<p>By the school spirit, I meant Duke has basketball where everybody goes crazy. Penn doesn’t have that. And the difference between the prestige of Duke and Penn is miniscule, if not insignificant.</p>
<p>Per USNWR rankings:</p>
<h1>6 Penn</h1>
<h1>8 Duke</h1>
<p>Are you seriously claiming there is any meaningful difference in reputation between these two? Really?</p>
<p>I would agree with the op’s opinion that the reputations of each school are pretty much comparable. However, if you’re looking for opinions from other posters, idk if you will get unbiased opinions when asking in the Penn forum… Probably gonna get more opinions vouching Penn… If i were you, i would go to Duke just because i think the campus feel is actually more “close-knit” as you said, and also warmer weather :)</p>
<p>wherever its financially better. taking all things into account such as grants, tuition, schollies, and distance from your home</p>
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<p>Nobody is claiming there is a significant difference between the two…but then why would you choose Duke over Penn? Because of basketball?</p>
<p>exactly. who’s going to choose Duke over Penn because of school spirit, campus vibe and basketball?</p>
<p>It’s something Duke has that Penn doesn’t. And I think it’s a pretty big deal so yeah, I might just choose Duke because of their school spirit, campus vibe and basketball.</p>
<p>^ I think that is a legitimate impression to have.</p>
<p>The main differences between the two would be on “feel” of the campus/community. If I were into sports, warmer weather, more “rah-rah” type school spirit, I would tend toward Duke. If I were looking for a more urban, cosmopolitan feel I would tend toward Penn.</p>
<p>How do you mean that Penn is more cosmopolitan?</p>
<p>The main thing that’s getting me down about Duke is the warm weather. I’m sick of the consistently warm weather of California and want something different. I just think that Duke won’t be able to offer me that change?</p>
<p>Well, Philly is definitely more cosmopolitan than Raleigh-Durham, plus you are just a train ride away from NYC at Penn.
I think that urban feel of Penn is what differentiates it from the more collegiate/sports feel at Duke.</p>
<p>As to weather, don’t know where you are in Cal., but cannot imagine being sick of the consistently warm weather :)</p>
<p>Philadelphia weather: summer - very hot and humid, beautiful falls, cold winters, nice springs
Duke: milder winters, hotter summers.</p>
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<p>Unless you or someone you know went to both Penn and Duke for undergrad, I don’t understand how you could come to this conclusion. I never got the impression that Penn lacked school spirit.</p>
<p>Also, these are huge schools with every time of student imaginable so I’m not sure how you can generalize the “campus vibe”</p>
<p>If you’re talking about the competition, I go to Wharton and I think the classes are too easy.</p>
<p>I just wanna know if it’s easy to meet people as a freshman, especially in the Quad. And is there plenty to do in terms of nightlife?</p>
<p>
The horror! :p</p>
<p>In Duke’s defense, those are things cultivated by the university that make it unique. Penn’s main advantage over its peers is something that has nothing to do with the university – Philly.</p>
<p>About the Quad, is it easy to meet people when you start out as a freshman?</p>
<p>
you don’t have to attend both Duke and Penn to realize that Duke vs UNC in Cameron Indoor is a bigger scene than a Penn game at the Palestra.</p>
<p>And since you don’t actually attend Duke or Penn… I don’t see how this is relevant.</p>
<p>Go on youtube and search for videos from the two school to see some uncensored stuff about student life. Stalk people on facebook, check out the types of comments they make on group walls, etc. All of that will be more objective than listening to already biased people tell you where to go.</p>
<p>UPenn are you kidding???</p>
<p>They’ll prepare you the best for whatever field your interested in.</p>
<p>Ex. If you’re on the pre-med track, you can take a writing course that’s not even English, but more like Chemistry. And the hospital is AMAZING!!!</p>
<p>
the heck? lol…</p>
<p>I would choose Penn. It’s an Ivy League (I know all of you are going to give the whole “prestige-doesn’t-matter” spiel, but come on. It does matter at least a LITTLE BIT), it has a great business program (I know you’re interested in premed, but still), and I love the urban and culture-rich area of Philadelphia.</p>
<p>But that’s just me.</p>
<p>Haha bluewatermelon - I’ve said this many times before, between schools that ARE COMPARABLE, prestige is a very, very unimportant factor to consider. There are maybe a half dozen schools that carry true, strong national prestige (Harvard, Yale, etc.). After that, the differences are so negligible in the next group of colleges that the other factors (location, vibe of school, etc.) MUST receive a HIGHER priority than any thought of perceived prestige. </p>
<p>Also, in terms of comparing school spirit between Duke and UPenn… seriously? Penn has some fun traditions like Hey Day and Spring Fling, and the frats provide a good scene, but come on… Nothing at UPenn matches the intensity and solidarity Duke students must feel before a game against UNC…</p>