<p>I've asked this in the Duke page so pardon me if you're re-reading this. I'm not sure which one to choose. I would like to do some kind of engineering, and biomedical is my current thought. I would also like to do economics. Overall, Duke is #14 in the world whereas NU is #32. For overall engineering, NU is #14 and Duke is #25. However, for biomedical it looks like Duke is top. It seems that overall, Duke may be a step up from NU. Going to Duke would be much farther from home than NU is. Duke is also a few thousand dollars more, but I think I would like the independence, the weather, and it would be a great opportunity. I liked Duke engineering because they become bankers, lawyers, etc. I also love Northwestern, so don't think I'm bashing it. Thoughts guys? Thanks in advance</p>
<p>I wouldn’t put much stock in that single world ranking. Duke and Northwestern are peer institutions. Moreover, NU has the stronger economics department (not sure about the respective strengths of the engineering departments). Choose the place where you think you will fit best and be happiest. These are two great choices, neither of which is clearly superior to the other.</p>
<p>Postscript: Also, if you are concerned about rankings, probably the most widely respected international university ranking (Academic Ranking of World Universities) has Northwestern one place ahead of Duke.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.arwu.org/ARWU2009.jsp[/url]”>http://www.arwu.org/ARWU2009.jsp</a></p>
<p>If you are using any sort of ranking as the primary determinant for where you are going to college, you are going to have a miserable experience. Go where you will be happiest.</p>
<p>
Duke engineering doesn’t make anyone “become bankers, lawyers”. It’s totally based on your own choice. What is certain is that NU has a better engineering school that offers more disciplines but Duke does have a better BME program. Considering you have an interest in econ, I’d like to add that NU has a top-5 management science and engineering program.</p>
<p>I don’t mean to be THAT GUY, but i’m going to assume your a junior. If you apply regular decision, your choice is sort of made up for you. While I still had to narrow it down between a few schools (Tufts, Hopkins, and Bowdoin), Northwestern was the clear winner. I think you’ll find that if you get into Duke and Northwestern, you’ll be in a much better situation to make a decision come 10-11 months from now. Good luck.</p>
<p>come on boys, lets bump this poochie up</p>
<p>I got into Duke and Northwestern this year, and I really liked Duke, and it’s just as good in every single way as Northwestern (give or take some advantages/disadvantages here and there). Ignore world rankings and all that other hoopla because it’s meaningless. I guess it really comes down to what YOU want - I saw your post on the Duke thread, and the responses were obviously biased, so I’ll try to have my opinions serve as a middle-ground. </p>
<p>Duke has an incredible biomedical engineering program, and that is a huge factor in your decision. If you want a more traditional engineering approach, then Northwestern has the advantage there. I know it’s hard to decide where you are and where you want to be within the course of several months, but that biomedical engineering decision is crucial. And that bit about Duke engineers becoming bankers, lawyer, etc. - well that is simply a distortion of the truth. If you want to do biomedical, then the idea of getting an MBA or JD would be a bit odd. I know that many of Northwestern’s engineers move on to law and business - as many if not more than Duke what with Kellogg and all. </p>
<p>I don’t want to sell you but rather help you see more clearly. I don’t know your income situation so a few thousand dollars may not be that big a deal, but I can’t sugarcoat the weather debate because Chicago can get cold, very cold. Although I’m a WCAS future student, I went through the same ordeal. But when it came down to it, Northwestern was a better fit, academically and socially. Don’t go by rankings, go by feel. And if you are serious about biomedical engineering, then Duke may be the school for you. Yet, if you are lukewarm about this and would rather pursue engineering with the intent to venture into the fields of business or law, Northwestern may be the better fit. Regarding alumni connections, etc., etc., Northwestern and Duke are practically identical. Don’t let people try to force you to use any twisted logic or let them feed you lies. Just go with what fits! And this is from one class of 2014 student who had to decide between Duke and Northwestern to another!</p>
<p>@ Tinfoyl
Although I did not read his other thread, I commend your endeavor to provide objective advice.</p>
<p>Edit: Somewhat of a useless post… </p>
<p>I have always thought NU and Duke to be very similar schools, with NU having the advantage of Chicago and Duke having the advantage of somewhat nicer weather. I highly recommend VISITING. When I visited NU everything was perfect, and I felt that this was the right place for me. But it may or may not be so for you. Your call.</p>
<p>Also, this is my 17th post!</p>
<p>I’d choose NU but that is just my two cents! I am applying this year and I am applying ED to NU so be warned my perception about the better one is skewed!</p>
