<p>My daughter was accepted to both and grants have brought them financially on par with one another. Anyone out there attended both and can give her a comparison from the inside? Her major will be poli sci with a strong interest in international law or policy. She would like to spend a year overseas as well.</p>
<p>carolinaheaven: I'd look at the specific departments at both schools. I know poli sci at UNC is highly regarded and is a popular major. I believe their graduate program in political science is ranked in the top 10. The study abroad program at UNC is very strong, with a broad range of options; study abroad is certainly encouraged.</p>
<p>I am less familiar with the poli sci department, or study abroad, at Duke. While both are excellent schools, the feeling/atmosphere of these 2 campuses is very different, as well as their respective locations (UNC well- integrated into the town of Chapel Hill). So, I think the choice of these 2, all other things being equal, often rests on the gut feeling of how a student feels he or she might fit into the campus and the social atmosphere of that campus. </p>
<p>Just my 2 cents. I'm sure a student will jump in and provide more/better help.</p>
<p>Echoing jack, have you visited both? There's a big difference in the feel you get when walking both schools when classes are in session. UNC is maybe the friendliest place you'll visit with lots of smiling faces and obviously happy kids. At Duke you'll see a lot of people walking head down, preoccupied and not smiling. This sounds like a simpleton view but it has been stated in numerous posts over the last three years on CC when your question has been posed. The town of Chapel Hill has more to do, is more convenient ( as jack said the university is more integrated into the town) and is safer than Durham, which has had its share of racial tension. Many Dookies spend their free and social time on Franklin St in Chapel Hill whenever they can.</p>
<p>UNC will offer an incredible undergraduate experience coupled with a very fine education in a far less cut throat environment. If you are worried about prestige, all grad and professional schools know how hard admission for an OOS student is at UNC; there are students each year admitted to Duke who don't get into UNC so that comparison should be a draw at best.</p>
<p>As jack mentioned, Carolina has an excellent study abroad pragram with wide participation.</p>
<p>Visit both schools while classes are in session and look closely.</p>
<p>I am already familiar with the differences: I grew up in Durham and attended UNC (but 30 years ago). I was looking for more contemporary reference, and appreciate any feedback. Duke open house is next week so she should be able to get another view.</p>
<p>Eadad, I agree with your assessment. I have told my D to make sure she pick the better fit and the one to make her the most happy.</p>
<p>Well, Duke has a strong program in political science, and the Sanford Institute of Public Policy is a great resource for students. However, Chapel Hill's political science program is right on Duke's heels, so there's not a clear difference between the quality of the two programs. Public policy and political science are two of the most popular majors at Duke, and classes fill up quickly...something to consider. It does her no good to like courses that she won't be able to get into until she's a junior or senior. One thing that might help would be to consider the related resources- UNC Chapel Hill is strong in anthropology and Peace/Conflict Studies; Duke is strong in economics. As you know, the universities are very different. I think it'll come down to personal fit in the end- one is bound to fit better than the other.</p>
<p>I would say UNC probably offers a more typical "college experience" however Duke is a great school and both are excellent choices. I'd say UNC however, but thats a personal bias.</p>
<p>Has your daughter visited both?</p>
<p>"At Duke you'll see a lot of people walking head down, preoccupied and not smiling. This sounds like a simpleton view but it has been stated in numerous posts over the last three years on CC ...."</p>
<p>Usually by parents whose kids go elsewhere! :) :) :)</p>
<p>D has toured UNC in the last month. Duke tour this week. Thanks for all the replies.</p>
<p>Duke is the #5 school in the nation chapel hill 27. DUkes lax team is da bomb and so are our b-ballas. If you want to be like 500,000 other UNC grads go there if not go to the duke</p>
<p>Imaballa: I'm curious; are you a current Duke student?</p>
<p>Yes I am a poly-sci major class of 2008 and yes I play lax and yes were not guilty</p>
<p>Imaballa - </p>
<p>My d is considering Carolina, among other schools, and has a couple of friends who will attend Duke in the fall. I am curious about a few things. In your opinion, prior to the accusations against the lax team at Duke, would you consider race relations in the Durham/Chapel Hill area to be good? Also, presuming nothing about any party's guilt or innocence with regard to rape accusations, can I ask if you were in the house when the dancers performed? And if so, is it true that racial slurs were made against these women? Also, do you have any insight as to why your lax coach resigned?</p>
<p>It would be nice to hear insight from someone with first hand knowledge. Thank you.</p>
<p>Chapel Hill race relations are considerably more stable than Durham's. Last year there was an incident involving a cross burning in downtown Durham that made national news.</p>
<p>"At Duke you'll see a lot of people walking head down, preoccupied and not smiling. This sounds like a simpleton view but it has been stated in numerous posts over the last three years on CC when your question has been posed."</p>
<p>Posted by whom? You? I'm no huge Duke cheerleader but the people I know who go there love it. And as for "race relations", you do realize Durham is much larger and has a MUCH higher black population to begin with? Chapel Hill is about 10% black while Durham is 40% black.</p>
<p>I love Chapel Hill and have been a Carolina fan since birth, but quit with the trolling. Your kid loves UNC, OK, we get it, lots of people love Duke too. </p>
<p>And ldmom, that person is a troll.</p>
<p>actually ohnoes....how would I realize anything about Durham or Chapel Hill? I'm from Houston, Texas. I use this forum, along with other sources, as a means to gain as much information as possible about Carolina before our family makes the decision to send our child over a 1000 miles away to a state we've never even visited.</p>
<p>You seem to have combined several posts and created a hybrid answer that is a bit harsh in tone. I cannot tell if you are speaking to me and I certainly don't know to whom you are referring when you state 'that person is a troll'.</p>
<p>ohnoes was referring to Imaballa as a troll. Considering the comments he's made thus far, I'd agree. Eadad's D (or S?) is a Morehead sholar, so he's justified in promoting UNC, although not to the point of absurd stereotypes. Still, on an online forum, who expects to get unbiased answers? :)</p>
<p>I have spoken with eadad several times and he has been incredibly helpful as we attempt to sort through various offers and learn more about Carolina. I'm sure that if one visits the Duke forum, one will find the bias shifting in that direction...so I find eadad's comments here on the UNC board entirely acceptable. :-)</p>
<p>carolinaheaven - here's the great news - your daughter can't go wrong! UNC and Duke have an inter-institutional agreement that if one is offering a class that the other one isn't, and you want to take it, you can and not have it count against the transfer credits you can take. There is even a bus that goes back and forth at (fairly) even intervals. </p>
<p>Both schools have strong study abroad programs and agreements with many universities in the US that sponsor programs as well as outside the US that host them.</p>
<p>Talking to students and exploring the campusus is probably the best bet. When it comes to a decision between these two schools and these two departments within these two schools, it is going to come down to some kind of intangible sense you get from one place and not the other. Whatever you and your daughter decide, though, I would highly recommend taking advantage of the things that <em>both</em> have to offer through the IIA.</p>
<p>Can any student take advantage of this agreement or just Robertson scholars?</p>