Weighing Grad Schools

[Mcl5126]

<p>So the decision deadline for grad schools of April 15th is fast approaching and now I'm having second doubts on the school I've chosen. I'm slated for a Master's in biomedical engineering and have narrowed down the offers to Duke and Carnegie Mellon. Initially, I was ecstatic at the opportunity to go to Duke and hopped on it almost right away. I just went and visited this past weekend and the campus is gorgeous. I'm from the Philadelphia area so it's quite a drive home (about 8 hours). I went to Penn State undergrad and loved the diversity of (and number of) people there and the big school atmosphere. The more I think about it, the more I'm afraid of Duke's downtown (which is pretty much non-existent) and the isolation that comes with it. I've been to Pittsburgh a few times (and enjoyed it quite a bit) but never onto CMU's campus. As far as prestige go, both schools are pretty well-respected, specifically with Duke's BME program having an edge but CMU's overall engineering programs are better. It seems my parents are more focused on the academic point which is being weighted most heavily and other factors such as student life and living are second. The way I look at things is that the disparity between the two schools' academic standings is too little to give such weight to a factor to trump all others. Tuition rates are something that are being a considered factor at this point fortunately. I've been to Pittsburg, I know people there, and something about being in the state of Pennsylvania is much more comforting. I know I'll have to leave home at some point, but is it so bad to just want to be at a school which will undoubtedly have a better social life? I'm not at school to party, but everyone's has to play some time..right?</p>