<p>They’re both good universities. UChicago has many more programs and majors that are highly ranked nationally (top 10). The economics major at Chicago is one of the very best, and also demanding. You major in econ or study at Chicago to learn things, and how to think and analyze problems – not just to get an academic credential. You get from Chicago a broad education, and yes you can benefit from being IN Chicago, not just AT Chicago. UChicago is definitely a recruiting ground for finance and consulting firms. But it is also a place where you get an opportunity to develop a wide range of skills.</p>
<p>(Truth in packaging: my son graduated from Chicago with a concentration in economics, and after he graduated worked in consulting for 4 years. Though he later moved on to follow other career interests, he always told me that when working in consulting the quality of his educational background was better than that of most of his colleagues. While at Chicago, he definitely found time to explore and benefit from the city. He also spent his third year abroad, at London School of Economics.)</p>
<p>mam1959, more and more posts on CC have convinced me that I should not compare these two schools in terms of career stuff, because they both can get me to what I want. I now understand that I ought to think about which one is a better fit. It is impossible for me to go and visit the school as I am in India, though I really wish to. </p>
<p>Many of my friends are saying that UChicago is where fun dies so I am afraid that the intense academic environment will make me unhappy. But I am also not a party person. I just hope to find some friends with whom I can have fun. I enjoy intellectual talk but I definitely want more. I would like to find someone to talk about sports, life, or even just ******** around. Duke, of course, seems to have such kind of people, but I don’t know about UChicago. I am afraid that everyone will just focus on study and the discussion will be limited to books, theories etc.</p>
<p>As an international, I also have a concern that it is difficult to join the mainstream white culture on some campus (sorry about this stereotype thinking, but I do worry about this). Maybe everyone is friendly to me, but they are just not my friends…</p>
<p>One thing that I don’t like about Duke is its setting - in a small town… I spent much of my time living in Hong Kong and I know that I do like big cities and I enjoy city life. However, Hyde park seems to be lame and more importantly, unsafe. Additionally, studying in a school in a big city does not necessarily mean living in a big city.</p>
<p>Lastly, I think I can handle any curriculum no matter how hard it is. It may be simply an issue of happy or not. It can either be that I get high GPA in UChicago but I am stressed and tired, or that I study well there while I enjoy the intellectual challenge. So talking about academics, UChicago’s stellar economics program is really what I want. But on the other hand, Duke’s economics is also good enough to prepare me for my career.</p>
<p>I understand that ibanking is a tough job so the academic challenge at UChicago should not be a problem for me. But the decision is really hard to make. College experience is one-time in life, and it is the only four years in life. I really don’t want to go wrong…</p>
<p>@hanyangc: one of the reasons why my son chose to study at UChicago was because of the sports! Not college sports, but professional sports. Even as a first year student he went to several baseball games, for example. Chicago is a “major league city” in many respects.</p>
<p>It is true that UChicago’s curriculum is demanding, and I would say students in general spend a lot of time studying/researching/writing (probably not as much, however, as at my own alma mater). But in my opinion you get a very good return for your efforts there because the teachers actually do take teaching seriously. </p>
<p>Whether you become buried in books and studying also depends on your own work style and work habits. My son graduated with Honors but he also did not feel that getting high grades was his only priority. He focused on the learning, not the grades. And he also spent time in extracurricular activities. He enjoyed being both at Chicago and in Chicago, and has quite a few friends from that time, including some who are in i-banking.</p>
<p>You may find this helpful
[Home</a> - Duke Diya](<a href=“http://www.dukediya.com/]Home”>http://www.dukediya.com/)<br>
DIYA is a very active organization on campus. Awaaz is so well attended that they turn people away; I attended last year (I am not South Asian) and was blown away.</p>
<p>I am in an IB curriculum and I already think that there is so much to write. My work style has always been working hard at the deadline and getting it done pretty well. But I am sure this style will not work out in the university. Also, grades are not my priority, I do want to learn something and I believe hard work will get me good grades as return. However, seriously, I don’t want to become buried in books…</p>
<p>mackinaw - may I know how your son thinks about the students at UChicago? Is the student body very diverse that I can find different kinds of people? What extracurricular activities did he do? Does he have some time simply to relax besides so much academic and ECs? Thanks!</p>
<p>I still want to hear more comments on my previous post.</p>
<p>I am writing as a Duke alum, mother of a first year student at Chicago, and a psychologist. I think the campus “vibe” wherever you go is much more important than any of the details you’re examining. “Stress” is - to a large extent - in the eye of the beholder, and has much to do with how well your expectations and desires mesh with the actual obligations you encounter. My S is less stressed at Chicago than he was in high school; the work, of course, is much more difficult and extensive, but he is doing what he loves surrounded by similarly minded people. I was miserable at Duke, not because it isn’t and wasn’t a wonderful school (I’m the only person I know not to have loved Duke), but because who I was at the time simply was not a good fit with the campus culture (like mafool, I’m the kind of person who’d choose Chicago if I had it to do over again).</p>
