Duke or Amherst?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Amherst College
1

<p>Less than a week until decisions must be made at this point in time, and I am utterly torn between these two schools.</p>

<p>I won’t go into too much detail. I am a prospective history major, absolutely will attend graduate school. My concerns deal mainly with social life, location, and the perceived benefit of an LAC education over that of a research university’s undergrad program of study. I have visited both schools, both are gorgeous in very different ways; admittedly, however, I prefer Amherst’s location to Duke’s. I have reservations about living in the South, but honestly it would be good exposure/a welcomed (?) change. The city of Durham seems…pretty bad, from what I’ve gathered, but I feel that because Duke is so big and there’s so much to do that may not be important.</p>

<p>Duke and Amherst are both highly respected names, but Duke is DUKE, you know? Would I be stupid to pass an opportunity like that up? On the other hand, would I be stupid to pass up an opportunity to attend Amherst?</p>

<p>Cost is negligible at this point in time, as I have won enough outside scholarships to cover my first year at either school (although Duke is offering me a VERY nice FA package that is about $7000 higher than Amherst’s, but Amherst’s does not include loans). I intend on doing work study and potentially finding another part-time job outside of school for supplementary funds.</p>

<p>How do resources and opportunities look for a prospective student of history at both schools? I’ve done my research, but haven’t really been able to get the good feel I was looking for from either school.</p>

<p>One last concern: when I visited Amherst, the students seemed friendly, friendlier than some I encountered at Duke. Duke students, in my opinion, seem to be very self-important, and there is a sense of elitism present on the campus, which isn’t surprising. It’s an amazing school. I know I’ll find that at Amherst, but the sense was overwhelmingly pervasive on the Duke campus. That’s probably just because it’s so much larger than Amherst.</p>

<p>I am a first-generation student, and when everyone in my family, including my extended family, found out that I was accepted to Duke they pretty much lost their ****. This may sound terrible or stupid, but I feel somewhat obligated to pursue the big name. I know I would not be unhappy at Duke, I would be receiving a world-class education with unparalleled opportunities at my fingertips. It’s just the little things that seem to add up, based on my personality, that suggest Amherst may be a better fit. But I know I would be more than happy at Duke.</p>

<p>What do you think? Which do you prefer? ANY comments at all are appreciated. Thank you kindly in advance.</p>

2

<p>I think that you should choose the school that you feel you will be the happier in. With such good choices, you should disregard the prestige of the school and choose mainly based on personal preference. It would be fair to note that since you are set in going into grad school, Amherst offers one of the best opportunities to get admission into top schools (their admission rates are paralleled only by schools like Harvard, Yale, princeton, etc.). Furthermore, the education at a liberal arts college like Amherst is one of the best in the nation, only paralleled by Williams, Princeton, and schools alike. </p>

<p>Duke is also a great academic place, too, so you should not worry about academic quality too much. ive heard that Duke’s campus and location is not that pretty, but if you like itjust go for it. Also, many people seem to agree that Amherst offers one of the best undergraduate experiences, a quintessential college experience in a New England campus, in a quaint college town, studying liberal arts in a laid back atmosphere with perhaps the best minds. In the end, just choose the best fit for you.</p>

3

<p>First, don’t decide based on you the reactions of your family members. You are the student, you will be living and studying at either school for 4 years, not anyone in your family. If they were the one going off to college, then they would make that decision. They are not. You are. Four years is both a long time, and a very short time – a special short time in your young life. Go where you believe you will make the most of it, academically, socially, emotionally. You have two excellent options. Stop parsing the details… instead clear your mind, think about other things for a couple hours, go see a funny movie, go for a run, whatever gets you out of this deliberating. Then at some point close your eyes, imagine yourself waking up… where do you want to wake to find yourself? Amherst or Duke? Maybe you just need to do something simple like that to get down to a very clear gut-feeling. Then… don’t start second-guessing yourself. Just commit to whatever choice you make. You’ll do fine.</p>

4

<p>Very well said. I see so many posts on College Confidential in which I see “micro-managing” at its worst. When you are dealing with two top-flight schools, with fantastic doors opening for you upon graduation, the nit-picking goes out the window—as long as finances are not absolutely driving a decision, go where your instincts tell you to go. “It’s all about fit”—</p>

5

<p>I agree with the comments above. Go with the one that YOU feel will be best for you–the school where you will be comfortable and will “fit in”. I also want to add that Amherst is VERY well know for its history and English departments, so I truly think that it would give you a leg up on getting into a top-notch history PhD program. (I’m not saying that you could not with a Duke undergrad education. In fact, you could go to a state flagship university, and if you are bright enough, you could do well and get into a top history grad program. ). A top LAC like Amherst may be better than Duke in helping you to write well and think and analyze deeply, important for an historian!! I’d guess that you would have more blue book/essay exams and fewer multiple choice/ short answer type exams at Amherst than at a large university. Also, everyone in academia knows Amherst. Everyone on the street does not necessarily know it (that may include your relatives and friends—and some of ours, too!), but the academics, the people who will be looking at your for grad school admission, DO know how fantastic an Amherst education is. As you probably know, Amherst is #2 in the U.S. News and World Report list of LAC’s (and I don’t believe Duke is close to that high in the University list, although we should’nt really compare this way; it’s comparing apples and oranges). You mentioned “Duke is…Duke”. I’m guessing that you live in the Southeast, because in our area of the country Duke has a good but not amazing reputation. However, having said all of this, it boils down to where YOU feel most comfortable!</p>

6

<p>Tough decision. My D is trying to decide between Amherst, Duke, Bowdoin and Carleton. We live in Durham so she feels like she would like to experience another part of the country. </p>

<p>Durham is a great city, voted most tolerant city is some poll or other. It’s a foodie town, artsy and pretty interesting. Duke’s campus is beautiful. I wouldn’t worry too much about it being in the South. Most of the students are from up North and the Chapel Hill/Durham area is filled with transplants -we are from California.</p>

<p>Yes, Duke has a reputation for having rich, stuck up kids but I’m not sure that isn’t just a rumor cherished and spread by UNC fans, Duke’s arch rival. Alot of my D’s friends are going to Duke and they are pretty down to earth and sweet kids. </p>

<p>The facilities are unmatched at Duke and there is so much going on. Of course, if you like basketball and school spirit, you’ll love Duke.</p>

<p>Funny, my D did not find the Amherst kids or the community there that friendly. She found Carleton much more welcoming.</p>

<p>Good luck with your decision</p>

7

<p>Beeboo6, I’d agree that Carleton is very down-to-earth and has that Midwestern friendliness. I grew up in the Twin Cities and graduated from Carleton and absolutely loved it. My son loved it too, but loved Amherst just a bit more. He found the people in Amherst quite friendly, but it can be a matter of whom you spoke with on a given day–and just where each kid feels the most comfortable. My son was super impressed with Williams as far as the buildings, programs, and their Oxford tutorials, but he just couldn’t see being that isolated (I adored the quaint character of Williamstown; he thought that a town of only a few streets and no big towns nearby would feel stifling to him…).</p>