<p>And I can’t really see myself in the South!!! Plus I love Chicago and the cold so NU was a no brainer for me!</p>
<p>Tinfoyl, your response was logical and it made sense. Thank you for your time on that. But a few things. I do not think NU engineers go into IB and consulting because of “Kellogg and all.” The certificate program is great, but jobs do not care about it. It is only for you to see how you like business. And NU Kellogg may know the rigor of a NU undergrad’s course when the student is applying to Kellogg, but by no means is he or she guaranteed or even significantly advantaged than a student who attended a different undergraduate institution.</p>
<p>Also, if you want to live in Chicago, NU is a very big name. However, in the East Coast and even West, Duke is more well known than NU. Regarding engineering majors, many people have jobs that are not even related to their major, so BME can lead me to other places than just a laboratory.</p>
<p>What I did tell myself is this Tinfoyl, and perhaps you can help me interpret my thoughts. I told myself that if I chose NU, I would go to NU but ask myself how my life would have been different had I attended Duke. Likewise, if I go to Duke I will ask how my life would have been at NU. But what i know for certain is that I can live by asking myself “how would my life have been different if I went to NU.” But I think I would be really hurt if I keep asking myself “if you had gone to Duke, how would you be diff?” Does that mean Duke is a sure choice for me? As for your “feel,” I know what you are talking about but unfortunately for me they were both nice. Duke is much warmer, and I will not enjoy the lake at NU during the winter :-). Lemme know what you think Tinfoyl, your advice was great and I’m looking forward to hearing more from you. Tally-ho</p>
<p>go to duke.</p>
<p>I would be really hurt if I keep asking myself “if you had gone to Duke, how would you be diff?” </p>
<p>There’s your answer, nothing else matters - go to Duke.</p>
<p>I remember a short time ago when I was choosing between Duke and Northwestern (and even Cornell and Chicago for that matter) I kept leaning this way and that. Like I said, I’m going to be a Northwestern student, but I want to help you make the right choice, probably one of the most important choices of your live. There were times when I actually started to flip-flop; I began to tell myself that Cornell was the school for me or Duke, and it really became tough to choose one because, like you, I knew I’d be happy at all of them. So, let me help you illuminate your future a little bit. </p>
<p>Your absolutely right about the biomedical engineers going into business or law, but I would bet that a great deal of them do in fact go into medicine. You repeatedly bring up the words “business” or “law,” so I really do feel that those two career options are where you see yourself - i could be wrong, but your tone and diction would denote otherwise. So is BME really what you want to do? You may be better off going into mechanical or civil or electrical depending on your engineering tastes. I don’t know if you seem sold on the BME.</p>
<p>And by “Kellogg,” I was being much too vague - I simply meant that you could get that certificate or perhaps even get another major/minor in Northwestern’s economics program which is one of the best in the country. Northwestern is very lax about getting majors in two different schools as well. Yet, Duke has a top notch economics program as well. And if you are leaning more towards law (maybe even patent law with your science background) than any minute advantage can just be scrapped. </p>
<p>I live on the east coast by the way, and I can honestly say that at my public school, Duke and Northwestern are seen as equivalent. Duke isn’t really all that more well known than Northwestern - for its academics at least which is what you are talking about. Trust me on this: if you get a degree from Northwestern and a degree from Duke, they will take you to the same places. You can move back to the East coast and any employer will know the distinction that a Northwestern graduate has. The same goes for a Duke grad. moving to Chicago. Intelligent employers don’t look for intelligence in one pool - they go to the ocean. </p>
<p>Now, to how you “feel,” I think that you are confused about the choice, and in your confusion, you feel some regret. You don’t regret anything now, but you are dealing with some premeditated emotions; you are worried that one way or another your life could drastically change. Now, let me tell you my philosophy on the matter: let the fortune tellers worry about my future. No, I’m not some occultist, but rather that I can only see my future with what little foresight I have, so it’s best not to dwell on it. Weather isn’t the deciding factor, and I think you’re looking at how you “feel” too one dimensionally. It’s not necessarily about the campus but everything. Look in your heart of hearts and tell yourself why you like Duke or why you like Northwestern. No fluff, just raw emotions and thoughts. Logic and reason can only take one so far.</p>
<p>It sounds like your instinct is telling you to go to Duke, so go there.</p>