Full Ride Duke vs Yale?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Making a really hard college decision currently, I could use some help! :)
I'm deciding between a merit scholarship at Duke (the reginaldo howard) and going to Yale.</p>

<p>I know you guys can't decide for me, but you probably have some points I haven't thought of (or strong opinions haha, those are acceptable as well)!</p>

<p>Pros for Yale: residential college system, HUGE theatre culture, dance opportunities, applied math major, sociology program II, seems more friendly
Cons for Yale: New Haven, No minors, Less global health opportunities, cost, more urban campus
Pros for Duke: Focus Program(Global Health or Modelling in Economics and Social Science), Scholarship ($$), Community created by the scholarship, Global Health Certificate, freedom after graduation, East Campus, Love the campus
Cons: Frat scene, Bus system, More snobby people, More of a sports scene than an arts scene</p>

<p>I'm interested in being a statistics, applied mathematics, or sociology major, and doing work in public health. I'm also pretty undecided though, and my major can and probably will change. I'm not certain I will want to go to graduate school, but I am leaning towards it. I'm not sure about the odds that I will go to professional school (maybe mph, definitely not medical school). My mom also said they wouldn't be available to contribute to my post graduation plans financially if I went to yale.</p>

<p>For yale, I would get CTFelp loans that my parents would be paying off for me. I appealed my financial aid, but both Harvard and Yale said no lol.
They will support my decision either way, but it's definitely hard!</p>

<p>That being said, I don't know if Yale is TOO intellectual. I'm really fun-loving, as well, so the preprofessional atmosphere at duke doesn't really concern me at all.</p>

<p>I think that yale is a better fit, but duke makes more academic and financial sense. I'm a little shy, and have some depression type issues, and I don't want to go to duke and not be able to find friends/a niche, like a lot of people on CC have experienced at duke. I want a close,tight-knit community, where it is easy to make friends.</p>

<p>This post is so long, I apologize! But please help :)</p>

2

<p>I don’t know much about Duke or Yale specifically. I do know that there is a liberating feeling by not taking on debt at college, even if your parents are going to be paying off that debt. I wouldn’t discount that pleasure, every year, of knowing you’re getting a free education, and no one has to support you.</p>

3

<p>Absolutely Duke. You will find your niche either place, and the finance issue simply cannot be ignored.</p>

4

<p>A full ride to Duke beats any other school where you have to pay/take loans, including Harvard and Yale. Only three years ago Duke was ranked 5 or 6 and it is not like the quality went down drastically for it to drop to 9 now.</p>

5

<p>Guys and Gals, read exactly what OP wrote. OP will NOT be taking on debt.</p>

<p>Here’s my suggestion: If your parents are willing to pay for Yale, then ask them if they are similarly willing to put that money (sounds like it would be close to $200k if I read your post correctly) into a bank account for your use, as you will, in the future. They will simply write a check to you instead of Yale each semester over the next 4 years. </p>

<p>One parental investment is financing a prestigious Uni, the other is investing in whatever future plans you may have that require ready cash – home downpayment, grad school, start-up business, travelling to do humanitarian public health work, whatever. the non-negotiable is – NO STRINGS.</p>

<p>If you have that choice I described above – that is, Yale no money in the bank in four years, or Duke and $200k (or even $100k) with no strings on its use, in your bank to use as you will in 4 years, I’d personally choose Duke.</p>

6

<p>For the numbers, try running your aid packages here: [FinAid</a> | Calculators | Award Letter Comparison Tool](<a href=“Your Guide for College Financial Aid - Finaid”>Award Letter Requirements - Finaid) That way you and your parents will have a very clear sense of what paying down those loans will be like.</p>

7

<p>DunninLA - Her parents are aliens and them paying off loans does nt count as earth money? As a parent I find that offensive.</p>

<p>“For yale, I would get CTFelp loans that my parents would be paying off for me”.</p>

<p>If her parents want to pay for her college, it is because they want what is best for her. If they want give her an inheritance with the money she saved them or pay for additional education, it is upto them.</p>

8

<p>Duke with a full ride is a no brainer, unless your parents are extremely wealthy, in which case, Yale may be worth it since you feel it may be a better fit.</p>

9

<p>I would choose Duke; the arguable difference in education level/reputation is outset by cost. It may not seem like it now, but debt is a huge factor. The Duke campus is beautiful, and the weather is superb.</p>

10

<p>Full Ride Duke</p>

11

<p>Duke with a Full-ride >>> Yale</p>

12

<p>I’m not worried about education or prestige, I honestly think they are pretty equal options in that regard. I just feel like the duke board is littered with people wanting to tranfser and not being able to find their niche. And my parents aren’t that wealthy, hense the ct felp loans lol but it would be doable. I just wouldn’t have as much disposable money and would probably have to get a job if I went to yale.</p>

13

<p>DunninLA, I’ll check about account idea, my mom did agree to save the money for grad school, so that I didn’t have to pay for that. She said she would consider saving the money in my 529 plan thingies.</p>

14

<p>I’m not sure what threads you’re referring to on the Duke board where there are complains about people not finding their niche, but I can tell you as a soon to be alum that there are very few people in my graduating class who aren’t absolutely ecstatic about the experience they’ve had at Duke academically and socially. PM me if you have any specific questions about the arts/fraternity/general social scene at Duke.</p>

15

<p>Duke has a 97% freshman retention rate. The vast majority of students enjoy it there and transferring doesn’t enter their minds. I don’t think you’ll have a problem finding your niche socially.</p>

16

<p>Duke full ride in a heart beat.</p>

17

<p>Hm, but perhaps people who wouldn’t like duke in the first place don’t apply/go?
I’m also deciding between those two and rice, where I have a full tuition scholarship?
Does anyone have any opinions on that? I do think Rice is probably a better fit than Duke as well, but Duke is more prestigious/ has more opportunities in what I want to do. Also, if I go to Duke I can take public health classes at UNC (which UNC is pretty good at.)</p>

18

<p>Duke for free of course!</p>

19

<p>Yale is better but not by so much that if money is an issue you shouldn’t go to duke</p>

20

<p>Is Duke better than Rice though? Not sure. And the main problem is that money isn’t a super issue, but more of a kind of issue. I feel as though I’m gauging the monetary worth of my own happiness :P.</p>