<p>Hey,
I'm an international student from Australia, and I've been offered the Robertson scholarship (All tuition + board, summer funding etc.) at Duke, as well as a place at Princeton, with a $3.5k contribution each year based on their estimated student budget.</p>
<p>Being from Australia, having never visited either college but having talked to people from both and researched as much as I could, I'm a bit stuck as to what to do.</p>
<p>I am leaning towards the Robertson, simply because it seems as if giving up the experience of the Robertson scholarship just to be a regular student at Princeton (which is Ivy) is a bit ridiculous.</p>
<p>I have seen the other threads similar to this, but any help/ideas/opinions would be awesome!</p>
<p>Why worry about job prospects and prestige and whatnot when deciding between these two? Honestly, these are two of the most sought after degrees in the world. Why not pick the place where you’ll be happiest, the place where you would feel more comfortable?</p>
<p>I think you need to convince yourself that the differences in academic opportunity here are essentially negligible, because they are. Focus on the intangibles and follow your gut.</p>
<p>Yeah this is what I think is more important. I want to study mechanical engineering, but the summer opportunities and the access/attention you get as a Robertson scholar just seem something I would have very little hope of receiving if I went to Princeton (although I asked because I’m not entirely sure if this is valid).</p>
<p>Not being from the U.S., you should appreciate that in the States, Duke is an outstanding university but Princeton would be part of your identity. Long after you’d cease to be a Robertson scholar, you’d still be a Princeton man. It will be one of the first things people tell others to whom they’re introducing you. It may get you moved to the short list on some job applications when initial cuts are being made. It’ll provide something of a lifelong aura for you in the States. Maybe that’s significant to you or not.</p>
<p>I just gave the opposite message regarding Robertson vs. Brown, but in that case Brown was full-pay and Brown isn’t Princeton. Duke vs. Princeton for $3500 in the U.S. would far more often be decided in favor of Princeton, though the Robertson opportunities may certainly change that.</p>
<p>I’d choose Duke, because of the scholarship. It is true that Princeton is slightly more prestigious and would become part of your identity, but Duke is also an incredible university and I don’t think Princeton is worth the 40K premium.</p>
<p>The Robertson is not just a full ride. It’s one of the most competitive scholarship competitions in the world. People regularly turn down HYPS to accept it. eadad on these forums often talks about how his son turned down Yale and Princeton for the Morehead-Cain at UNC-Chapel Hill and never regretted his decision.</p>
<p>More than just covering college expenses, the Robertson provides generous funding for summers as well as extra support during the academic year to do research, travel to conferences, or start your own project/venture.</p>
<p>It also provides the connections and mentorship to make the most of Duke, UNC, and your summers – the program has 11 staff members dedicated to supporting 144 scholars, and a tight-knit group of scholars and alumni. Princeton has great faculty, but at Duke you’d have much better access - as well as the support and backing of the Robertson Foundation, which has [url=<a href=“http://robertsonfoundation.org%5Dridiculous”>http://robertsonfoundation.org]ridiculous</a> resources<a href=“over%20$1%20billion%20in%20assets”>/url</a>.</p>
<p>The Robertson program actually has particularly strong connections in Australia and New Zealand, since it takes about 4 or 5 students from the two countries annually (out of a total class of 36 each year). The program’s benefactor, Julian Robertson, was also just knighted in New Zealand.</p>
<p>Princeton is obviously an amazing opportunity, but I think the Robertson program is also fantastic and should not be easily discounted.</p>
<p>EDIT: I would suggest also asking this question in the Parent’s Forum to get another set of perspectives.</p>
<p>The OP is interested in mechanical engineering. He has been accepted to Princeton, which is one of the better engineering schools in this country. Duke is NOT. It’s wonderful to get fantastic scholarships, but they can’t make up for a mediocre program.</p>
<p>Princeton is the most prestigious, and as international, that is KEY. (Most folks in the US just don’t realize how much pedigree is viewed outside of the borders.) Easy choice.</p>
<p>If cost is a relative non-issue (and that seems to be the case here), I’d definitely go with Princeton. The benefits (alumni connections, job opportunities, etc) after having gone to Princeton far outweigh the potential benefits of being a Robertson scholar while at Duke as an undergrad.</p>
<p>Ultimately, though, the choice is yours. But I’d go with Princeton if I were in your shoes ;)</p>