<p>Hello everyone! I was fortunate enough to be accepted to both Duke and Rice. I think I really, really like Duke, but I want to carefully consider which would be the better choice for me before spending four years and a whole lot of money. </p>
<p>-I'm premed (so I really want as close to 4.0 GPA as possible, though I really do care about learning)
-That being said, I really need to get involved with clinical, research, and volunteer opportunities for medicine.
-substantial interest in economics (I'd love to double major in biochemistry and economics)
-studying abroad would be nice; I also would love to work in business/econ-related internships because I'm considering going MD/MBA
-the cost would be the same at both schools
-I want to have some fun in college (though I consider myself more the studious type) but I strictly don't drink and will never change that. I'm not that spirited but that's because my entire high school isn't.
-I love tennis, but b-ball isn't my thing (I kind of suck) but I never really got into it. I'm also into Indian classical dance
-I like good weather (no tsunami, blizzards, earthquakes, droughts, etc.)
-I like healthy competition but not the cutthroat kind.</p>
<p>Also accepted to: CalTech, UChicago, WashU @ St. Louis, UC Berkeley, UCLA</p>
<p>Thanks everyone! And please don't go crazy with rivalries or anything! </p>
<p>Duke has some Indian dance teams, I don’t know much about them, but know people on them. Pretty sure the tennis team is obviously top notch, I know College Tennis Gameday was here last weekend and there was a good turnout at the game. Duke’s biochem and econ departments are pretty good, certain classes are definitely challenging (AP credit in math/econ/chem/bio would definitely help). </p>
<p>In terms of Duke’s social life, there are some people in the “top” Greek orgs that don’t drink, and their brothers/sisters respect that. There are also some SLGs, which is kind of like a Greek org but for people who are on the more studious side and don’t want to drink as much (although people do drink, there are a decent amount of non-drinkers in them). There are a lot of them so they are kind of hard to describe, but based on your bio I feel like you’d fit in well there. A lot of people come to Duke as non basketball fans, but going to the games is a great experience with the atmosphere and talent. </p>
<p>If you aren’t sure then I believe Duke would be your better choice. There is enough going on there that you will find plenty of activities besides basketball but you may learn to enjoy that as well.</p>
<p>You are blessed with wonderful options, and cannot make a “bad” choice. I suggest that you visit both universities, spend a couple days living in – and learning about – their cultures (academic, social, and much more), and only then decide. While I am a strong Duke advocate, both institutions will provide exceptional preparation for your future; therefore, ascertaining your optimal “fit” is really important. </p>
<p>@Elrod: Thank-you! I’m afraid I don’t know too much about North Carolina. I did visit and found it a beautiful place, but I truly wasn’t sure about crime rates or anything. That being said, your post cheered me up so much. </p>
<p>The crime rates on campus are low, not non-existent, but very similar to many other first-rank institutions. I believe the Duke Website has some pertinent information available?? </p>
<p>There’s a campus bubble in the sense that the campus is pretty big. Freshmen often wonder over to Brightleaf or 9th Street, which are both only a few minute walk from campus. It’s pretty safe to do, but I wouldn’t do it alone at night, but that’s more common sense than anything. I’ve walked home from places alone before late at night and I’ve never really felt uncomfortable. </p>
<p>For upperclassmen on West, there’s a plaza with froyo/Chipotle/pizza/salad/subs/etc that is maybe a 10 minute walk from the Chapel, which people do at times and it’s incredibly safe. The parts around Duke, especially west are pretty safe. Around East, a lot of the homes are rented out to Duke students, so while some of them might not have the best upkeep (yards might not be amazing or stuff like that) it’s still pretty safe. </p>
<p>My son was in the exact same dilemma two years ago. On paper and from reading all the CC threads he was pretty sure it was going to be Rice. He flew to Houston to attend Owl Days and then directly to Durham for Blue Devil Days. There was a 2 day lapse between the two events, so he called the schools and they made accommodations for him to stay with students on the extra nights. Visiting the two schools during these special events made it VERY easy to make the choice. It is all about the fit. He is now a proud Blue Devil through and through because the fit at Duke ended up being right for him.</p>