UChicago vs. Duke vs. JHU

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I applied to 12 schools and now I'm having a hard time deciding which school I should attend. Because of financial aid and personal preferences, I have narrowed my choices down to UChicago, Duke, and JHU. </p>

<p>First, I should tell a little bit about me. I was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio and I'm looking to get out of the state. My major will depend on the school I attend, but I know that I want to go to medical school and (possibly) get an MBA or MHA in addition to an MD. </p>

<p>Money</p>

<p>Money is an issue. UChicago's and Duke's financial aid was far superior to JHU's. The total budget minus grant aid (aka, the amount I will have to pay for my first year) for UChicago, Duke, and JHU is 21610, 22270, and 32678 respectively. Once you subtract the other financial aid (Work Study and deferred loans) the out of pocket expenses come to 14185, 15470, and 26678 respectively. </p>

<p>My dad cashed out his stock options this year to pay for my sister's college and an unexpected, mandatory home repair Because of this, my parents' adjusted gross income was close to 190,000, when our yearly income is closer to 115-120,000 per year. I have an older sister in college and my mother is also in grad school. I have two younger (twin) sisters who will be heading off to college in five years. </p>

<p>Do you think I have any shot at an appeal at any school (particularly JHU)? My parents could pay any of the tuitions, but not without some hardship. If you think I have a chance at an appeal, how does this process work?</p>

<p>Location</p>

<p>UChicago - Chicago, IL; Duke - Durham, NC; JHU - Baltimore, MD. I've been a Midwestern girl my entire life, and, stereotypically, the east coast is more stuck up and preppy than the Midwest. For this reason, I like Uchicago. Weather isn’t a huge factor for me, but I do like to see snow every once in a while and I immensely dislike temperatures above 85 degrees or below 15 degrees. All colleges are far from home, but still a reasonable driving distance away.</p>

<p>Academics/Majors/Placement</p>

<p>I need a school that will get me into a top medical school and JHU and Duke will get me there. I got into BME at JHU and I will major in BME (and possibly econ) at JHU or Duke. Uchicago isn’t well known for medicine (it also doesn’t have engineering, but that’s not as huge of an issue for me considering I’m not planning on being an engineer). I like the core at Uchicago because I have very diverse interests. At Uchicago, I’d probably major in either Economics, HIPS, Comparative Literature, or biochemistry. </p>

<p>At JHU and Duke, I may end up switching majors from engineering to something in arts and sciences</p>

<p>Other Factors
Varsity sports aren’t a huge priority for me, but a nice recreation facility is required. I also love to run, so running trails are definitely a plus. Enrollment at each school is similar in number, so that doesn’t matter. I don’t plan on joining a sorority (I couldn’t see myself living and hanging out with that many girls). I plan on playing in a musical group, but not majoring in music. </p>

<p>Any help you can give me would be much appreciated.</p>

2

<p>It looks to me that Duke is the way to go. It's cheaper than JHU and arguably, more selective than both JHU or UofC. AND, it'll give you an edge towards medical programs.</p>

3

<p>Did you visit UChi ?</p>

4

<p>I'm visiting UChicago on the 17th-18th and Duke on either the 14th or the 21st.</p>

5

<p>I'm a UChi parent of a freshman, a Chicagoan that origianally wanted to be 'miles away'. His spring junior year visit melted him. At the end, it was even the best fin aid package. Enjoy your visit and read my 'fun for some' post in the UChi threads, because I think exploring on your own is valuable.</p>

6

<p>Given your financial constraints, it sounds like JHU should be out of the picture (unless they change their fin'l offer). After that, it's a close call, but you sound like a better fit for U Chicago, if only because there are certain aspects of Duke that may turn you off, eg, there is a preppy element to the school, the weather in the early part of the school year will be potentially quite warm, there is snow but it is not much and it is pretty rare and doesn't stay around, and the sports scene at Duke is an important aspect of that campus and their culture. </p>

