<p>Although it depends greatly on what your intended major is, Duke is most likely the clear choice here. It offers everything UPenn does (except Wharton) plus it has one of the best college “atmospheres” in the nation. The school spirit at Duke is unlike any school I have seen (except maybe Notre Dame). Durham, however, is not in a great area so you won’t be venturing outside of campus too often; whereas, at UPenn you’ll be making plenty of trips to Philly.</p>
<p>Penn and Duke have qualitatively different feels. They both have school “spirit” – spirit is not merely defined by rah-rah-ing over sports teams.</p>
<p>in terms of the city, do students who go to duke not like durham.
is durham a big part of the atmosphere, or is it alright, even though the city isn’t the greatest</p>
<p>durham is a very crime riddled town so obviously it’s not the most desirable destination for students.</p>
<p>ok, thanks for the input guys
i appreciate it</p>
<p>Durham is not a big part of the scene at Duke and plays a very different role as a host city than does Philadelphia for U Penn. U Penn is an urban school and feels that way. Duke and its grounds including Duke Gardens most definitely does not. </p>
<p>The schools have some similarities in their degree of a pre-professional environment, but their feel is very much influenced by the company they keep. U Penn is in constant contact and competition with the other Ivy League schools and its identity is closely aligned with that. Duke’s position in the ACC and in the South makes for a different undergraduate experience with a greater emphasis on the social life, the sporting scene, and also the school knows that it is the leader of the pack academically within its region and in its athletic league. In this way, it is more unique in its region than U Penn is in its. </p>
<p>Students at both are terrific and place extremely well with all types of employers, including the most desirable destinations. Duke’s national profile within American society is probably larger, thanks to its highly successful basketball program (men and women!), but U Penn also has a strong name and draws/places well in California.</p>
<p>Durham is as nice as you want it to be. As far as the crime? You just have to use common sense and your “street smarts”. Many times I went out by myself around Duke and Durham at night, and I never once felt unsafe. Most of the crimes that occur in the city take place in East Durham or the area around Fayetteville Street.
If there’s nothing in Durham that you like, hop in your car and drive 15 mins to Chapel Hell, 30 mins to Raleigh, an hour to Greensboro, 2.5 hours to the beach, 2.5 hours to Charlotte, 3.5 hours to the mountains, 5 hours to DC, or 6 hours to Atlanta…
If you are into sports, you can’t beat the scene at Duke! Men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s lax, field hockey, and women’s golf are always ranked among the nation’s Top 10 teams. Volleyball, Men’s and Women’s Tennis, Men’s Golf are pretty solid in the Nation’s Top 25.</p>
<p>Now Duke football is a different story…</p>
<p>I’ve found that deciding between Penn and Duke is best solved with fisticuffs.</p>
<p>Have at you!</p>
<p><em>lunge</em></p>
<p>fistcuffs, huh?</p>
<p>Marquess of Queensberry Rules, of course.</p>
<p>Where has EAD been… this Duke vs X College reminded me of him.</p>
<p>i am a duke alum and my sister goes to penn. in terms of undergraduate academics, both schools are pretty comparable. you will get a solid education at both, no doubt. in terms of experiences outside the classroom, both of us actually think that duke does a better job. since both places are highly preprofessional, it would make sense that the schools themselves offer plenty of opportunities to engage in meaningful extracurriculars. throughout my time at duke, i’ve found relevant employment and civic and research opportunities to be very accessible. on the other hand, my sister has had a more difficult time seeking out these opportunities, although they exist they are not as readily available. so wherever you apply, be it duke or penn or another school, definitely take the time to ask about the ease of accessibility of what the school advertises in its glossy brochures b/c it is an important consideration.</p>
<p>ok, thanks for the input guys
i appreciate it</p>