<p>So Ill be posting this in each schools forum.
Im trying to figure which one to ED to. I love both schools, although both are different.</p>
<p>Im from a suburban public school in georgia, so Duke environment is more of my background mold. However, I also want to explore and go to new heights. I absolutely love the city, more than most people, and I eventually hope to work/live in New York. The college community, unity thing is nice, but so is new York bar hopping and diversity and the most vibrant city in the world. I absolutely love both lifestyles. My interests lie in econ and business, and I hope to work on wall street. From what I have read, Columbia and duke have equal placement and prestige in this regard. The core at columbia doesnt bother me and I can actually see myself coming to like it. Im slightly, JUST slightly worried about southern frat culture dominating at duke. I want to see beyond that. Dukes got better weather and is closer to home, both huge pluses.</p>
<p>Im almost banking on whichever one I have a better shot at getting early into which seems to be Duke considering columbias ridiculously low acceptance rates </p>
<p>Sometimes it is the opposite schools that cause the most problems. I agree with the second poster. Columbia is known for a great grad school. Although, Columbia will provide greater opportunities for you. Apply ED for Columbia. From your description, it sounds like you are more interested in going there.</p>
<p>Duke is no walk in the park o get into either. Just saying ;)</p>
<p>From your descriptions, I would ED Columbia. Sounds like you are more interested in going there, as Anonymous. And regarding Duke’s Greek life, I wouldnt worry about that too much - there is so much other stuff going on at Duke than just parties and frats. It is not like the SEC’s and other southern schools.</p>
<p>I love parties and frats, but i dont want it to be EVERYTHING. Dukes got some huge perks though, even though it may sound like I prefer Columbia: closer to home(i can drive there instead of huge plane ticket for everything–i dont come from money), better weather, better “undergrad” experience, more personal attention to undergrads, lower cost of living (NY=expensive).</p>
<p>One thing I really have realized with Columbia is a lot of its prestige comes from its graduate programs. Undergrads dont get much advisement and attention?</p>
<p>A huge problem with Duke I’ve been hearing: its a bit segregated by socioeconomic class and minority status? I DEFINITELY dont want that. cliques? hell no. I’m persian but culturally im pretty white and a lot of my friends are wealthier than me, but like i said, i dont come from any significant money(income bracket: 60k-100k). I can’t spend four years with super-preppy rich white kids who stick to themselves</p>
<p>As someone who has lived in New York and wants to attend NYU I hope I can give you a good prospective to look at this through. Living in New York is hard. And I don’t just mean harder than a normal city, I mean it’s really hard. Everyone in that city would throw you in front of a bus to help themselves, it is unforgiving and ruthless. It takes a very independent and driven person to succeed there. You have to be willing to work harder than everyone else, and more importantly you have to want it more than everyone else. All of that said, I wouldn’t trade my experiences in New York for anything. It truly is the greatest city in the world. There are things you pick up living there that you never could just visiting. Everyone has their own favorite little deli and their own hole in the wall pizza joint. You will NEVER be bored, you can walk out of your building and there will always be something to do. But I think best of all are the people. Yes I know I said that the people would kill you to get ahead, and a lot of them would, but once you sift through the <strong><em>bags and the snobby prepsters you’ll meet some of the most interesting and diverse people in the world. For example, a good friend of mind is in a punk band, she’s even sported a mohawk once or twice. How did we meet? She approached me at Pick a Bagel and asked why I would ever go there with Gramercy Bagel just two blocks away. These are the kinds of random things that only happen in New York. I’m not gonna sugar coat it and say it’s easy, but if you’re willing to put up with all of the </em></strong> living in New York is truly an experience everyone should have. My advice to you is that if this interests you, go to Columbia, figure out if that’s the sort of lifestyle you want (after all, you would have then experienced both small town and big city), and pick a grad school from there. Hope this helped.</p>
<p>haha great great description hotpotato. i love the city and understand everything you just said. unfortunately, i regard myself a little too naive to judge whether i can handle all that or not. but from what i imagine, thats the life i’ve wanted for a while now…</p>
<p>one thing it sorta comes down to: i NEGLIGIBLY if at all wish to attend columbia over duke. However most people tell me I’m pretty good for Duke ED, whereas Columbia ED is such such a crapshoot. I don’t wanna ruin my chances at both schools just from aiming a little high :/</p>
<p>went through such a change today. i almost absolutely prefer duke over columbia now. so much more convenient to me logistically plus these wise words that i read: “you can always live in new york city (20’s, 30’s, etc.) but you can never experience the college life again.” </p>
<p>Duke seems to be able to offer just that. the basketball games ohhh goddddd :)</p>
<p>You’re right, you will never experience the “college life” again. However, Columbia offers exactly that and in NYC. Columbia has a campus with a thriving college experience, where there are tons of activities on any given day of the week to meet people and make new friends. Classes, like Art Hum, have students visit the Met and benefit from the vast resources of NY. There are many exciting things that only happen at a place like Columbia, whether it is seeing the President of France speak at the World Forum or getting tickets to the Pulitzer Prizes. Also, there is nothing like living in Manhattan as a young adult…</p>
<p>BTW, the Lions sports teams are nothing to sneeze at. Surely, the football team can go toe-to-toe with the Blue Devils…not so much the b-ball team. haha</p>
<p>consider Duke if you want sunshine, shorts a lot of the year, temperate weather, tons of exciting sports, world class arts programs. Son graduated in Duke in 09 and NYC has one of the four largest Duke clubs in the USA…along with Boston, San Fran and Atlanta. </p>
<p>Duke son is addicted to musical and visual arts and lives in a major city on the above list but is also a die hard fan of sports and he very much loved going to class with so many hardworking athletes, many in “unsung” sports…so he ended up rooting for all sorts of teams because these players are your friends and classmates.</p>
<p>Duke is not Columbia and there is no comparison re its location in NYC…but if you want some happy years, Duke is a great place full of students who are peers of Columbia students…many Duke kids come from far far away and have a lot of personal courage, just like the students at Columbia…you will meet great friends at either college but only one of them has NYC in the mix…and that is the million dollar question…if NYC means a lot to you. Duke has great access to top grad schools if you work hard for four years…and most of my son’s friends were incredible work horses, and very clear on their career goals. Duke has some excellent international programs and is a school that stays current and always changing </p>
<p>good luck and hope you get in ED in the school of your choice</p>
<p>There is only as much socioeconomic/ethnic stratification as you’d like there to be. If you close yourself off from other races, you obviously won’t be friends with them</p>
Surely, the football team can go toe-to-toe with the Blue Devils…not so much the b-ball team. haha</p>