<p>I've been torn between Duke and UCLA as a Regents Scholar since early April. Duke is great, but Regents Scholarship gives 5500 a year, preferred parking and guaranteed housing and class choices. I always thought I would be able to decide after I visited both campuses, and I was leaning towards Duke before I visited, but after Blue Devil Days I am split 50-50 again. Everyone has their own opinion and I can get anything but a consensus on where to go. I like both schools so much that I have no idea how to decide. If it helps, I'm one of the thousand others who is planning on medical school, planning to major in sciences and business.</p>
<p>I have three days or so, so help me please...</p>
<p>Of course UCLA!!! You're posting at a UCLA specified forum, you know... Well, both are great school, I have to say. But from what you're saying, it seems like you like Duke more. I don't see any positives about UCLA. What's your determining factor? Prestige? Classes? Environment?</p>
<p>I'm a parent. If I were you I'd choose UCLA. Duke has an overrated reputation. Did you spend any time in Durham? You'll be spending all of your time on campus. Race relations at Duke are just so-so - lot's of self-segregation. My son spent last summer at the Duke pre-college program. He liked the program but had no interest in going back for college. He's going to UCLA in the fall. The Duke grads I've met are smarmy.</p>
<p>Big green what's "smarmy"? greenday I'd choose UCLA, better weather, cool peeps, great networking, awesome internship opportunities, Duke to me tries to hard to place this elitist image that is from true. You can get the same if not equal education as a bruin. Duke is seen as better because its a private, expensive, and has better ranking but I don't believe ucla is "behind" in the quality of education you will receive. Picture yourself on graduation day where are you?</p>
<p>It always surprises me when people have trouble deciding between two schools in such different locations as LA and Durham because I've always found it much harder to decide between schools in similar locations. Maybe that's just because I put a lot of weight on it, but I still think that's got to be one of your most important deciding factors right there. Do you want all the activity of LA, and the issues that come with it like traffic and crime, or a less chaotic experience? Myself, even though I'm not all that social I still find I have to be around the action or I start to get bored. So there's no doubt I and most of the other people in this forum would go to UCLA (not least of all because they're giving you priority housing and parking, a kingly gift). But I share a lot of interests with one of my best friends from HS who happens to go to Duke right now. Think about how where you're from compares to each location, and think about what you've always wanted to change about it.</p>
<p>Crime in westwood is virtually non-existent the only reason l.a. has a high amount of crime is all the people out here. It's relatively save and really no different than any other urban city in the u.s. and kissingshadow is right you are getting a kingly gift that should not be squandered that should be the extra incentive for los angeles over duram</p>
<p>I have a friend who had to make the same decision, UCLA regents vs. Duke (he's a bio major too). He's at UCLA now and he's glad he made that decision. For him, having a diverse environment as well as a large Indian population (he's Indian) was important to him, and that has enhanced his college life experience. </p>
<p>I would say besides academics, what else is important to you? When you're not studying, what do you imagine yourself doing? How do you want college life to be? Perhaps that can help you better answer your question.</p>
<p>its late on the 29th, but if you're still reading this thread here's what to do. Make your best decision tonite, fill out the acceptance form, write the check, put it in the envelope, and then put in in your drawer. Tomorrow when you wake up if you're glad the whole thing is over, go mail the envelope. On the other hand, if you're ready to crawl into the dropoff box to get that letter back, switch.</p>