Duke vs. Emory (full-ride)

Colleges and Universities A-Z Emory University
1

<p>I’m having the hardest time of my life choosing between these two schools. My parents don’t qualify for financial aid, so the difference in price is $35K/year – 44K for Duke vs. 9K for Emory (I have 20K in outside scholarships). For the past year or so I’ve been thinking about pre-med, and if I do become a doctor I would definitely pursue a specialty like immunology or endocrinology, which means I would need to get into a good med school…and pay for it. So if I went to Duke, I could make it through undergrad without loans, but there would be $0 left for medical school.</p>

<p>BUT then again, I’m not completely set on med school, so I feel that it’s important I go to the best school that would prepare me for whatever path I choose. Duke’s departmental rankings are definitely better than Emory’s, and I feel like there’s also a big difference in the overall quality of the student body. I REALLY like being around smart people, and throughout my life I’ve always identified with and become best friends with the smartest people at my private school. I was looking forward to being stretched and engaged by my peers in college, and I really don’t want to be at the very top of the class.</p>

<p>Other than academics, I guess I’m most concerned with the social life. I’m not a big partier and don’t drink, although I might want to go to a party every once in a while. I’m kind of a serious, sometimes introverted person, and it usually takes me longer to make friends. I REALLY like to have fun though, but my idea of fun is usually just hanging out with a really close, small group of friends.</p>

<p>I LOVE the school spirit at Duke (live in Raleigh and been a Blue Devils fan all my life) and feel that I would be really proud to say that I go to Duke. However, I’m not sure I can say the same of Emory. Duke really has that prestige, name-factor thing going on, and I guess that’s really important to me. I know people say not to pay attention to rankings, but there’s something very alluring to me about going to one of the best universities world-wide. If the schools were the same price, I would choose Duke.</p>

<p>I have visited both: I went for the Emory Scholars weekend and also for a scholarship weekend at Duke. I was SO close to getting a full-ride at Duke, and I’m still very disappointed I didn’t get it. A few small differences I noted were that the dorms at Emory are much nicer, and I would also have the perks of the Emory scholars program including first choice in classes and housing.</p>

<p>Sorry this was so long, I’m just very confused. Help anyone? (BTW, I also got into Penn and JHU and waitlist at Harvard, Yale, and Brown)</p>

2

<p>dna3,</p>

<p>Having grown up in Raleigh, so close to Durham and Duke, it makes it difficult to detach from the emotions that have been embedded for so long. You have developed a strong comfort level and bond with Duke, I can see. </p>

<p>By contrast, Emory and Atlanta are much different. There is no school spirit of the kind engendered by the Duke Blue Devils playing at Cameron Indoor Stadium and vying every year for an NCAA championship in Div. I basketball. I suspect that deep down in your heart, you will know the importance of this -- and know whether it's worth the extra $104-140K over 4 years time. If you do decide on following a pre-med track and applying to med school, you know what this money represents in paying for med school.</p>

<p>Obviously the choice is not easy. Being a parent, I know that I always want what is best for my daughter, including enabling her dreams and aspirations. I know that my daughter felt similarly about UC Berkeley and her Cal Bears (we live only 15 minutes from Berkeley) or rooting for our other Bay Area teams (i.e., Stanford). Emory has none of the Div. I sports, but it has everything academically to prepare you well for the rest of your life. The opportunities to do undergrad research projects, perhaps find internships at the CDC, and engage with teaching-centric professors are excellent. As an Emory Scholar, you will be provided with opportunities that you should find stimulating. With my own daughter, she chose Emory because she felt at home, and truly, she didn't want to stay that close to home. On the other hand, whenver she's been in Berkeley since she's been in college, she can't get over how it feels so "at home" to her.</p>

<p>If my daughter were in the same situation, I know that I would urge her to take the money and choose Emory (which by the way, being a top-ranked national university, is not exactly like chopped liver in prestige). I have known of doctors who are well into the late 30's before they are able to finally make that last payment for student loans. The opportunity cost for being a physician is enormous, and if you do choose that path, financial resources will be one of your first considerations. </p>

<p>Emory is offering a generous gift -- one that Duke did not offer. I wish you could fast-forward how your life will play out, and if you could do that, you might be able to apply a different judgment to your choice. What is important to you now may in fact change. Unfortunately, none of us have crystal balls to know how or if our values will change. (BTW, my daughter has no problems rooting for her favorite college sports teams, even though she attends Emory.)</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>