Hey guys,
I’m having a tough time deciding between UT Austin and Duke. Both are amazing schools and offer different environments, but I need help deciding which one will be most beneficial to my future goals/plans. I’m honestly not a 100% sure about CS, as I have interest in medicine as well. So I will definitely be trying to complete my pre-med requisites at both schools.
I hope to pursue an MD (if I choose to do medicine) or an MS or MBA if I choose to pursue CS.
Duke would cost me 60-70k per year, whereas UT Austin would be around 20-25k. I’d be graduating with around 50-80k in debt from Duke (depending on how much FA they give me).
I guess what I’m really trying to ask is, is Duke worth the difference in cost? Will sacrificing a top 10 CS program (UT Austin) for Duke benefit me in the long run while accumulating a ton of debt?
Are you able to attend UT Austin without incurring any debt? Financially, the cheaper option seems to be the best option if you plan on attending medical/grad school after undergrad, as many medical students rack on tens of thousands of dollars in additional student loans, and you might not want to be burdened with $100,000+ of debt from undergrad and medical/grad school. UT has a good computer science program as well as other excellent programs if you decide against computer science.
However, those are just my two cents! Both schools are excellent and you’ll be getting a first class education either way. Good luck in your decision!
@Anaphoras Yes, UT Austin would be debt free for me.
No, the extra cost is not worth it. Go to UT, get good grades, have fun.
If you have to borrow for undergrad, you’ll have to borrow for medical school. Medical schools do not care where you went to undergrad- they look at grades, MCAT scores and research.
Mos def go to UT if you decide to do Computer Science. Thats a no brainer. No debt + 9th in CS in the nation.
@Asutosh11 posted the same post on the Duke site. Fascinating to see how different communities respond. The Duke community is spirited, that’s for sure. A few shills on that site try to intimidate: if you can pay for Duke, you are obligated to go to Duke. “How much can your parents afford?” Maybe the poster can fully afford both. Oh my…
One guy told the poster that 1) you cannot get into medical school if your undergrad has no medical school, and 2) UT Austin has no medical school.
Oh my…http://dellmedschool.utexas.edu/
U Texas is way, way ahead in CS. Its not even close. So i that is your undergrad then the decision is easy. Both have really good MBA programs, and Duke is better in Medical School. However just because you go to one school for undergrad does not mean you can’t go to another for grad. Also I do not believe that one gets an advantage going to the same school for undergrad and grad school, you still have to apply and be accepted. So in summary, CS at UT (much better, higher ranked, no debt), and then 4 years from now decide on grad school/med school. If you want to go to Duke at that time then apply.
Also who knows what you will want to do in 4 years. Take my word for it, your interests and desires will change. Thats why you do the CS at UT now. You are assuming that you will do Med School, but if you don’t you have a much better undergrad education to start off with. Also, like I stated, if Med School is still the plan then apply to Duke (and other schools), and pick at that time. AS for an MBA, I think both Texas and Duke are about the same. However again, why choose now. You may also want to apply to Ivy Schools, Chicago, Berkely, etc.
The mantra from our successful friends have told my son, save your money for Grad School. We believe if he does well at UT - Austin, he’ll have a very good chance to get into the grad school of his dreams. (And still have the money to do it.)
@TXDad56 lays it out perfectly.
I hope you have made your decision. If not, here’s my two cents. I have one goes to Duke and aiming for medical school, another one will apply to UT Austin CS major. So, Duke son chose Duke because it’s Duke. The school is great, I think you know it. CS son will not apply to Duke because his career goal is different. If he does decide to go for a grad degree, then he will definitely consider Duke. As far as whether undergrad matters or not when you apply to med school, not sure, but for what I’ve seen, it does give you a bit of edge of getting interviews. But then again, if your grades are not good enough, doesn’t matter where you come from. Hope this helps.