<p>I don't understand how people can form opinions on schools based on what people post on a college discussion forum. How many students from any given school post here on a regular basis? 10, maybe 15 at the most? Duke, for instance, has about 1,600 kids in every incoming class. You'll find a lot of very different types of people here like you would on any given college campus. There are hippies, math nerds, jocks, artists, humanitarians, greeks, etc. etc. The three qualities that seem to be apparent in every Duke student is incredible loyalty to their school, great social skills and a love of civic engagement.</p>
<p>The social aspect of the student body here is something I feel that separates from every other top 10 school, except maybe Northwestern. Although they are serious about their education and have a love of learning, most Duke students are very "normal" and enjoy discussing regular topics like sports, movies, pop culture, the opposite sex, etc. I honestly feel that most Duke students can relate with almost any type of person out there in the world.
This might be too much of a generalization, but I think for the most part Duke students enjoyed their high school experiences a lot more than their Ivy League counterparts. While many of their Ivy League peers were disillusioned by the "popularity and athletics-infused" culture that pervades most American high schools, most Duke students embraced it. So when it came down to college selection, Duke students were looking for an environment that perhaps replicated high school to an extent but also had the refinement and opportunities that characterizes most elite schools.</p>
<p>I recently read the article "The Disadvantages of an Elite Education" by William Deresiewicz. After reading it, I knew I could be comforted by the idea that Duke students would never experience these sorts of "negative side effects" that Deresiewicz and his fellow Ivy grads do. Maybe Deresiewicz can't hold a simple conversation with his plumber, but I for sure can. So can nearly all Duke grads for that matter. Maybe this is the hidden advantage of going to a school which has an extremely socially apt student body who can communicate with people from all walks of life with equal ease. That's why Duke grads succeed at such a high frequency in the business, law and medical world.</p>
<p>On a tangent, I also want to reiterate each person can be a good fit at many schools like unalove said. Believe it or not, the other school I was most keen on attending before college decisions came out was the University of Chicago. Although I enjoyed my high school experience, especially the social aspect, I really wanted to experience a more intellectual environment in college where I could discuss nerdy ideas and the importnat issues of the time with people that cared. I ended up being waitlisted and didn't get in(lol). However, what turned me off about Chicago at the end was the anti-social nature of the student body. I love discussing subjects like philosophy, politics and math but there's no way I could spend my Saturday nights playing Risk(a pretty fun game though) instead of chilling with some guys, meeting girls and getting my drink on. This might be a slight exaggeration but this is the general vibe I got from campus. However, I still think Chicago would be a great fit for me for the most part.</p>
<p>Bottom line: All the top schools are unique yet different in many ways, so go actually visit the campus yourself and go with your gut feeling. Block out the CC banter.</p>
<p>P.S.: The only school among those Pizzagirl listed that I truly think is not at the same level of Duke is Michigan. Cornell and Chicago might have weaker student bodies but their reputation is definitely on par with Duke's.</p>