<p>I do think that Duke would be a superior choice to U Chicago in terms of its potential to assist your pursuit of med school, but it's not as if U Chicago is some academic weakling and you can't achieve from there. You know as well as me that that is not at the case. </p>

<p>So, based on your needs and your presentation of what you like and dislike, I'd recommend U Chicago to you over Duke.</p>

7

<p>Just putting this out there. Ratner Athletics center at UChicago is beast. University</a> of Chicago Athletics - The Gerald Ratner Athletics Center</p>

8

<p>With your interests and career goals I'd probably favor Duke. "Very diverse interests" don't necessarily support Chicago's core. If you have pre-med requirements to fulfill in addition to considering a major outside the sciences, you'll have a lot fewer elective options there than at Duke once also factoring in the core. You can pursue "diverse interests" without having them formatted for you by the school. All three are obviously strong academic programs. Money-wise, Hopkins seems to make little sense.</p>

9

<p>Congratulations! You cannot make a wrong choice in my opinion. To level the playing field, you may want to consider calling the admissions/financial aid folks at JHU and ask them to match the other offers. If they won't, then they have done you a favor by narrowing your best options to either Duke University or the University of Chicago. Financial pressure can seriously harm family relations. If you want to study BME, then go to Duke if JHU does not match their financial aid offer. If you think that economics might be your major, then the University of Chicago might be the best choice for you. The great news is that if you are undecided as to your major area of study, then either Duke or Chicago would be ideal. Don't worry about stereotyping Easterners versus Midwesterners as all three of your choices are sizable universities that are quite capable of humbling even the most confident student. You will do well at any of your three choices both during and after your undergraduate years.</p>

10

<p>Go to UChicago. You sound like you love to learn and those are the type of people that go to UChicago. Go there. Also it is the lowest cost.</p>

11

<p>Duke is an awesome school for those going into medical programs (both my parents got into selective med programs from there). I'd just let go of JHU because of their lack of aid. It's not worth it.</p>

<p>However, Duke's weather will definately be above 85 for early fall and spring. I'm an NC girl, and we have 85+ temps into October and starting in March-April. However, if that doesn't bother you a bunch, Duke's probably the best for science and social science (not including JHU, but their aid sucks).</p>

12

<p>My oldest went to UC and my middle went to Duke. The two are totally different. I'm not totally convinced that you are certain about the narrow path. So my comments will be directed to a different comparison between the two. If you value a college experience with all the rah rah this contains, if being a spectator is your idea of participation, if you're preppy or like to be surrounded by them, then Duke is your answer. The classes will not be as rigorous intellectually, the discussions will not be passionate, the subject matter will be mundane, the social interaction will be of a lower level, the drinking will be greater, etc. It's a "name, prestigious faculty, selective students" university. </p>

<p>UC is absolutely, totally different. Think intellectual, one-off, outstanding, passionate but also none of the "university experience". If your idea of fun is arguing Aristotle over beers, welcome to the last of the truly intellectual colleges (outside of Oxf/Camb/Trin), with all that's bad and good about that. One of my son's friends mentioned that Harvard was the school chosen by those who were afraid of Chicago. That would never be said of Duke.</p>

<p>BTW, Chicago med school is first rate. Just check the kudos in its specialties. </p>

<p>Think of it this way. At Duke, the guest speakers will be Bono, Clinton, etc. At Chicago it will be Wolfram, Kurzweil and Stiglitz. At Duke, the guest speakers are treated with respect and everyone listens attentively. At Chicago, no one is treated with respect and the Q&A is filled with fire and the smell of war. </p>

<p>The choice is yours.</p>

13

<p>
[quote]
At Chicago, no one is treated with respect and the Q&A is filled with fire and the smell of war.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>qtf 10 char</p>

14

<p>Ummm...do you really want me to explain why Chicago? Because I will....if you want me to....</p>

