<p>Hello all! soo Im struggling with the decision b/w stanford and duke and I have found them fairly comparable. I live 20 mins from stanford, so its been my dream for a long time. but then i got into duke and the decision isnt so clear anymore. obviously there are pros to moving further away, but i have a unique situation. I recently finished treatment for cancer (chemo) and so in the chance of a recurrence (30% chance) it may be nice to be close to home. anyone have any thoughts? also, does anyone know more specific differences between the two? social life? competitiveness among students? etc. </p>
<p>I'm in the same situation as you. Personally, considering your cancer situation (sorry by the way, best wishes), I would go to Stanford. Academics are likely slightly better depending on your major, better weather, and close to home.</p>
<p>Yes. Even though I can understand you wanting to get more than 20 minutes from home, it would save you and definitely your parents a lot less worrying if you lived close. Congrats on your achievements and feel better!</p>
<p>By all means stay close to home. As a parent, I would want to be able to be there for my child for whatever situation. The only thing I can say that may be able to put parents and you a little more at ease about going to Duke is that they may have one of the best Cancer centers in the world. </p>
<p>Our prayers go out to you for a lifelong remission.</p>
<p>Socially, Stanford and Duke are similar in that they are top schools with excellent athletic programs and very diverse student bodies...
However, as an academic institution, Stanford trumps Duke
I'd suggest you go to Stanford
Best wishes</p>
<p>I'm a future Dukie, so believe me I'd like to tell you to go Duke over Stanford. Both are excellent schools, although I give Stanford the edge for academics. Duke LOVES to compare itself to Stanford (ok, well not LOVES, but likes-to-when-know-one-is-looking...a lot) Because of that "social, athletic, smart, out-side-ivy-but-better!" thing. But the truth is, Stanford IS probably a stronger institution for now. And consider your circumstances, I'd say go red. </p>
<p>On the other hand, the Duke Medical facilities are outstanding, and depending on your condition you may find getting away from home liberating. </p>
<p>Either way, your college options are excellent. </p>
<p>Stanford, it's a no brainer really, academically speaking. It's HYPS not HYPD. Also, you don't need the extra stress of such a major change of location given your health concerns. Good luck to you.</p>
<p>HYPS? HYP? Now I know Duke hasn't reached Stanfords prestige, but someday soon you'll see - HYPSD. You know Stanford is lonely up there, being the only "closer-to-almost-sort-of-well-rounded" in the first tier. Also, Duke's never been ranked lower than 8th, and has been as high as 2nd. No other 2nd tier elite can say the same.</p>
<p>Your statement is not only not likely, but it's nearly laughable.</p>
<p>First things first, people like to say HYPSM, but it's really HY then M then YP.
They are all super-elite, but Stanford and Harvard are stronger than the other three in a broader range of disciplines. Among the supernovas of American higher ed, it's indisputatbly Stanford, Harvard and Berkeley.</p>
<p>Re joining the top tier, there are many other candidates who have stronger claims to that status than Duke, namely:</p>
<p>Chicago - intellectually, it has more heft than almost any school (UChi trumps H and Y in this area, espc in the social sciences), has very strong professional programs and great leadership evidenced by fund raising, outreach activities and better marketing/branding
Penn - a huge research enterprise with a medical center who's breadth and depth are only rivaled by Harvard, UCSF and Johns Hopkins; is so aggressive and forward thinking about interdisciplinary research that perhaps only Stanford trumps them in that regard, and is academically broader and deeper than any of the contenders with the possible exception of Columbia
Columbia - great lib arts plus great professional programs; in the heart of NYC with all the good and conflict and notoriety that can bring; raising money as fast as they can count it; making big investments in key areas (neuroscience, environmentals, comp sci)</p>
<p>All three of these schools equal or exceed Duke in the humanities and social sciences; all of them exceed Duke in professional education by meaningful margins, in fundraising, and research spending. And they've all shown more momentum (capital campaigns, awards won, increasing selectivity, community outreach activities) than Duke. </p>
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<p>To the OP, Duke and Stanford are great schools with stunningly beautiful campuses and greater overall balance (academics, athletics, social life) than any Ivy could offer. That said, Stanford is a better intellectual experience, is the better name for your resume and is closer to home just in case that fact (unfortunately) becomes a factor for the next four years of your life. </p>
<p>Good luck with your decision. All the best for your future.</p>
<p>The differences in prestige, quality of undergraduate education and student body is very small between both these schools. If you really want to experience a new location, then Duke will still work out great for you weather-wise and socially as well. </p>
<p>Intellectually, I would say both Duke and Stanford are lacking in comparison to Columbia and HYP. The student bodies at both schools are kind of locked in a bubble where they are isolated from the real world in the sense that there isn't a lot of political activism on either campus.</p>
This is completely false. Stanford is considerably more prestigious than Duke. Duke is an elite school, Stanford is super-elite. Stanford has better academics - in some cases, much better - in almost every single field than Duke. I don't meant to trash Duke (see my earlier post), but it is quite misleading to say these two institutions are of similar caliber. That is completely false. </p>
<p>If the OP selects one for a better feel/attraction to one place over the other, that's one thing. But let's not mislead him with statements that fall flat on their face. </p>
<p>Likewise, Stanford's student body, selectivity, yield and EC activities in campus are of higher quality than Duke's. </p>
<p>"Both in a bubble" - not really. Duke deals with the complexities of town/gown relations with Durham and the Research Triangle. Stanford has East Palo Alto (for economic and racial diversity) and plenty of social issues to get involved in. Neither school has to contend with the quasi-tribal inter-ethnic issues famous in Northeastern cities or the political activism Columbia and Brown are famous/infamous for, but "bubble-dom" is a stretch.</p>
<p>with your so specific situation, no matter whatever other colleges(such as even harvard/yale/princeton/etc) accept you as well besides stanford, i'd like to say -- forget them all, simply choose stanford and stay close to your parents/family...</p>