Duke and Cambridge are very prestigious universities, and I have been to both places and would love to spend my years there. Surprisingly I was admitted to both. It’s a really hard decision, but everyone I have turned to seems to be pro-Duke. And would you like to share with me your opinion?
{Here is my background: I’m an International student (non-EU), and my choice of major is math. My plan is to do PHD study in computer science. }
Thanks a lot!
Sure. If you would be content to study math and only math (or very closely aligned topics), choose Cambridge. If you want your studies to have more breadth, choose Duke, and try to pursue graduate studies at Cambridge. There is no wrong answer (assuming price of 3 years vs 4 years is not part of the equation) as both choices are great. Good luck.
Is cost of attendance a consideration ?
Why has “everyone I have turned to seems to be pro-Duke” ? My initial reaction was to write one word–Cambridge, because you seem set on what you want to study.
I’m a Duke alum who spent much of last year on a research project at Cambridge. I would choose Cambridge hands down. I love Duke dearly, but Cambridge is just such an amazing place. The collegiate system is very different from anything at Duke, and the campus (well, campuses) is jaw-droppingly gorgeous. The academic buzz at Oxford and Cambridge is unmatched by almost any college in the US I’ve encountered, and I’m familiar with quite a few.
So intense concentration in one subject (think of it as grad-school-lite, though at Cambridge, you’d be well in to what American grad schools cover by 3rd year) with collegiate system, academic culture, and all marks down to big tests at the end of the year or the American college experience with big time sports, more breadth, ability to change majors and continuous assessment.
And yes, assuming cost isn’t a factor.