<p>It doesn't really matter though. If Duke is your Harvard, then who cares?</p>
<p>"If Duke is your Harvard, then who cares?"</p>
<p>That's sweet.</p>
<p>I'm not saying otherwise. I was only describing the reactions I've seen with people around me.</p>
<p>I think this is the true test - what happens when you say the name of your school. When I tell someone where I go to college, I usually just say, "Oh, I go to school in North Carolina" and leave it at that. Many of my friends do the same. People do hold Duke in high regard - When I/we say Duke, there IS awe and appreciation. </p>
<p>Personally, I think HYPM are more prestigious than Duke. Stanford? A smigen above. This is not bitterness talking - I had the opportunity to go to HYS and chose Duke because that's where I would be happier. </p>
<p>In the end, prestige is not everything. This is confirmed when I talk to my friends that attend the aforementioned schools. I realize that they represent only one opinion of that school, but I can tell you that they're not happy or wishing for a more balanced enviornment. Duke provides that. Besides, which other top school has its parties making national news?!? :)</p>
<p>I turned down Duke, Hopkins, Chicago, Northwestern, Michigan, NYU, and Rice and a few others for Cornell. IDK if this counts, but Northwestern and Duke are ranked higher, sigh.</p>
<p>I turned down Colgate (and a sweet aid package) for Northeastern. Who wouldn't want to live in the middle of Boston?</p>
<p>Me! You only get to go to college once, you always will have a city...</p>
<p>Which is why Dartmouth is sooo apealing. NY will always be NY. That was my rationale when I chose Duke.</p>
<p>well... you can always work in a city and go to school in a town</p>
<p>Hanover is always going to be Hanover (i.e, nothing there).</p>
<p>but 4 years of college is not the rest of your life... i would think that if a person truely loves the city then they'd find a quiet place to study and then live in the city for the remainder of their time</p>
<p>or just go to the city and be in it for four more years, if they love it so much</p>
<p>the good looking boy i know (read: boyfriend) turned down UC Berkeley and Cornell for U of Rochester</p>
<p>Keep in mind that a lot of people who work in the city don't actually live in the city.</p>
<p>that's true... so similarily... shouldnt it be... school in the suburbs and party in the city? i think going to school in the city is somehwat distracting</p>
<p>I Turned Down Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Stanford, Mit, Upenn For My Local Community College Because They Offered Me A Girlfriend Lol!!!</p>
<p>Turned down MIT, Cornell, Stanford, Berkeley for Univ of Illinois.</p>
<p>(okaaay, okaaay.... it was for grad school, and U of I has a crazy-nuts awesome grad program, but it's still fun to say when I'm talking to liberal arts folk. ;) )</p>
<p>nice... what undergrad did you go to?</p>
<p>dooit: are u serious?</p>
<p>Did my undergrad @ Rice U, structural eng</p>
<p>No, but it's probably the perfect epitome situation for most people on this forum.:)</p>