<p>So, I've narrowed my dilemma down to these schools. I dont have a major in mind, but I am leaning away from natural sciences and tech - so far that's a s specific as I can get. I guess the school will determing the major.</p>
<p>UNC - I have a scholarship here and am in state, so it's virtually free. And I know it's a great education, and I'm a bred tarheel, but I feel like I'll get too much education and not enough experience. Non-natural sci Internships/research ops are very limited in the Triangle, and I dont think clubs/community work will cut it. I also want to travel, do high-level negotiation/work, and I feel UNC prepares people for sedentary (yet successful) lifestyles. I'll probably go into business here.</p>
<p>Duke - I see it as UNC 2.0. Same issues, except for that Duke has a much better reputation...but is giving me NO MONEY. I also feel a humanities degree from Duke (undergrad business program seemed wattered down) will be difficult to use for jobs, esp. in this economy. And I dont plan on becoming a professor</p>
<p>Georgetown - it almost fits me perfectly. I'm into history/culture/international affairs, and I got into the SFS. best IR school in America. But again, I get no money, and I feel like if I want to change my career path (I like international affairs, but whether I can get into it as a lifestyle is a different issue). I also feel that it's quite catholic, and I dont really want that to influence my education (I mean, objectively yes, but infusing it in class discussion - very hard to stand).</p>
<p>As a note, location isn't a huge factor (except Georgetown, where it obviously benefits my field), and Ive been told cost is not an issue (but I still feel guilty about busting the bank). Ive been told education is the best investment possible, but does this hold up when the cheaper option is so good?</p>
<p>As a GU alum, I can attest to the strength of the SFS program. Although the curriculum lacks many electives, the SFS core includes classes in a broad range of subjects including, politics, economics, int’l affairs, history, philosophy, and languages. In some respects, the SFS curriculum is the int’l affairs equivalent of the core at Columbia or Chicago. Despite the narrow focus, in my view, the rigor of the SFS curriculum teaches critical thinking skills better than most college liberal arts programs. As a result, graduates pursue many different things ranging from diplomacy, other government service, academics, business, and law. If you have an interest in a core centered around int’l affairs, then SFS cannot be beat. </p>
<p>On the other hand, if you want a broader liberal arts education not so heavily focused on a few areas, Duke and UNC are better bets. In that case, since dollars are not an issue I would choose Duke based on better overall programs and reputation. Still there are some unique areas of strength for Chapel Hill, including English, where it ranks as one of the four or five best departments in the country.</p>
<p>Oh did not see the religion issue. GU has often been called the least Catholic Catholic school in America. Unlike some others, like Catholic and Notre Dame, GU does not force its faith upon students and you will not find religious discussions in many of your SFS classes. I know the other schools at GU have a religion requirement consisting of two classes (not sure about SFS though), but those classes emphasize philosophy, archeology, and history, without any attempt at religious inculcation.</p>
<p>It sounds like you want to go to Georgetown (“it almost fits me perfectly”), so if your parents are willing and able to foot the bill, I’d follow your heart and attend Georgetown. It’s not very Catholic; while you may see crosses in some rooms, it’s a welcoming institution of all religions. There is a large Jewish population. Duke and UNC are also great choices, though, so you can’t go wrong, but it sounds like your heart is set on Georgetown and SFS is a great school. Duke also has a Duke in DC program and recently opened up a office/building/center there so has a lot of connections as well to the city if you do end up deciding that Duke is a better fit for other reasons (e.g. campus, sports, weather, whatever). UNC for free is also obviously an amazing deal. Good luck.</p>
<p>Based on your post, I think your heart is at Georgetown. Go there. I doubt you will ever regret it unless you’re going to be on the hook for a lot of loans. If your parents really can afford to send you there, go, be grateful, and pick your grad school based on the place that gives you the most money - your parents will have paid for enough by then ;-).</p>
<p>I went to both schools - Duke undergrad, Georgetown grad. Both are excellent. Duke is a prototypical college experience, Georgetown less so, but ameliorated by the fact that many really like DC and its off campus experiences. I am not sure you can go wrong with either. </p>
