<p>“Is Yale really that much better?”</p>
<p>No.</p>
<p>Academic-wise, you are going to get a great education at any one of these schools. I know many friends who turned down Yale for Dartmouth, Duke, and others of the same caliber, so don’t feel like you should attend Yale just because it’s Yale. </p>
<p>If you feel like Duke (or any of the other choices) is the right fit for you, then go there. Ignore what other people tell you based on “prestige” because, at the end of the day (sorry for the cliche), it’s what you do and not where you go. And you will be more successful at the school where you feel like you fit in. </p>
<p>Either way, you can’t go wrong, so pick the school that you like the best without thinking of rankings and prestige, because, honestly, all of these schools are some of the best in the world.</p>
<p>Good luck and Congrats!</p>