Duke, Yale, and Princeton

College Search & Selection
41

<p>I think I'll avoid offering an opinion on Duke, since I don't have any experience with it, but here's what I'd say re Princeton and Yale:</p>

<p>One of my friends, a liberal political activist, went straight to Yale (applied ED, didn't bother with anywhere else). He's been there for 3 years and has gotten to do all kinds of things (intern with the United Nations, work on political campaigns) thanks to the faculty connections and the school's general attitude towards activism. If you're a very political person or want to major in the humanities, go to Yale. My dad was an English major at Yale and says the program is terrific.</p>

<p>As for Princeton, I don't know as much about it, only that it has a reputation for being a much more conservative school with a lot of rich kids. No doubt there are lots of liberals and plenty of people who don't own summer vacation homes, but that's the impression I've gotten from friends who are attending or who visited.</p>

42

<p>Xiggi, there is some truth in your remarks about Duke, but the criticisms apply to all top schools to similar degrees. It's worth noting that the Journal of Black Education ranks Duke as the best "elite" school in the country in "ability to integrate african-american students." (Princeton is #3, Yale #13). </p>

<p><a href="http://www.jbhe.com/features/36_leading_universities.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.jbhe.com/features/36_leading_universities.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Duke is 11-12% percent african-american (higher than most Ivies). Durham is 47% african-american. "The Plantation" is an easy shot given that difference, as is the idea that Duke is singularly plagued with race issues, because here, unlike most college towns in this country, there is race.</p>