Hi everyone,
Although this is ridiculously early to be in question, but I’m stressing myself out over choosing where my dream school is. I recently took a visit to both Duke and University of Michigan and fell in love with both. The only problem is that I would be applying early decision at Duke which would prevent me from getting into Michigan. I don’t think if I did the regular decision pool there, I would get in, but I’m fairly confident I would be accepted with early decision. I don’t want to make the mistake of binding myself there in case it turns out that Michigan is really the school for me. Finances are also a consideration as Michigan provides much more scholarship opportunities rather than Duke. I would probably end up doing NROTC at Duke and serving a few years after to afford to attend. However, I’d rather go to the school that will give me the best future, despite the cost.
I feel as if Michigan is a giant school full of incredible spirit, huge sports, and awesome parties. Duke feels much smaller (maybe too small? I just want to know that wherever I walk around there, I would see a new face, you know?) with unique traditions, great athletics, and great people. My bright future isn’t the only thing I’m looking for in a college, however. I really want THE college experience for the next four years of my life and want to make sure I have a blast. I feel like Michigan is big enough that their fraternities (yes, I plan to be a frat boy) are probably bigger and better than Duke, even though I have no idea. And I’m afraid that Duke’s “work hard, play hard” mentality won’t give me the exciting college life I’m looking for (but what do I know. This is what I’m hoping you can answer for me). I’m also from California and don’t know if people will think that’s cool and like me or think it’s overrated and hate me since one’s in Michigan, and the other is in the south in North Carolina.
As for sports, Duke basketball is obviously incredible, and the idea of tenting for tickets is right down my alley. Every sporting event is free for Duke students which is awesome because I love every kind of sport and hate spending money. The only thing concerning is that I want the big rah-rah of a game like U of Michigan. I want to make sure that Duke football games have enough high energy and spirit that I’m looking for. I love how both schools have a ton of school spirit in general, however, Michigan is a completely different beast.
As of now, I’m leaning toward Duke because it will set me up for my future more, in my opinion. I plan on going to business school or med school after my undergrad and feel that Duke is more prestige than U of Michigan. I also believe Duke gives a completely unique experience. 30,0000 people get to experience what it’s like to go to Michigan while only 7,000 people get to experience Duke. I feel like it’s extremely unique and will give me a college experience like none other. I just don’t know if that college experience is the right one.
I know it’s early, but with early apps due in November, I need help. I believe I have what it takes to get into whichever one I choose to go for, I just need to play my cards right and make up my mind. Please help.
Thanks.
You should fall in love with at least 8 universities – or as many as you apply to, so you will be happy with any of them that you get accepted to. Falling in love with one or two highly competitive universities can lead to huge disappointment later if you don’t get accepted, or if you get in and cannot afford it.
-Rising Duke junior here, going back in less than two weeks:
Ditto with what mommyrocks had to say about not falling in love with one or two schools. The college application process, especially at the level of elite universities like Michigan or Duke, has become such an unpredictable, lottery like process that you really need to apply to literally dozens of schools nowadays to ensure the best chance of getting into at least one.
Anyway here’s my two cents:
Duke to me doesn’t really seem that small. Sure you’ll come across a few familiar faces while studying in Perkins or walking across Abele quad, but you’ll always come across and socialize with new people you’ve never seen at weekend parties on Central Campus or off-campus. It’ll probably seem smaller freshman year, when all the first-years are housed on East Campus, but West Campus has more of a small-city feel to it. I’m also friends with quite a few graduate students (people tend to forget about Duke’s graduate student body).
In terms of undergraduate enrollment, California has the second highest representation (at least for the class of 2020: http://admissions.duke.edu/images/uploads/process/ClassProfile2020web.pdf). So California students (I suppose at every elite college for that matter) are well represented at Duke.
Greek life: I’m independent and didn’t rush so can’t help you on that one. But if you want to rush and go into Greek life, Duke has ample opportunities for that during freshmen spring.