15

<p>Besides Hopkins, no other school has the BME program that Duke has. The school also is located in the midst of a huge forest so there are a lot of running trails for your pleasure. Duke has a friendly student body, mild weather and great recreational facilities. However, like some of the posters have pointed, it is not as intellectual as UChicago would be.</p>

<p>Duke's 85% acceptance rate to med schools is hard to beat though.</p>

16

<p>Give Duke a fair shot when you go to visit. If it doesn't fit you, then don't enroll. Undergrad is just as much the experience as it is the academics. I know you've really liked JHU for a while, but financial stress can be really lame. I think you're strong enough to be successful in getting into a great med school at any of these three places. Also, even though I didn't visit UChic, it seems to me that UChic is the closest to Yale out of the three, and you seem like a really good fit there, in my mind. </p>

<p>But 'tis true, you really can't go wrong with any of them.</p>

17

<p>Johns Hopkin is synomous with medicine. Hopkin's medical school and Johns Hopkins Hospital is unrivaled in its reputation and is highly regarded for the practice of medicine.</p>

<p>90% acceptance rate into med school is unrivaled and is on par with the best of the best Ivy schools.</p>

<p>Hopkins BME is #1 in the nation. By far the University injects incredible amounts of funding to sustain the best BME program in the nation.</p>

<p>I would not even consider UChicago for premed versus Duke and JHU.</p>

<p>You can tout UChicago for premed and the quality of Pritzker all you want, but Duke and Johns Hopkins medical is by far the better quality out of the three. UChicago's strengths lies in mathmatics, economics, iBanking, physics/astronomy, humanities, and government/politics. Hardcore sciences is Johns Hopkin's specialty, especially BME.</p>

<p>Do not forget, If JHU financial aid is not good enough, you can always speak with the financial advisor and bargain with them.</p>

<p>Please do not give up Hopkins. Its a excellent choice given your intended future goals and intended major. (BME and premed)</p>

18

<p>Thanks for all your replies. I'm visiting Duke and UChicago soon and I just emailed the financial aid department at JHU. </p>

<p>Right now, I'm going to wait until I visit before I even think about making a decision. I know that Duke would be better for my interests, but it also seems much worse for my personality.</p>

19

<p>
[quote]
I need a school that will get me into a top medical school and JHU and Duke will get me there.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>All will do that. The differences are so small that your individual performance will dominate your medical school chances. That does not mean that you have no basis for comparison. As others have noted, given the small differences in overall quality, you should consider other factors.</p>

<p>You need to decide how much you may want to major in engineering since that is not an option at Chicago.</p>

<p>It is impossible for JHU, at the current level of fin aid, to compete with the other two places. It is certainly possible that they will match the other offers, and you should definitely ask them to do so. If they cannot match the offer then cross JHU off your list. Med school is expensive, and spending that much more money for one elite private over another just makes no sense. If they do match, be aware that JHU's high admit rate for med school applicants is in part a result of rigid screening of those who want to apply. This has been discussed extensively in the premed section of CC.</p>

<p>One factor to consider is the actual premed experience. An intense intellectual college, with little time for deep involvement in extracurriculars, a student body that is, relatively, less interested in things outside of a course catalogue, and a more pre grad school than pre professional school orientation may not be ideal for a premed. This of course depends entirely on the individual student.</p>

<p>Relatively quality of the medical schools is of NO IMPORTANCE WHATSOEVER. If you go to JHU undergrad the odds that you will go to JHU med school are very low. Same for any other undergrad/med school pairing. You will be an undergrad, not a medical student, and you should focus on the undergrad experience.</p>

<p>If you major in BME at Duke you will not have time to engage in that much of the Duke social and extracurricular life, particularly if you want the kind of grades that will get you into a top medical school.</p>

<p>Chicago and Duke are really different as an undergrad experience. You need to focus on those features. Lots of people head to medical school from both, but a larger proportion of Duke than Chicago students want medical degrees.</p>