<p>Having said that, I’d agree that Columbia certainly is more selective than Duke based on most key measures. But so what? Does that make it a better school? Perhaps to a small minority. I don’t think Navy is necessarily “better” than Wash U or Rice just because it’s more selective (obviously, that’s an extreme example, but just meant to illustrate that we’re splitting hairs and that *fit *is more important.)</p>
<p>In the end, Duke and Columbia are different schools with different strengths, but are both two of the best universities in the world. You’ll get a world-class education at both, have opportunities to be successful at life, etc. It’s a silly argument saying one is clearly better than the other for all individuals. I could see somebody choosing Columbia over Duke and vice versa. They are peers. I chose Duke over Columbia because I felt Duke had a more community-feel, a much better sports scene, and overally a more traditional college experience. Plus, the BME department at Duke is more well-known and I felt the curriculum was better suited for my interests. But others love the allure of going to a Ivy League school with a storied history in one of the largest and vibrant cities in the world. Columbia has particular strengths in humanities and languages, while Duke’s biology program probably provides more research opportunities than Columbia’s. I don’t see anything wrong with using either logic to decide which place is better for you. [/end of discussion]</p>
<p>And, as I previously said, Duke’s reputation in Europe is probably better than its reputation in Asia. Columbia and Cornell both trump Duke from a prestige/well-known standpoint in Asia from the common person. This is mostly because they are Ivy Leagues and have a longer rich history. But do you really care what a typical person in Asia thinks? Both are great schools with outstanding reputations that will allow you to have a successful life. You should go where you think you’ll be happiest and not decide based on prestige…as they’re both very prestigious.</p>
<p>Fairly-stated bluedog. Plus we don’t see you on the Columbia board bothering people with uncalled-for claims of Duke’s superiority among those who were lucky enough to be admitted to Columbia (and for whatever personal reasons --chose Columbia over other schools .)<br>
Here’s to hoping that those lucky enough to call Duke Home aren’t uncouth enough to start stupid and pretentious arguments with the class of 2013 at other schools. The original poster was addressing his sense of wistfulness (it is perfectly human to have a preference or crush on College A or B) because he originally wanted to go to Columbia and was waitlisted…as were hundreds of equally qualified candidates who were disappointed and waitlisted at Columbia, Duke, Ivies and top LACs…just as my own son was WL’d at Dartmouth and admitted to Duke four years ago. Them’s the odds. It is unpredictable. It isn’t personal. It isn’t rational. You must always go into this process with an open heart and spirit.
My son tells me that no one at Duke ever referred to their “top choices” again once they got there…although obviously, Duke was the number one dream realized for many in his class, and possibly a second choice for many. When you get to Duke, you will realize that your peers could have filled chairs in any top ten college successfully…and everyone goes about the business of figuring out how to learn difficult material while making lifelong friendships.</p>
<p>The original poster was complimentary about Columbia from the get go…</p>
<p>BTrue2YourSchool. Give it your all and you will have a lifetime of wealth in friendship and fantastic memories to draw on. The work is hard at all of these colleges, as it should be. Quit thinking about your high school college search and start thinking about how to use your summers well.</p>
<p>Good luck with the BME path at Duke, bluedog…son’s friends on this difficult road are have rewarding future options for their effort.</p>
<p>Ha ha! A second-rate Ivy duking (pun intended) it out with an Ivy backup. Too funny! Don’t you know that only HYPSM and, to a lesser extent, Caltech matter? Internationally, most people have never heard of Princeton, let alone Columbia or dook. Get over yourselves, seriously!</p>
<p>gosh…what has CC turned into these days…a bunch of nerdy, over-achieving wanna-bees trying to get chanced with the rest devoted to duking it out for duke to display a inflated sense of superiority. GIVE ME A BREAK!! Let’s talk about duke, not if duke or where duke…</p>
<p>oh get over yourselves…but you’re right, a kit kat would be much better than this. if you want to know, I’m not some whiny teenager. I’m just a duke rising freshman who wants to get better information from a site like this.</p>
<p>I apologize for the continual posting but I just had to do this</p>
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<p>Has it ever occurred to you that the posters here (especially the Duke students) are all real people? We come here because we want to help others and talk about a school that we all like. We don’t get paid or anything. </p>
<p>Calling us names, accusing us of having an over-inflated sense of superiority, and telling us to “get over [ourselves]” doesn’t exactly make us want to give “better information.” Or did you think that the “better information” comes out of some magical information bot that’s lurking somewhere on this forum?</p>
