I would agree that Duke is a tad higher than Vandy in overall pedigree but you’ll find kids from both working for people from MTSU or Central Connecticut. So in a lot of ways it’s overdone. In most ways actually.
Vandy is in West End. Still an Uber to get to downtown but close by music row and adjacent to Belmont.
Durham has a small but cute downtown.
As an undecided, look at majors and curriculums…special programs. And ultimately go for the one when you are on campus says …I BELONG HERE
if you can, try visit both schools after school resumes in the fall to get a feel for the student life. Both schools admit a large portion of their freshman class ED. You can’t go wrong with either school. My husband went to Duke, I went to Vanderbilt, and my in laws (both Duke alums) live in Durham. Duke has great basketball while Vanderbilt has great baseball. At Duke, the freshman live on a separate campus called the East Campus. They take a bus or walk to the main campus. At Vanderbilt, the freshman live in residential colleges. Nashville as a city has much more going on than Durham.
If you like people from Jersey, New York/Long Island…then you will be very comfortable at Duke
I’m personally of the opinion that Vanderbilt tends to be very overrated. I would most certainly lean towards Duke, all variables considered.
Seems contradicted by facts and Duke’s mandated NC population.
Although who wouldn’t want to be around Garden State people. They are awesome.
If you don’t like people from the Tri-State area, then I have some terrible news for anyone interested in attending any college with a sub-25-percent acceptance rate . . . .
While I prefer to use facts from the college and not third parties if possible, per Duke the two largest states represented are NCAnd CA followed by NY, FL, and NJ. While they don’t show population by state, I would assume there is ample geographic diversity beyond the tri-state area.
Duke alum here. Honestly, you’re going to find more variability between frats than between universities; some frats/sororities are noticeably more chill and laidback than others. Duke also has some Selective Living Groups that are an option for people who want a tight-knit community but are hesitant about joining a frat or sorority.
It’s not only possible but very easy to avoid Greek life and still have a great experience at Duke. I had no desire to rush, and I can count the number of basketball games I attended on one hand, mostly in my freshman year.
I will avoid getting political so this doesn’t get deleted, but in light of recent events you should also evaluate the cultural climate and state/local laws before you apply ED anywhere, particularly if you are a woman.
Eh, I’d only say they’re required at night (mostly for safety). Buses are considerably easier and faster, but walking between East and West is easily doable, and honestly I often preferred to walk instead of cramming into a packed bus. Campus Drive is a lovely, shaded route and popular for jogging.
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