<p>@Jwest22: Funny you should say that, since my initial comment to that thread (last week) was precisely what you said (please see: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/duke-university/1631801-stanford-and-duke-are-the-biggest-ivy-competitors-according-to-a-new-survey-of-students-at-ivies.html#latest”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/duke-university/1631801-stanford-and-duke-are-the-biggest-ivy-competitors-according-to-a-new-survey-of-students-at-ivies.html#latest</a>). I only referenced it because it fit quite nicely into the OP’s requested Duke-Stanford discussion.</p>
<p>And, incidentally, do you really want to ask – and to de facto suggest – what I should, or should not, include in my inputs? </p>
Christian Laettner. I’m a Duke hater. But my daughter has it as her #1 choice and is applying ED. Not sure what I will do if she gets in! But there is no doubt it is an outstanding school and a privilege to attend.
I think of Stanford and Duke kinda similar in that they both have good athletics and have good academic programs across the board. They both are definitely top colleges which are not in Ivy group, along with MIT, Cal Tech etc. I personally think it’s amazing for a school to maintain great athletic programs as well as high-caliber academic reputation. By the way, my kid got into Stanford REA this year but I run across many people whose “dream” school is Duke.
No question that Stanford gains from the Silicon Valley appeal, whereas Duke’s appeal increased due to its basketball program. Overall, Duke’s steady rise in ranking over the years is very impressive. Stanford is the “dream” school of many high school students in CA and Western region, and I am sure Duke is the “dream” school for many in their region of states. It’s important to remember that not all high school kids like specific schools.
It’s 2017 US News ranking slipped to #8 in National pool of colleges. Still, seems too high to me.
Wall Street Journal’s new ranking has Duke at #5 (after Harvard, Columbia, MIT and Stanford).
https://www.wsj.com/graphics/college-rankings-2018-tool/
Forbes 2017 ranking has Duke at #8.
2018 U.S. News Ranking - #9
2018 Wall St. Journal/Times Higher Education - #5
2018 USA Today/College Factual - #4
2018 WalletHub - #7
2017 Forbes - #8
2017 Best Colleges - #7
Duke’s essential problem is structural: it is forced by the terms of the Duke bequest to have a student body that is at least 15% North Carolina. While NC is a fine state with many fine students, it should be nowhere near 15% of a student body as talented and as high-performing as Duke’s. That Duke is forced to reject valuable, highly-qualified applicants in favor of the small talent puddle of NC is just lamentable.
^ That is a suggestion. Not a mandate.
@makennacompton But the Carolinian aspect is integral to Duke’s sense of self and community, if you want to keep it a more than “The University of New Jersey at Durham…” Also, Duke has an average SAT score of what, 1540? So we know the rankings aren’t hurting because of any NC kids.