<p>Plus, of all the threads you could have looked at where much good info were being exchanged, you chose to look at one with “Duke” and “International Name Recognition” in the title and then complain about nerds and egos? </p>
<p>I think I’ll have to stand by what I said then.</p>
<p>Edit: Oh look what I found…you asked to be chanced last year too, on this forum:</p>
<p>oh no, you exposed me!! oh wait…let’s go ahead and relive what you just said. First off, it has occurred to me (by the stroke of God, or better you, yes you SBR) that you guys are not aliens. Thank you for clearing this up. I mean, I thought I was just talking to a bunch of robots. Thank you for your “help” including comments like “Yeah! Cause the P in HYPSM totally stands for Pimptastic and not that two bit wannabe called Princeton!”</p>
<p>Second…I think I have a point when I say I want better information. Although by harsh means, I rather tell you straight up what I see. With two-thirds of the entire first page devoted to chance threads and comparing duke, I think I have a point.</p>
<p>OH and posting on different thread would have made a difference in the long run…right. Even if I made this into its own thread, it would not have made a difference. The point is…THE WEBSITE NEEDS MORE VARIETY AND ORGANIZATION. And when I say nerds and ego, you know what, you think the same thing too because who in their right mind would look up ungodly amounts of information on the internet just to propose that his school is better to a random person that you really don’t even know. So get over it. There is no need. You aren’t helping by adding to the “drama” of who is better than who.</p>
<p>And the fact that you bring up my chance thread is a little weird…maybe you just have too much time on your hands…But if you look at the date on that chance thread, it was WAY after applications, some admissions letters and what not. I was, to say in the least, a little distressed given my predicament. But these people are asking to be chanced during the summer…who GIVES. It’s summer. Do what you want. Don’t worry and worry over an application that is due months from now. I say again, NERDS!! Do not stress. Give yourself a break.</p>
<p>I’ll repeat what I said. You expect “help” in a thread that has “Duke” and “International name recognition” in the title? Perhaps you need a refresher on how to do a bit of information retrieval on these tubes…</p>
<p>As for better information, there are certainly good information on this board. Take a look at the Class 2013 forums and there are lots of people answering questions there. So what if the page is 2/3 full of chance threads. OH NO! You don’t really ask any questions and no one bothers to organize these pages for you and give you your precious information on a silver platter! Woe is you! It’s all a giant conspiracy to deprive you of information! How about you go elsewhere for information if you don’t like what you see here. </p>
<p>Or just maybe, you can…wait for it…contribute! <em>Gasp</em> I know, hard concept to grasp for your selfish mind. But do give it a try instead of the whole whiny “GiVe Me A BrEaK!!!” kind of stuff. </p>
<p>As for the “ungodly” amount of information. it’s called Google. Almost everything I posted came from the first page of results. I know you’ve never heard of it before much less used it but it’s actually quite popular and useful. And you know, it could also be used for looking up that “better information” that seems to elude you so much…</p>
<p>As for the chance threads, I don’t recall you specifying that only people who ask for chance over the summer are nerdy…my bad. I guess my reading comprehension hasn’t advanced to reading the mind of the author quite just yet. Just pointing out a case of the pot calling the kettle black…but hey, don’t mind me, what’s a little hippocrisy when there’s righteous anger involved.</p>
<p>ooooo you so funny. You make me happy long time. I will give you props for the “give me a break”. Seriously, that made me crack up. </p>
<p>As for contributing, I rather not since it seems the like of you can just copy and paste some article from google and analyze it. You do a great job of research!! Keep up the good work!!</p>
<p>In the end, I’m just pointing out a flaw of this website. Plain and simple. Nothing more, nothing less.</p>
<p>As for a little play on words, I like how you used the metaphor of “the pot calling the kettle black”…because I wish I were black…you know the username…I guess that’s what you call a semi-flawed hypocrisy…or should I say…“hippocrisy”. Both of are arguments are flawed. If you want to accuse me of “hippocrisy”, at least I can spell…or is there just an angry hippo in the room?</p>
<p>So you refuse to contribute because I can cite statistics and do simple math…sure whatever you want. To each man his own. </p>
<p>Since this site is so flawed, what’s the point of coming here? </p>
<p>Also the adage involving the pot is an old and common one, I’ll have to say that I did not even think about your username when I used it. But I guess you are just more racially sensitive than I.</p>
<p>As for hypocrisy, oops, slipped by spell checker that one did. </p>
<p>But apparently being able to spell doesn’t really help you convey your ideas any better either:</p>