Duke vs W&L (Johnson)

Hello to all in the College Confidential world! So I have quite the dilemma that essentially comes down to finances. I have been awarded the Johnson Scholarship at Washington and Lee University (full-ride) but also got into Duke University (net price around 22k a year assuming no income change). My family and I are confident we can pay it and only take out 5k in Duke subsidized loans a year. Without question, my heart is with Duke and, after visiting both, I feel much happier with Duke’s campus and location; however, I don’t want the name of “Duke”, it’s brand, and my preference to cloud my judgement into making a stupid financial decision. I want to study Economics and either CS or mathematics in some shape or form with a focus of preparation for graduate (economics) or law school.
Essentially, is Duke and my personal preference worth the ~27k a year over Washington and Lee?

Thanks!

I can’t answer whether Duke is worth it. I believe that is a matter of personal preference and how you feel about the loans. But I can tell you that I know a student at W&L who turned down Duke for a Johnson and she is very happy at W&L and has no regrets. I don’t think she received any money from Duke, so that is a different financial equation. Johnson’s do get additional perks, like stipends for summer research.

It could be worth the difference in cost. Really depends upon your comfort level at Wash & Lee which has a strong campus culture.

If you believe that you can fit in at W&L, then that may be the wiser choice financially if set on attending law school or getting a masters in economics.

You mentioned in a previous post that you’re a member of the queer community. Duke is noticeably more welcoming toward LGBTQ students and has a much larger dating scene, though I don’t know how important that is to you.

Both schools are fine for pre-law and econ. Duke is much stronger in math.

@TheNerdyOboist Read this review of CS schools: https://www.ivyachievement.com/computer-science-rankings

Duke ranks high in starting salary, and even higher in job placement.

Go to Duke. 5k is very doable.

@JenniferClint : I believe that the difference is $27,000 per year. The $5,000 figure is the loan amount each year after paying $22,000 out-of-pocket per year.

@Hippo21 Yeah I definitely see it as a no-brainer for someone not receiving any aid at Duke (unless finances are completely not a concern). I’ve known of people taking the Johnson over schools like Duke but they all did not receive aid. Maybe that’s why I feel justified in picking Duke? Also that I can be going for less than what most people are paying for my area’s standard state school. The aid offer is way more than I thought it was going to be (which is good, I suppose) but now I’m in this dilemma.

@Publisher Yeah I’m definitely trying to think a few years forward to grad school and the cost that will come with that. W&L’s offer is insanely tempting and I cannot seem to be able to reject it; however, I could never see myself at W&L either. I wish there was a clear choice haha

Thanks for the advice!

@warblersrule Yes! I do identify as LGBTQIA+ which is a huge component I forgot to put in my original post.
When I was at W&L a current student who is gay actually warned me that even though it is higher education, it is still the rural South and the school has a bit to go. I come from a super rural southern town and I just don’t know if I can or want to do another four years of this. While Duke actually had a whole LGBTQIA+ admitted student program that was PHENOMENAL.

I’ve always been ready to take on challenges for the sake of my future so I don’t want this part to dictate my decision greatly but it seems that it somewhat is.

Additionally, I do like the component that if I were to find another interest in my studies, no matter what it might be, Duke would probably have a top-tier program in it where W&L is somewhat more specialized.

@TheNerdyOboist : Based on your most recent post, Duke is clearly the better option for you, in my opinion.

@damon30 Yeah this is kinda what I just wrote in a previous reply. I am not too inept in CS but am super interested in learning it in a minor or certificate form most likely as I love economic and social science modeling. I know Duke would be more than ready to equip me with world-class skills where W&L is more fuzzy on some types.

I told a friend about your post. She was an Econ major at Duke and has children at both Duke and W&L. She thinks the Econ education would be equivalent, although W&L would have smaller intro classes and better access to professors. She thinks the sciences are better at Duke because of labs/facilities/graduate programs, but she is unsure if that applies to CS vs bio/chem/etc. You have two great choices and can’t go wrong either way.

@Hippo21 Thanks for the information from someone obviously very close to both! I am thinking I will probably commit to Duke in the coming days. I have been thinking a lot over the past couple weeks and I feel really lucky to get as much aid from Duke as I am getting and the financial support from my parents (we are not very close and I don’t believe they would offer me the same money for grad school). Meaning, I will only be personally paying around 5k a year.