<p>So here's the deal, I applied early to Stanford and was fortunately accepted. However, I decided to let my other apps (Duke, Yale, Penn, Columbia) stay since I had already done all the work. Nonetheless I spent the last 5 months following stanford athletics (staying up late to follow bball games v washington, etc online) and learning as much as possible about Stanford in general. </p>
<p>Last Friday, I found out that I am being offered the Robertson (full tuition, laptop, summer community service programs that seemingly change lives) at Duke. Now, my family is not uber-rich, but my dad says my decision shouldn't be based on money (I am not being offered any aid at Yale or Stanford). However, I think the Robertson program itself (especially the summer programs) are a can't-miss opportunity. Yet, I find many things about Duke unattractive (not quite as "intellectually stimulating," many spoiled kids on campus, social scene dominated by frats), and I know Stanford is the perfect fit.</p>
<p>Any advice on whether I should choose Stanford, Yale or Duke with the Robertson? Honestly, I'm incredibly blessed to get into all three, I really am not that talented, but now I'm in a quagmire. HELP PLEASE!</p>
<p>One piece of input off the top of my head - I had one son who attended Stanford and now one who is at Duke. I would say they are very similar experiences as far as the type of students, intellectual stimulation and social scene... They both seem to have all kinds of students, and the stereotypes are found at BOTH places. At least at this point in our Duke experience, our son seems to be finding similar opportunities and experiences that his brother had at Stanford. The only real difference I've noticed is in the way they dress, which may be an East Coast/West Coast phenomenom more than a school specific characteristic. At any rate, we think both schools are FANTASTIC! Congratulations on your options.</p>
<p>Wow, that is a pretty enviable situation to be in. I'd say take the Robertson, but then again, I would've taken a full-ride at my state school over Duke.</p>
<p>Well, you can think about it in two ways:
1.) Don't think about money at all. After all, you can have life-changing experiences at either of those three awesome schools with or without some fancy scholarship, so don't risk making a decision that you'll regret. What's the school that you dream of going to when you go to sleep at night?
2.) You'll get a roughly equal education from all of those, so save yourself a whole lot of money and get the distinction of a highly competitive scholarship. You can't go wrong with Duke! Well, no more so than with those other schools.</p>
<p>If I were you, I would go with option number one, which seems to be Stanford for you.</p>
<p>Duke and Stanford are like the same school except Duke is a little more undergrad-focused. The Robertson program is an amazing one and I think you're probably more hesitant now just because you built Stanford up for months (when you thought that was where you were going) to BE this illusive "perfect fit". If you take a step back and look at your choices I think turning down such an opportunity would be very foolish. Honestly, you are not going to have to deal with the "spoiled" kids unless you want to--they constitute a very very small minority here. You should also note they'll definitely be at Yale and Stanford too, I can guarantee you that--in fact I know three kids at Yale and Stanford who would fit into this category themselves, lol. Most of the kids here are anything but spoiled in my opinion and have worked their asses off to come here, oftentimes on a ton of financial aid. Also, at every college you go to the social scene is dominated by frats. Granted 15% of guys at Stanford are in frats as opposed to 25% at Duke, but that is not a huge difference. When I visited my friends at Yale, Brown, MIT, etc. over break guess where we went? Frat parties--and not very ones compared to Duke, may I add. I know the lure of going to "HYPS" can be attractive, but hell I got into Princeton and I have never regretted turning it down since I got here, so I don't really have any sympathy for prestige whores. Believe me, if you're a social person who has been staying up late watching basketball games I think you will do more than fine at Duke. However, if you got into the Robertson, Yale, and Stanford, you should be intelligent enough to make your own good decision.</p>
<p>This is coming from somebody who will probably go to UNC in 2006: take the Robertson, and don't look back. It's a fantastic scholarship, and the universities really go out of their way to make sure the recipients are happy. While it's true that Duke has more pre-professionals, Stanford certainly has their fair share of them, as well as spoiled kids; it's not like Duke is completely void of intellectuals either - one of my friends who will be going there next year is pretty much the opposite of the stereotypical Duke kid, and she obviously isn't the only one. The Roberston scholars in particular probably go against the stereotype of the Duke student.</p>
<p>"Yet, I find many things about Duke unattractive (not quite as "intellectually stimulating," many spoiled kids on campus, social scene dominated by frats), and I know Stanford is the perfect fit."</p>
<p>It's been said already, but I agree that "life" at the two schools is pretty similar.</p>
<p>Well, even if you did like Stanford or Yale a little more than Duke, you should still ask yourself if either would be worth an extra $160,000 to you, even if your parents have offered to pay it. Think about how much money that really is (to most of us anyway), and what the opportunity cost of turning down the Robertson would be and going to either of the other two. </p>
<p>As my name on here suggests, I go to Carolina and honestly I'm not the biggest Duke fan here (in fact I turned down Duke (and Yale) to come here). I'm not at all qualified to tell you about the nuances of programs or social life or anything, but for most people I can't see there being that big of a difference in the quality of your education to warrant the extra money. </p>
<p>And if that doesn't convince you, the extra perks from the Robertson should. For one, you get to spend a whole semester of your life in Chapel Hill ;). And the paid summers and other benefits are wonderful, or so I've heard from my friends who are UNC Robertsons. </p>
<p>So please think long and hard before spending that $160,000 on college when you could have an equal experience for free. As a public policy major, I can spot the most cost-effective solution to your problem pretty easily, and it would pain me deeply to see you pass up the Robertson, which is truly an amazing opportunity to attend two of this country's best institutions. Choose Duke and then go buy yourself a car or save the money for law/med school or something.</p>
<p>collegehopeful44 don't be a fool and pick the robertson. it's a no brainer. i hope to see you at white water rafting trip this summer. i'd be upset if I found out you went to Stanford over Duke. Andy was telling me that the two people who didn't take the Robertson both have ended up regretting their decisions (one went to UPenn and the other to Yale). Heck, I am not going to my dream school (Yale) and instead taking the Robertson for UNC.</p>
<p>You know we are being very gentle with you. Of course take the Robertson, give your heart and mind to taking advantage of all the wonderful offerings at Duke for four years and put Stanford on your graduate school list. Hey, and wouldn't being a Robertson be a way to stand out when you apply to grad schools...</p>
<p>I know it is hard to disengage from a Vision of Self at Stanford held for several months, and Stanford is very worthy school, but this is fate and that is why you chose to leave your options open and why Stanford enacted Early Action..just for kids like you. Have a golden first year...</p>