<p>I don’t want to read too much into your posts, but you sound pre-professionally focused enough that you may not find Chicago’s emphasis on learning for learning’s sake so much to your liking. For the right student, Chicago is amazing in pretty much every way (and btw, (a) there’s plenty of fun to be had there and (b) Hyde Park itself is not especially unsafe, although some nearby areas are rather questionable), but choosing Chicago primarily because of its strong economics dept. without completely buying in to the rest of the package is likely to be a formula for four years of unhappiness. Duke sounds like it might be a safer bet for you since it offers extremely high-caliber academics combined with a more “typical” undergraduate experience. Your subjective sense of happiness is more than a soft factor in college; happiness will facilitate and misery will inhibit your learning no matter how self-disciplined you are.</p>
<p>@hanyangc: Chicago’s student body is very diverse, with especially a large group of Asian and Asian-American students (both south and east Asia). It also has a lot more political diversity than many outsider’s think – some of its most famous faculty, including many in the economics department – are conservatives; its student body has students across the political spectrum as well as different lifestyles, sexual orientations, and so on. </p>
<p>My son’s main extracurricular activity was journalism; he wrote for both the Chicago Weekly News and the Chicago Maroon. He and his friends also made a point of getting well off campus once or twice per week – for music, museums, sports, restaurants, and so on. They were not confined to Hyde Park. It helped that one friend had his own car; but by and large he relied on public transportation. Although he works very hard, it is not in my son’s nature to ONLY work. Chicago students have parties just like everybody else. </p>
<p>(There is also a fraternity scene, and there are intercollegiate athletics (“Division II”). The son of one of my colleagues from work was in a fraternity at UChicago; he also competed on UChicago’s wrestling team; he’s now a professor. The daughter of another of my colleagues played baseball/softball for the College’s team (she was a pitcher), and that team competed in intercollegiate sports in their own league. She majored in economics, and still managed to do very well academically while competing in sports.)</p>
<p>I think you are getting some excellent and balanced voices here. Durham will never ever offer you what Chicago the city offers you. No need to have any negative feelings about Hyde Park whatsoever…that is all mastered if you love Chicago. You can have a fantastic social life at the Univ of Chicago…don’t listen to those stereotypes of “where fun goes to die”…not true.</p>
<p>Duke Asian Americans are intensely involved in every aspect of work and play and public service at Duke, and well-represented in the frats that make up …is it about 40% of males? I think…it is on the website. (OK…I was dismayed when my son went Greek but he has gained much guidance and example from his uber talented brothers and the rest I will never know, right.) I wanted to go to Univ of Chicago for my masters. I don’t read the sports pages. Duke has Indian cuisine night regularly in the main dining hall and a fantastic well attended and anticipated Indian Culture festival annually.<br>
(Our second son was not interested in Duke style fun.) Duke is hugely fun if you like to get outdoors and play…even with the workload. Duke students are very very smart but spirited. If you have not had this kind of fun yet in life, you should consider Duke…that is if this is your kind of fun. if these videos give you a thrill…if so, go to Duke.
[YouTube</a> - Understanding the Cameron Crazies](<a href=“http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdL7d1t0J1Y]YouTube”>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdL7d1t0J1Y)
[YouTube</a> - Cameron Crazies 09](<a href=“http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSc2gBarWRg]YouTube”>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSc2gBarWRg) I have seen my son, the classical musician on TV a couple of times in this scene, with an expression of pure joy on his face
[YouTube</a> - Sean Dockery hits a crazy shot at the last second to beat VT](<a href=“http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16za9PkU9Wk]YouTube”>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16za9PkU9Wk) in fact, my son’s face was in all the papers in the stands…when the most famous buzzer beater of his era went down. </p>
<p>my son is one of the kids who likes learning for its own sake and also majored in a subject with few job prospects…along with econ…he has had superb small classes much of the time.</p>
<p>further to Faline2’s post, above: The “official” figure is that 30% of the men at Duke are in fraternities. Many of our son’s good friends are in fraternities, but he did not choose that route. You can have a great experience either way!</p>
<p>Hanyangc, I have not read every post in detail, but has anyone mentioned the weather?</p>
<p>You may be young and hardy, but if you are used to the Hong Kong or Indian climate, then Chicago winters may be a shock. It gets very cold, windy, and snowy there. This is one factor that might affect your enjoyment of the city from mid-November to late March. Getting to the IC train downtown from the center of campus would be about a one mile walk (15 minutes in clear weather). </p>
<p>Maybe there are good shuttle services these days. Do any other posters know?</p>
<p>As an Chinese international, it must be kind of hard and costly to join the fraternity… In terms of the weather, I think I can stand it. Oh, yes. What about guest visiting in UChicago? Does it provide accomodation for visitors? Or I have to find a hotel outside. It must be more expensive than in Durham…</p>
<p>my son had something in his room that turned into a mattress for guests that are college student age…everyone used it when their friends showed up. Hotels…we have stayed for as low as 80 bucks a night (la quinta…my fave cheap local spot) to 300 depending on what we were celebrating…at the Washington Duke Inn on grounds. Many hotels for about 130ish to 150ish year round near by per night…just look at Kayak.com for a quick view. warning: parents weekends plus graduations and move in dates…prices are increased.</p>
<p>I want to comment on something the OP said a couple of pages ago, to the effect that he knows what he wants to do so “fit” is irrelevant.</p>
<p>Nonsense. The OP can get where he wants to go from either college, but in order to do that he has to perform well academically and get the most he can out of the one he attends, both academically and socially. Whichever one he chooses, his path will be easier – and thus more likely to be successful – if he feels comfortable there.</p>
<p>JHS - thanks for pointing out that. Actually after seeing so many posts, I have changed my mind. I am now thinking about the issue of fit or not.</p>