<p>Hi, so I was admitted into a couple schools. I got into Notre Dame Early Action. I was also accepted to Northwestern, Washington University St. Louis, UC Berkeley, and Duke. My top two choices are Duke and Notre Dame. But perhaps a little background on myself would help clarify. I am a black female from the North Texas area. All the schools I was admitted to, I was accepted into their engineering program. But lately I'm not sure I want to take the engineering route anymore, so I think I will switch to pre-med. My mother is Notre Dame alumni, and we're Catholic also. I've visited the Notre Dame campus and I loved it. I really liked the whole general atmosphere. Everyone was very friendly. I love the school spirit. I even really like the cold weather and snow (I know it sounds weird, but I do). And there is Duke on the other hand. It is probably a more respected university than Notre Dame. (Also, we didn't receive much financial aid from any school). It has a top notch biomedical engineering program, which I would like to consider. It has great school spirit. And probably a better party scene. I'm going to visit Duke during one of their Blue Devil Days in about a week. A collaborative learning environment is also very important to me. Overall, I want to highly prepared for my post college life, but I want to enjoy it as well.</p>
<p>Peronally I’ve known a number of people who’ve gone to Duke, and most of them were NOT bookworms. The social life there is considerable even though it’s a top school, and I’ve seen that the campus is beautiful with woods… Notre Dame is respectable no doubt and you should be proud of both, but come one, Indiana?! Haha sports life at Notre Dame with football easily matches the craziness of basketball at Duke especially in their rivalry with Chapel Hill.
Don’t go to Notre Dame because your mom went there or you’re Catholic. Just because you’re Hindu doesn’t mean you should go to a nice school in India… unless that’s what matters to you, then go there by all means. Also don’t pick Duke because the name sounds good because Notre Dame does too, and no one will really care that much in about 6 months what school you picked because they’re both super awesome. Don’t trust rankings, trust peoples’ reviews. The website ***** can kind of help decipher the atmosphere, and you can read loads of people’s thoughts.
MOST IMPORTANTLY decide after you visit, it’ll be much clearer then, and don’t listen to silly suggestions from the internet like this because we don’t know you and maybe Notre Dame is 100% your kind of place.</p>
<p>ugh the website U. N. I. G. O. Why u censor me???!</p>
<p>I would definitely go with Duke. They have a very strong biomedical engineering program if you decide to go premed.</p>
<p>From your post, it sounds like you would really like to experience the northern climate. You like everything about Notre Dame, except it’s not as prestigious as Duke. Don’t let that stop you from following your heart.</p>
<p>Notre Dame is still a great school, and I wouldn’t let the prestigious vs. not as prestigious thing stop you…you seem to be leaning towards that and want it, so if you want Notre Dame, go for it.</p>
<p>Duke, hands down. It has everything you could want at ND plus more.</p>
<p>Sent from my SGH-T959V using CC</p>
<p>You guys are acting as if Notre Dame were some overrated school in a dumpy boring midwestern town. With that said, I’d recommend Duke as well. :-)</p>
<p>I would decide based on other fit factors such as weather and potential areas of study you are interested in. Notre Dame obviously has the much stronger Catholic community but Duke has a stronger African American community and more diversity overall.</p>
<p>Duke like most top schools has a strong Catholic presence via the Catholic Newman Center.</p>
<p>Duke is better and would be a better experience. Unless you love college football, because if you do you should go to ND.</p>
<p>IMO if you do well at either school, you will be in great shape. I suggest that you go to the school where you feel most comfortable. Never discount “gut feeling” as part of this decision process.</p>
<p>ND. Almost as prestigious and a far better campus.</p>
<p>Notre Dame</p>
<p>You seem to like Notre Dame better and its prestige level is pretty close to Duke’s so I’d say go with ND.</p>
<p>I agree with the above posters who say you should go to Notre Dame, unless something happens when you visit Duke which causes you to fall completely in love. I find it ridiculous when people say Duke is more “prestigious” than ND. According to whom, USNWR?</p>
<p>If it’s status you are concerned with, I think that ND is at least as respected as Duke and in some circles, far more respected. The culture there is unique and certainly not for everyone but if you felt happy there then you will probably never find another school quite like it. Not only that but you are unlikely to find a stronger alumni network at any other school, including the much worshiped Ivies.</p>