Duke football: Especially in recent years, Duke football has experienced a renaissance under Coach Cutcliffe. Games are pretty well attended by Duke students. Last year, a bunch of my friends attended the Duke-Carolina football game (which I regret extremely not going to), and got to rush the field afterwards and see the victory bell being handed to Duke. During home games, the area around the athletic campus will become extremely packed with Duke fans on their grills and six packs (literally some people will bring tents, flat screen TVs, and entire buffets).
Personally speaking, I love my undergraduate experience at Duke. I’m sure I could have been happy elsewhere too, along with other students at Duke. However, these days, when most colleges routinely rejected 90% of all applicants, you really have to be grateful where-ever you end up, and I’m just glad that by some fluke Duke ended up being the school I was funneled into.
Anyway best of luck!
If finances are a concern, Duke is a MUCH better choice coming from California. Duke’s financial aid is outstanding and Michigan’s not so much. It was considerably cheaper for me to attend Duke than my sister to attend Michigan coming from OOS. I realize you’re likely saying ACADEMIC scholarships, but Duke should be affordable to everybody as they meet all demonstrated need. If your parents make a lot of money, though, then yes Duke is expensive but they should be able to afford it. Michigan is really expensive too OOS and doesn’t give hardly any financial aid.
Additionally, being from Cali, you’ll feel more at home going to Duke honestly. 1.) California has the second most students at Duke (behind North Carolina), in some years it’s actually #1, 2.) you’ll be more familiar with the weather. 
Michigan is mostly in state but is obviously huge school so people are from all over. Having chosen Duke over Michigan (engineering), I don’t regret my decision in the least. I also got encouraged to apply for academic scholarships at Michigan but ended up choosing Duke and getting considerable financial aid. (But I didn’t choose Duke because of costs – I did because I thought it’d be a better experience and prepare me more for life after college).
Duke has plenty to offer from a sports and frat scene, so I wouldn’t worry there in the least. Having been to Michigan football games and Duke basketball games, I wouldn’t say Michigan’s scene is more thrilling. It’s just different because it’s obviously a lot more people and encompasses an entire town for Saturday afternoons, but being in the student section of a Duke-UNC game in Cameron…it doesn’t get much better than that. Check out Bill Burr’s Monday Morning Podcast about his Cameron experience if you want to get a sense of what it’s like for a newcomer…A funny (and vulgar) take on it. You’ll have plenty good time at Duke and it’s big enough to constantly run into people you don’t know. It’s not really that small at all. It’s small enough that you’ll likely see somebody you know in a crowd, but you won’t know the majority. I thought it was a pretty perfect size really.
In the end, it’s personal preference, but if your concerns about Duke are around: 1.) finances, 2.) sports scene, 3.) frat scene, 4) being from Cali, 4.) concerns about it being too small. Then I would say your concerns are unfounded and you can be assured Duke will offer you a great experience in those areas.
Good luck!
For financial comparison, there is no simple answer for all applicants. One should run their NPCs. UMich meet the need of OOS students if family income is below $90k. Obviously, for those above this income level, Duke is likely a better deal.
Duke sophomore here so I’m a little biased! I know you’ve made your decision by now but I wanted to put my feedback out there for future applicants. I’ll speak to Greek Life and sports, since it looks like the other bases are covered:
Greek Life: i’m in a sorority here, so maybe I don’t have fraternities completely accurately represented, but in my opinion greek life may be smaller but you can still still go hard. honestly you could go out Wednesday-Sunday if you wanted to. We have two bars that most students go to (Shooters for Wed/Sat, Devines for Thurs) and Fridays usually some fraternities will have something going on or you’ll have a mixer. People definitely party and they get big enough to get moved out of houses/venues into outdoor spaces, like the infamous Barn or this random tent in the middle of nowhere that sounds sketchy but I swear isn’t lol.
Football: eh. Basketball is definitely more hype but people definitely show up to games and tailgates, and this might change as our football team gets better. Basketball can be a commitment because you have to wait in a really long line to get in to normal games (whereas there is none for football) but if you think it’s worth it then Duke is definitely a great place for basketball and football fans alike.