<p>I actually would choose differently. UNC for free? Not even close in my book. Go to UNC and save your money for grad school. Or just save your money. This is the answer in 2012, a far different one than 5 years ago.</p>
<p>^Georgetown undergrad. and grad. are VERY different experiences. Georgetown is an undergraduate focused university–the graduate programs have never been emphasized (thus affecting every ranking of the university), nor has graduate student quality of life. I went to both schools as an undergrad., and I can attest that Georgetown does provide a “prototypical college experience” (if you mean a spirited campus, active campus life, etc.), but it also is not JUST the “prototypical college experience” like Duke is.</p>
<p>Since when Duke has undergrad business program? Regardless, Duke is a target school for investment banking and consulting. For IB I don’t think Georgetown is on par with Duke. Just saying.</p>
<p>medman, you would do well to preserve some semblance of credibility by refraining from making such unsubstantiated statements. Duke is superior to georgetown when it comes to wall street and business school placements (both of which are correlated). OP I would not pay heed to medman, he has a history of making anti duke comments. Just look at his dubious history to uncover his bias. Also check out poets and quants if you want a better idea of business school placement. On a related note, McKinsey offers its sophomore diversity leadership program at only four schools (duke, harvard, yale and penn). This illustrates the close relationship that Duke maintains with top employers.</p>
<p>^happyman2: What dubious history? Do you think that no-one transfers out of Duke? Do you think that every one loves Duke and stays and that a prestigious scholarship is reason enough to stay at the school if you are not having a positive experience? Do you not believe I transferred to Georgetown? (Two of us in my class at Duke did, by the way, transfer to Georgetown the same year–heaven forbid!!!). Do you not think that I went on to Hopkins med? Why would someone need to make these things up? I still love and admire Duke, but I did not think it was the most compelling undergraduate experience. Why can’t you accept that someone has a different perspective and view than you? By the way, that quality of narrow thinkiing is one of the aspects that made Duke less compelling of a place and is part of what makes the horrible incidents that have taken place at the school in the last decade even more concerning.</p>
<p>The history I’m referring to is your saying that Duke is not ivy calibre even though all objective indicators demonstrate that is in fact on par with most ivies and even surpasses some of them. Have you already forgotten about your post saying that Duke students are desperate for it to be considered ivy calibre? What about the post in which you assert that Georgetown is better than Harvard? I don’t doubt for a moment that you are everything you claim to be, however, the fact that you didn’t like Duke does not give you the right to make spurious claims that have no legitimate basis. By all means say that you didn’t like duke because YOU felt the culture was not intellectual enough or that the student body was too narrow minded. That is your perception, and you are obviously entitled to have an opinion. What I object to is the fact that you falsify data to make duke look bad. Stop waging this campaign of misinformation. If you are disillusioned enough to think that georgetown does better than duke on wall street, say that georgetown is a better feeder IN YOUR OPINION. Don’t make it sound like your assertions have any factual basis when it is blatantly clear that they don’t.</p>
<p>^I would hope that most Duke-affiliated individuals (whether student, alum, or prospective student) would know that most statements made here are opinions, such as “Georgetown is better than _<strong><em>” or “Duke is better than _</em></strong>.” But there are some things that are not opinions, but facts. Duke is a great school. Fact. Durham is a lousy college city. Fact. Duke provides a “Gothic Wonderland” and ivory-tower experience. Fact. Duke is preprofessional. Fact. Georgetown utilizes its Washington, DC location to enrich the academic, social, professional, and cultural lives of its students. Fact. I went to Georgetown and Duke for undergrad. Fact. I liked Georgetown better than Duke. Opinion…well, actually, Fact.</p>
<p>Duke is my first choice school as a rising senior. I’ve been to their information session and tour. Duke gives you more class choices. There aren’t any required classes, you just take the ones you need to get into grad school.</p>
<p>Just seize the opportunity, carpe diem, or even YOLO wherever you go…and you’ll be one of the better graduates. Do the best with what’s given to you and your goals will be achieved.</p>