<p>I have been admitted to both and have very limited time to decide. I think I want to do BME, and Duke is #2 for that whereas NU is #11. Overall engineering, however, NU is #14 whereas Duke is #25. World wide, Duke is #14 but Northwestern is #32. They are both great schools and Northwestern is much closer to my home than Duke. I think I want to do BME, and I also think Duke is chill whereas NU may be a little more competitive. How will me selecting one over the other affect my career paths and "success" in life, :-). Thanks a lot in advance!</p>
<p>“How will me selecting one over the other affect my career paths and “success” in life?”</p>
<p>No one can tell you the answer of that. You are asking us to predict your future, and it can’t be done. Go to a fortune teller or palm reader if you want to know.</p>
<p>Seriously though, they are both top universities. Choosing one over the other will not make a big difference in the grand scheme of things. Engineering is strong at both schools, although I do think BME is going to be stronger at Duke. Go where you feel you will be the most happiest. Only you know the answer to this, not us.</p>
<p>Go to Duke if you want great weather and fantastic sports and a huge alum network in many major cities…
All of my Duke grad son’s BME friends got immediate employment in the worst recession since the depression.</p>
<p>Seriously…if you want the amenities of a major city at your feet…go to Northwestern…if you can’t live without a national baseball team and a world class symphony in town and museums out the kazoo and the bustle of nearness to Chicago. </p>
<p>My son is out in the work force and active in the Duke club in a major city. He is of course having a good year cheering for Duke as national champs in lacrosse (Go Ned Crotty@! who lived on his hall) and as national champs in Basketball (Go other starters who lived in his apt complex)</p>
<p>Duke son is actually major into Classical music and liberal arts and is thinking of moving to Chicago some day to enjoy the things that only a major city can offer. However, he loved the stunning Duke campus, shorts and sandals 24/7, and the sunshine. And he enjoys bonding with friends over sports. At Duke, you will cheer for your hall mates who are world class athletes in many obscure and mainstream sports while they also wow you in the classroom. </p>
<p>My second son is sort of indifferent to sports and only wants to spend his time on more cultural pursuits. He didn’t apply to Duke and would have not enjoyed the whole root for your team culture…</p>
<p>Go for the fit that makes you feel more fulfilled and soulful because BME is a hard major. You should choose based on your emotional fit and quit thinking about your employability factor. Your degree will find you a job at either institution given the right amount of Sweat Equity on your part. </p>
<p>Pick your social fit.</p>
<p>Go Duke!</p>
<p>“shorts and sandals 24/7” – At Duke - was that a joke? </p>
<p>You must not spend much time down there during the winter months. It can easily stay in the 40s, and sometimes drop into the 30s.</p>
<p>I agree with everything above, just don’t want a prospective student to go a little down south and expect beach weather.</p>
<p>well, you have do have a point re my overstating reality~! My son wore light hikers that were waterproof in downpours and rain since the Duke campus will require some walking and those beautiful stairs and sidewalks can get slippery–particularly if you are jumping from East to West…But he did have friends who wore shorts with polartec jackets in the colder months…just as some kids do all winter three hours north of Duke in VA where we live.
you are right …Duke is not in Florida</p>
<p>a polartec jacket with windbloc will usually do enough for you in NC…far far from the dress required in Chicago</p>
<p>lol, OK, Faline, that is still an overstatement. OP, you CANNOT wear shorts at Duke year-round. End of story. On the whole, the weather in Durham is, obviously, more mild than Chicago, though.</p>
<p>Also…misconception about Duke…you have to be a sports fan to go there. Not true. There is a dominant sports culture at Duke, but there’s also a thriving arts culture as well. If your main passion/field of study were the arts, then I probably wouldn’t recommend Duke–but as a serious hobby or side-interest, sure, Duke would be fine. Just don’t turn the decision into something so simple as “Do I like sports or arts culture more?” It’s obviously much more complicated than that and it’s not as if Duke doesn’t know what the arts are (and the same for Northwestern and sports).</p>
<p>Also, don’t go to Duke because you think BME will be “chill”. Hahaha, that’s not the case. BME is intense and many many Pratt students end up transfering to Trinity (yes, there are some who transfer from Trinity to BME, but that’s much more rare than the other way around). If you want to go with the more prestigious BME program, though, then Duke would be the place.</p>
<p>i honestly cannot think of a reason to go to NU unless u have cubs season tickets</p>
<p>Thanks for all the replies guys, I REALLY appreciate it. I also want to double major in economics along with BME at these institutions. Do you think that one is better than the other in economics? Also, NU has the quarter system so will it enable me to double major more “easily?” I want to go to Duke but I was thinking that NU has internship opportunities over the summer cuz of Chicago, and if I’m at Duke I won’t find chicago internships. What do you guys think? Your thoughts are extremely appreciated and I thaink you in advance, have an exhilarating day.</p>
<p>
Where do you think Duke students do internships in the summer? 
Duke students spend their summers all over the US (and the globe!). My department even maintained a long list of internships intended specifically for Duke students, most of which went unfilled.</p>
<p>Location rarely has much to do with summer internships. Just look at Dartmouth, which has a ridiculous amount of representation on Wall Street.</p>
<p>Yea location is irrelevant for Internships. I think being in NYC or whatever having an advantage is the biggest, most ridiculous myth on CC. Wall Street and top consulting firms all have very structured internship programs and they will travel. More travel to Duke (slightly stronger) than Northwestern, but both are targets.</p>
<p>In the end its a fit decision. Where do you see yourself. Your trying to pick between a BMW and a mercedes on “which is better” when the reality should be “which do you like more.” I would be thinking of different questions. Do you want to live on the East Coast or in Chicago after college? Does it matter that NU is closer? Does a smaller school (Duke) with a more tightknit alumni base matter? etc.</p>
<p>Personally I would choose Duke, but I prefer the smaller student body, more loyal alums, etc.</p>
<p>Is all you care about prestige/success? Are you really going to let the fear of not getting internships stop you from going to the school that you want to go to? I’m sure Duke students have opportunities wherever they want, though I’m sure that’s true for Northwestern students too.</p>
<p>NO. When deciding between the schools, I want to make the BEST choice. It is not just about prestige or internships or the rating of the girls, but overall. While considering overall, there were some factors I wasn’t too sure on such as internships which is why I asked. Are you going to Princeton or Duke cause it says both under your name Anonymous93.</p>
<p>I chose Duke over Northwestern. I disliked Northwestern’s campus. I felt a lack of school spirit and unity; there were no activities going on outside on a beautiful spring day. I can’t imagine what the school is like during the winter. Duke just seemed to exceed Northwestern in academics and social life. (Plus Northwestern is a dry campus haha). Honestly, you will have an amazing experience at either school.</p>
<p>duke, enough said</p>
<p>bump…</p>
<p>dude, make a decision. you got the imput here that is screaming Duke. if you want to go to northwestern, dont look for approval here. i dont mean to be curt, but its been 2 weeks since this thread started.</p>
<p>i would pick Duke without question. its stronger alumni, national and international recognition, and job prospects make it an obvious choice.</p>
<p>but it is time to decide!</p>