<p>It depends on what your looking for. The two schools are fudementally different, so it shouldn't be hard to decide.</p>
<p>I always get the impression that Dartmouth/Brown are schools where you just drift around, looking for the meaning of life, take classes that are pass/fail, and eventually go to work for your dad's company.</p>
<p>Duke is more focused and professional oriented, at least compared to Dartmouth. </p>
<p>Simply put, because Dartmouth is so small and lacks any graduate schools, it just doesn't have the resources of a research university. And that's why Duke's potential for growth is so much higher, because you'll hear about it in the academic journals, in the news, which begets more recognition, more funding, and more improvement.</p>
<p>The whole point of Duke is to teach, research, and expand. Dartmouth's whole philosophy seems to be against research and expansion, concentrating on keeping a status quo of a tight-knit community. You'll have to eventually transfer out to a school like Duke anyway.</p>
<p>I would choose Dartmouth if you like a smaller, more intimate college experience, if you like colder weather (I actually do), or if you want an easier courseload.</p>
<p>Otherwise, go to Duke.</p>