<p>informative, I’m not usually the Duke defender, by a long shot, but you seem to based all of your comparative preferences strictly on rankings.</p>
<p>I love both Princeton and Duke, do they have business programs?</p>
<p>informative: Seriously, have you even ever been to Princeton before? Because maybe if you had, you’d realize that sweeping generalizations like “Princeton’s academics are the best” aren’t meaningful in the least. There is no way to gauge the quality of a lecture through objective statistics like USNWR scores. Sit in on a lecture or two at Duke and Princeton and then make a convincing case for the latter’s superiority.</p>
<p>Hi Curvyteen. I tried to reply to the private message you sent but CC would not allow it so here is the answer to your question about where my daughter decided to go.</p>
<p>It was down to the wire but she finally decided on Carleton over Duke - smaller and a chance to live somewhere that has snow!</p>
<p>If you wish to study a pure science, I would honestly go to Princeton. P was my top choice back when I was applying but I didn’t get in. I ended up attending Duke and have been there for 2 years now. I love Duke but Princeton definitely beats it for most pure sciences. </p>
<p>Informative should be ignored in all honesty</p>
<p>@Shawny25 moreover I believe that Chicago is up to the academic level, lacking on the prestige one</p>
<p>As a general proposition, Princeton is much stronger than Duke in STEM fields, and in many areas it’s not even close. The following are US News graduate program rankings, but they broadly reflect the perceived strength of the faculties at both schools, in the eyes of colleagues in the same field:</p>
<p>Biological sciences: Princeton #7. Duke #13
Chemistry: Princeton #16, Duke #45
Physics: Princeton #5, Duke #30
Earth Sciences: Princeton #9. Duke #45
Math: Princeton #2, Duke #24
Computer Science: Princeton #8, Duke #27
Engineering (Undergrad): Princeton #10, Duke #20
Engineering (Grad): Princeton #17, Duke #28</p>
<p>However, the OP’s interest is in neuroscience, where it may be a much closer call. (On the other hand, I imagine the OP’s decision has already been made, so it’s pretty much a moot point).</p>
<p>
Those are broad graduate rankings that may not even apply directly to individuals applying to doctoral programs at either school depending on the subfield that one is interested in. I’m not sure a difference of 10, 20, or 30 spots on those lists means a whole lot to undergrads who are learning the basics in all of those Math and Science fields.</p>
<p>If the OP is seriously interested in getting a PhD in one of these subjects, he/she should consult the specific department at both of these schools and find out what PhD programs recent grads have been accepted to and matriculated at. That’s the best indicator of undergraduate reputation. I suspect Princeton does better but I know a number of classmates from Duke that are enrolled in some of the best STEM PhD programs in the country so the OP can’t go wrong either way.</p>
<p>The OP is probably a pre med. With Duke’s world class med school and Princeton’s insane grade deflation, this one is actually a no brainer to me.</p>