<p>Common question, I know, but I would like some insight towards these two schools. I've recently been fortunate enough to be admitted to both of them and am completely conflicted in regards to which one to pick. I plan on visiting both of them in the near future, but I figure I'd get some perspective here that I wouldn't get at a typical Admitted Students Day.</p>
<p>I don't really know what I want to do in the future, so I was hoping that the college I attend will offer opportunity in every field (which Duke and Chicago do). My question to you guys is: What made Duke more appealing than any of your other choices? To cross-admits between Duke and Chicago, why Duke over Chicago?</p>
<p>While I was admitted to both, for me, the feel of the two campuses and surrounding areas are totally different. After visiting multiple campuses, for me, Duke was where I wanted to go to school and there wasn’t a close second. After my campus tour it was all I thought about. I think you need to get your own feel based on what works for you.</p>
<p>How did you get admitted to both?</p>
<p>^^ Mi madre es de origen hispano.</p>
<p>Did you get a LL from Duke?
The decisions aren’t out yet. Right?</p>
<p>Not a likely letter, but I did receive an email invitation for LSRW.</p>
<p>And nope, the decisions come out Thursday I believe.</p>
<p>I stand corrected =o</p>
<p>How did you get admitted to both? </p>
<p>EA Chicago, ED Duke</p>
<p>@firstgenn congratulations this is a pretty nice situation to be in.
My guidance counsellor advised me not to apply to Chicago as she felt that it was a bit cutthroat and academia focused, whereas duke, while still academically strong, has a more collaborative atmosphere.</p>
<p>Just one opinion. :)</p>
<p>Hi firstgenn,
The schools are both so excellent! They are also very different in many regards. If you do get to visit, I imagine you will know right away where your place is. I disagree with lemming 101’s counselor about U Chicago’s being cutthroat. I think the kids there seemed very happy and content. They seem to embrace the intellectualism of U of C in a healthy way. The school is very academic. Students who are there really do love learning for learning’s sake. Often the intellectual discussion continues through out all facets of university life. The students seem to take advantage of all Chicago offers, and they have to be sophisticated in their approach to the city. There are small intense discussion based classes. The quarter system is fast paced. It can be cold from the day you get there in the fall to the day you leave in the spring. The weather is a HUGE factor there. Literally the wind is like a whole other dimension to the school. Duke is gorgeous. The kids are academically laid back while still being incredibly smart. They are so engaged in so many different parts of their communities. There’s TREMENDOUS school spirit-- and not just around sports. The kids there are just happy to be there. (I think they are at Chicago too, but perhaps at Chicago they are more quirky.) There’s a bigger party scene at Duke, although there’s enough of an intellectual vibe there these days that you can be very happy there if you are not into the party scene. Duke students as a whole seem very out-going and community focused to me. They seem to try to contribute to all they are a part of. While the campus doesn’t have a southern feel at all, the surrounding city of Durham does. You can’t compare Durham, NC to Chicago-- one is a sleepy southern post-tobacco town and one is one of the most thriving metropolises in the world. The setting of Duke, it’s actually IN the Duke Forest, is so lovely to me. I’d pick Duke (in fact I did 100 years ago) but U chicago has always been one of my favorites. To me (and it might be totally different to you) Duke wins on way of life. Chicago wins on the life of the mind. Although, you can really expand your mind at Duke also! One more thing, when I visited U of C in late March, I had to wear panty hose under my jeans, an ear band and a hat, a scarf and a coat and boots, and still it was the coldest I’ve ever been. On that trip my Duke son texted me a picture of himself from Durham in flip flops and shorts by a magnolia tree and an azalea bush. Good luck and congratulations. Try to visit!</p>
<p>I hope the PM I sent you helped! Good luck with your decision.</p>
<p>@DartDart & GAILFORCE</p>
<p>Thank you so much for your thoughts. You guys really gave me some much appreciated insight. The next month will be difficult but you certainly made my love for Duke even stronger.</p>
<p>:)</p>
<p>"^^ Mi madre es de origen hispano." - That’s a good omen for me.</p>
<p>congrats on your great admits!
These schools are very different, its hard to compare. It basically boils down to what you’re looking for.
Chicago is known to have a vibrant intellectual community and one of the best undergraduate educations in the world. However, it is rumored to be boring socially.
Duke is more known for being fun than Chicago. While it does hold a stellar academic reputation, it is not the same as Chicago’s.
However, these generalities don’t have to define you. I’m sure you can find fun at Chicago, and do great things at Duke. It all depends on who you are, and you really can’t go wrong.
Oh and definitely visit. Visiting can usually clear things up between difficult choices like these.</p>
<p>I’m looking at both these schools. If I got into both and money is comparable, I would go to Duke every time. Both of these schools are excellent academically and great for Wall Street, which is where I want to go. When schools are close academically, I look at other things. I MUCH prefer Duke’s location to Chicago’s. Some will say you shouldn’t let location play a role, but I strongly disagree. You’re spending four years of your life there. I also prefer Duke’s stronger school spirit and social life. Make no mistake though, both of these schools are top 7 or so in the nation and the new elite, even if they’re no Ivy.</p>
<p>i was in the same exact position last year. was terrible and could not choose. visited both schools, thought chicago was so much prettier and collegey-er than i imagined. however, i went to admitted students weekend and just knew that i did not belong there. i chose duke and never looked back since. i absolutely love it here. every day i walk onto campus and revel how lucky i am to be here, and this is coming from someone who had always aimed for HYP. the reservations i had about the greek life and partying are not even things i think about anymore here. there are so many different kinds of people, the more visible partiers, and the people who never drink at all. and the academics are BRILLIANT. i’ve never worked so hard in my life but it is worth it because i learned so much and am surrounded by people who are just jaw-dropping. every single one of them. i also love the school spirit, no one else can beat it. we dukies are so proud to be dukies, even if we lose in basketball, we still know we’re number 1. all in all, i think duke has everything there is to offer: a top 10 education, an amazing basketball team/school spirit, beautiful weather, beautiful campus, good food, so many opportunities, amazing people, etc.</p>
<p>also, seriously. have you seen duke guys and girls? they are gorgeous.</p>
<p>anyway, just advocating for duke. if you come here you’ll love it. of course, you might visit chicago and think it’s the place for you, in which case good luck!</p>
<p>Duke UChicago cross-admit here. Chose Duke and don’t regret my decision one bit. Duke is incredibly special and the sense of community here is second to none. There is a deep undergraduate student focus and the administration is very responsive to student voices. The fact that Duke is so young compared to our ivy league peers makes coming here incredibly exciting because Duke doesn’t quite have a solidified identity yet. Though we have tradition, we refuse to remain steadfast and there is an incredible entrepreneurial spirit. There are exciting new paths being forged by Duke each day that many universities have yet to traverse. Duke has transformed me in so many ways for the better. You can get great academics at any top 10 school, but Duke has so much more to offer than the world class education.</p>
<p>I was admitted EA UChicago and RD to Duke (just now :))
Going to have tough time making decision. More so if I get couple more acceptance letter tommorow. I think best idea for me is to visit the accepted student days to both schools and see it for myself?</p>
<p>Yes. Chicago and Duke are so different when you visit them, for me it was a no-brainer which one I wanted (Duke). I didn’t like Chicago’s location (its in South Chicago aka the hood) and Duke had much more unity and social aspects than Chicago did.</p>