<p>OP, given what you have already stated, I think you may regret (and possibly resent) attending Duke, since such a decision would be based solely on the opinions of others. Virginia is an excellent choice, one that requires no apologies or further justification. The people who are telling you otherwise need to get a grip. It is your life, and you can everything you need and want (and more) from Virginia.</p>
<p>Virginia is a great school. If you don’t like Duke, maybe take your dad to
both schools and point out what you like about Virginia more? In person is probably better?</p>
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<p>That’s light comparing saying Columbia is dangerous because Morningside Heights is in Manhatten. Duke students, if they’re not complete idiots, have very little trouble with safety. So while I would choose to live in Charlottesville over Durham in a heartbeat, Durham’s overall safety is irrelevant to the OP, who would be spending most of her time in the area immediately surrounding the school.</p>
<p>I agree that one drawback to Duke is the seeming lack of a real college town surrounding it, or at least around the part of campus you see on the tour. Secondly, I think you received some excellent advice in post #7–now’s the time to be more specific in your investigation of the two schools. What is likely to be your major? If you don’t know, can you at least narrow it down to liberal arts vs. math and science? If it’s the latter, I’d say Duke is the better choice. If the former, it’s a trickier call. In addition, think about where you plan to work after graduation and if either school might give you an avantage in that geographic market. </p>
<p>Lastly, in defense of your father, rankings and name recognition do indeed matter for job and grad school placement and Duke simply has a better name–period. He is probably thinking of your long term benefit, and is of the opinion that you are attending college primarily to learn and that details like the college town are not very important. I can tell you that a lot of my son’s state school friends who majored in the same area he did haven’t found jobs, whereas he and his classmates from a much higher ranked private institutions have super jobs. Not saying you can extrapolate, but in a tough economy quality can give you an edge.</p>
<p>paulaturcotte – I think you are trying to paint this as your dad being guilty of overly simplistic thinking and his view may be a bit more well reasoned than that . I must tell you, if you were my daughter and you had a choice between Duke and UVA I would also try to convince you to go to Duke.</p>
<p>The kids I know who apply to the Ivys and have a chance of getting in also apply to Duke, Vanderbilt and GeorgeTown because they are such excellent schools but a little easier to get in. Some of these kids have indeed been rejected from the Ivys but have been accepted to Duke, Vanderbilt or George Washington and their parents have paid the full price of admission for them to attend.</p>
<p>Now I know UVA is arguably the best large state university in the country, but it is still a large state university. No where in this thread have I seen that you have visited either school. Have you visited either of them?</p>
<p>If you visit both schools and you still want to go to UVA then that is where you should go. If you were my daughter in the end I would leave the decision up to you. But give your dad a little credit, there are worse things that a parent can do than try to send you to Duke.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice everybody. You have all been very helpful.
I am visiting both schools this weekend, with my dad, so I will remain open minded and try to get a feel for both of them. Perhaps I will completely change my mind after campus visits. I am also going to be in and around the Durham and Charlottesville areas so as to get better looks at both of them and make a comparison for myself.</p>
<p>Paula, you need to understand that staying on campus past freshmen year is a challenge at Virginia…and takes some planning and so on. (Although students don’t complain about this much and freshman housing is very amiable.) Some of my son’s friends competed and got rooms in Brown…and managed to stay on campus all four years…most moved off campus quickly. Most students are looking for housing after about mid October to sign leases for off campus housing after only being there a few weeks. Obviously, all freshmen are accommodated, and our son also looked at the Echols housing. I personally think it is not ideal to have to even have a clue about who you want to live with first semester since most people are still new…and not sure who they will bond with so fast. </p>
<p>I admit that our son was very sad to turn down Echols at UVA for Duke and since he is now interested in Econ and business…he could have had a great start at UVA (seats in Mcintyre are competitively awarded sophomore year though)…but he is CRAZY for Duke and immediately bonded with everyone in his East Campus dorm and in his freshman focus program. His friends are amazing and from every corner of the Earth. </p>
<p>You should attend the college where you can be the very best version of yourself and all will be well.</p>
<p>Duke’s East Campus is one of my son’s dearest memories of life at Duke. As visitors we felt a bit off put by the shuttles at Duke but it turned out to be really successful…so make sure to see East Campus, too. Amazing bonding for the class, super nice freshman dining and gym, and lots of good memories to take with you before your class scatters to the Gothic Campus that Duke is so famous for…with Quads that are really stunners.</p>
<p>Visit classrooms at both colleges. My son started out in Focus and they flew them to Russia his freshman year first semester. He also found the fine arts budget at Duke to be stunning and he saw all sorts of world class performers on stage at Duke…which has a great art museum, dance program and some great visual arts. </p>
<p>Duke does not have the brilliantly happy relations between town and gown that UVA and Charlottesville have. You will sense at UVA that the University is married to its surroundings in an almost spiritual way that is very much connected to the foundations of USA history and political thought. This is what I call a “what money cannot buy” factor that UVA has that you simply can’t replicate. </p>
<p>Let’s face it… a statue of Benjamin Duke is not going to induce the same amount of resonance as being part of Jefferson’s community. Studying at UVA is something that will bring you to the heart of American thought and story.</p>
<p>But you need to also see that things like class registration hassles, housing and overall budget for many important things… are greater at Duke. </p>
<p>I see no reason why you can’t graduate in just as strong a position from UVA as from Duke give or take your own resolve, work habits and intiative. The schools have different cultures and as I said earlier…Charlottesville is good for the soul and you will find that matters. But my son had no shortage of inspiring teachers and mentors at Duke. I think overall though…he learned the most from simply knowing the other kids at Duke…many are very brave and came from far far away.</p>
<p>Those who are saying that UVA is a huge state school are wrong. We are not Berkeley or Michigan. Each class has 3000 students, whereas Berkeley and Michigan’s numbers are significantly higher than that. </p>
<p>And for brand recognition, UVA is better than Duke in ibanking/consulting. We are a target school for ibanks and consulting firms. Run the numbers before you open your mouth. Placement into these firms have been higher for UVA from year to year.</p>