<p>simple as that.. what do you guys think (by the way, disregard financial aid stuff)
which college would you rather go to if you were accepted to both</p>
<p>I think I would choose Duke, if I was accepted to both.</p>
<p>If you want advice for yourself, then post some info about you/what you enjoy and we'll be able to give you advice.</p>
<p>If you are simply asking us for the sake of knowing what we personally would prefer, well, you're posting on the Duke forum = you're going to get a bunch of responses favoring Duke...As a current Duke student who loves it, Duke all the way.</p>
<p>Considering I'm an engineer and U of Chicago is rather lacking in that area, I'd choose Duke. But like Senator Noodles pointed out above, you have to specify whether you want advice regarding your situation or just our preferences.</p>
<p>Duke and Chicago are two of the most dissimilar elite institutions in the US. It's really about fit. If you visit both and talk to students there, it should be fairly easy to determine where you fit in better. Not to overgeneralize as there are certainly many different types of people at both universities, but Chicago is seen as more cut-throat academically, more intellectual, more people interested in working in academia as professors, seeking PhDs, less social, no sports, and in Chicago. In many circles, they say UChicago is "where fun goes to die." However, they dominate nobel laureates in econ and physics and are known for a rigorous curriculum, so a degree from UChicago certainly sets you up for great things. Duke is seen as a more social school with a largely pre-professional student body (pre-med, pre-law, pre-business), with a huge sports scene, less cut-throat academically and perhaps less intellectual, very well regarded academic programs, in a more suburban setting in a southern city.</p>
<p>I would choose Duke hands-down because of the social/sports aspects, but that's me. Both are highly regarded academically, so it's really about fit.</p>
<p>@bluedog, is there a pre-business program at Duke? AFAIK, the school recommends certain courses you can take and specific certificate programs.</p>
<p>Duke has better weather, is less austere, and is just as well known (or better, arguably) and is of as high a caliber as U Chicago. If you have the money to really take advantage of the city, though, U Chicago may appeal. Athletics are also bigger at Duke, obviously, so if that's important, keep it in mind. I'd personally pick Duke, but that's just me.</p>
<p>I would have to say that you should definitely think more about why you like each school. Everyone has basically highlighted that they are both on opposite spectrum on environment and while you may not think that it will make a huge difference, it does. I was deciding between the two schools and ended up choosing duke but I don't think that I would have made the same decision again. It was naive on my part to think that I could get a similar experience at both schools. this is not to say that I do not like it at duke, just that if I had the option, I wouldn't choose it again...
I honestly see duke as the closest thing to the "traditional college experince" among the big name schools in the us and I didn't realize how much I don't care for it.</p>
<p>What do you want to ultimately leave college with?</p>
<p>Duke and Chicago are very different in terms of intellectual culture on campus. S turned down Chicago to study at Econ at Duke last year. I can speak particularly well to the differences in econ education at both schools, having had personal experience w/ both institutions. Duke econ is much more practical, while Chicago is very theoretical. For example, Duke econ makes it a point to utilize Wall Street Journal articles in classes, and oftentimes current events will show up on tests. Chicago econ would probably much better if you wanted to study macroeconomics, especially with the vaunted faculty that Chicago has (although at the undergrad level, you're probably not going to be taking courses with a nobel laureate). </p>
<p>Drawing on my econ example, if your ultimate goal post-graduate is to land an ibanking or consulting job after college, then you'd probably benefit from going to duke. If your ultimate goal is to study graduate economics, you might enjoy uchicago more. In short, Duke is much, much, much more pre-professional than Uchicago. The school doesn't like to admit it, but it's obvious to most where the ambitions of students lie.</p>
<p>Duke if you want to have fun.</p>
<p>That's a very narrow-minded opinion. Students can have fun at both schools- it just depends on how you define "fun."</p>
<p>
I agree completely. </p>
<p>Chicago: More intellectual, relatively inflexible core curriculum, students thinking about careers in academia, probably more respected by graduate schools, more urban</p>
<p>Duke: Less intellectual but still incredibly smart students, more social, more academic flexibility, students thinking about going to professional (law/business/medical) school</p>
<p>My S was accepted to both schools and we visited both before he made his final choice. It was a hard decision in some respects. Chicago is a great school, the down side is that it is not as social and that means less of a true college experience. It has a regimented core cirriuculum and and does focus on learning for learnings sake. This does set you up for a job in academia. Chicago is a fantastic and vibrant if not very cold city. Honestly though the mood of the kids we met was a bit flat. THe area the school is situated is also sketchy. I know its near where Obama lives. but the crime in the area surrounding the school was troubling. Even the kids who went there would comment as to safety issues- which also exist at Duke but I think to a lesser extent than UC. I think fit is really an issue. I know my S would have liked both schools but the academics at Duke really are about the same as Chicago with greater freedom of choice as to course selection. If you go to Duke you give up proximity to a large city, but gain in a college experience. My S chose Duke and loves it- but I am sure would have also liked UC. ONe difference that mean something reltes to student aid- I knew of one kid who was promised aid by UC and they really let that person down and they too ended up going to Duke and got a much better and realistic amount based on what their family could afford. That could be a factor to a lot of kids.</p>
<p>Tucker Max (who is awesome) went to U Chicago undergrad, and Duke Law, and it sounds like he had a much better experience at Duke. Just something to think about.</p>