and similar schools advisors will check and make sure you’re doing well in your classes and help you with internships, jobs, and grad school?</p>

<p>oh and can anyone confirm that cliques dont exist at duke? cause that would SUCK…</p>

<p>these are both solid schools and you seem like you could be very happy at either one. I will respond to a few things:</p>

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<p>columbia has a good community on campus, because it is so compact, you are always running into your friends. there’s no craze around athletics like there is at duke, but I became part of a couple of solid clubs, made phenomenal friends there and else where. I left with a very strong network to leverage on after graduation and having made some of the best friends in my entire life. I also partook in all sorts of college shenanigans and went to crazy parties etc etc. Columbia, with a little initiative, lived up to an extra-ordinary college experience, entirely independent of NYC. I didn’t have to sacrifice either to thorough enjoy both campus life and the city. Whenever I’d venture out into the city it would almost always be with friends and their friends who I did not know, and most outings made for good bonding with those who were my friends and led to knew friendships as well. ultimately i (like most other students) spent about 80-90% of my social life on and immediately around campus. </p>

<p>I would not have been as happy as duke because I am neither the frat boy nor the athlete type and if frat boys and athletes are treated specially on campus, I would not be treated on the same level.</p>

<p>Also I hated the idea of the core going in, but after taking contemporary civilization (the capstone core class) for my engineering humanity requirement I absolutely loved it, felt comfortable with other core classes and wished I had more of the core in my curriculum. If you are interested in and curious about different disciplines the core is a fantastic and non-intimidating way to explore them, others in your class too are not experts at the material.</p>

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<p>I’m not sure how far this is true of duke, but at columbia with a little initiative your adviser can become a very useful resource (as I only realized my junior and senior years). Columbia has tons of resources for fellowships, internships, jobs and grad school, but you have to seek these out on your own and make the most of them. If you do, you will go places. Because classes are so small and the student faculty ratio is 6:1, undergrads have a pretty easy time building solid relationships with faculty for recommendations and advise, but noone tells you at the onset that this is what you should do, you have to take the initiative and it’s all there.</p>

<p>@48
The not holding your hand is what confidential just explained. Like it won’t be super personal attention like someplace like dartmouth. As far as Duke, i’m just worried about the southern like frats and cliques. A university site interviewed some students there and they said that it was divided up depending on socio/economic status, minorities, etc. I like a intermingled diverse campus. I’m not sure how long ago the interviews were though.</p>

<p>I think the only way to disprove the clique thing at Duke, is to actually visit the school. You never know if you will like the atmosphere until you visit and personally judge for yourself.</p>

<p>bumpppppppppp</p>