Off the waitlist at Duke - unsure what to do

[Anonymous]

Just a note to say congrats! Would have been a dream come true for our kid.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Why is it on DCUM there are so many Duke or Penn threads? They are ranked similarly...and that's 1000% where the similarities end.

I just don't get it. I see few Duke or Vanderbilt threads, yet seems like those would be two schools that make more sense to choose between.

For the life of me, I can't imagine someone who really likes Duke liking Penn and vice versa...and I also can't imagine picking one school because it is ranked #6 vs #7.

I think they are extremely similar FWIW. Know lots of Duke-Penn couples too. They attract similar kinds of people.

Yes…many.

Not a single poster has elaborated at all how they are similar. People just randomly agree they are.

Anyone?

Smart kids from UMC affluent-educated families. Same types of employers recruiting. Probably not a lot of difference in your average DMV 1500+ SAT applicant after factoring in intended major. Campus differences and tolerance for Southern living and urban living probably big factors. Those are just random preferences. So not very different student body = similar schools. As someone stated above, Duke people seem more sports-oriented. Sports team success does drive apps. Basketball helped Duke rise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is it on DCUM there are so many Duke or Penn threads? They are ranked similarly...and that's 1000% where the similarities end.

I just don't get it. I see few Duke or Vanderbilt threads, yet seems like those would be two schools that make more sense to choose between.

For the life of me, I can't imagine someone who really likes Duke liking Penn and vice versa...and I also can't imagine picking one school because it is ranked #6 vs #7.

Then you are pretty narrow-minded. I got into and visited both Penn and Duke and loved both. Most people are able to like and appreciate a broad range of options, including colleges.

Same with our kid, the final two out of many T10 admits. It’s common.

So, your kid just applied to top 10 schools…really not much thought beyond that.

I guess at least let’s be honest folks. That there isn’t much more than the ranking involved.

?? No . They applied to all schools that had the right peer mix plus liberal arts based STEM studies with small classes and top grad outcomes. 6 of those happen to be in the top 10.

What is "the right peer mix"?

The mix that only exists in schools ranked 1-10…but falls off a cliff for school 11.

Also curious what “liberal arts based STEM srudies” means.

Northwestern describes it as whole brain engineering; Penn and Duke both have structured curriculum for undergrads that allows stem majors to take classes in a wide variety of areas with non-stem majors, and allows double majors, minors outside your school, as well as exposure to many interdisciplinary endeavors with faculty. Cornell for example is not at all like that. Neither are many traditional “tech” schools such as GaTech, CMU.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:DS recently got off the waitlist at Duke and isn't sure what to do, currently committed to Penn. DS will visit Duke but anyone with experience at both schools? Studying math and statistics.

One at each. Very different physical campus and surrounding area atmospheres but very similar top outcomes, MBB recruits at both, both are top law and top med feeders; both have easy to access kind professors, majority small seminar style classes, and both my kids have had no problem getting research as early as freshman year. There are highly competitive yet collaborative peers at both, social /partiers at both(within reason; neither is a party school). Being a sports fan is much more of a thing at Duke (basketball), with over half the undergrads very invested.

From the earlier pages, i posted this, as I have a kid at each.
They are very similar in the above ways. Forgot to add both have their corresponding med school on campus, which is a huge plus for premeds as well as engineering (both have lots of collab between med and engineering research groups).
Some people do not care much about weather or proximity to a city, they focus on the education factors, such as peers, class size, professor availability, extent of interdisciplinary focus, opportunities on campus such as arts, music, research and more. They are extremely similar on all these factors.

You have described nearly every top 20 school which offer the same outcomes, class sizes (my kid’s Penn classes have been 100+ but maybe that’s STEM), interdisciplinary research opportunities, med school on campus (except Princeton), freshman research opportunities, etc.

Being a Duke sports fan is a massive part of that experience and why it is a clear choice for many.

I guess the moral is that all top 20 schools are similar with each other…other than the dozen reasons that each school is different from each other that somehow don’t matter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is it on DCUM there are so many Duke or Penn threads? They are ranked similarly...and that's 1000% where the similarities end.

I just don't get it. I see few Duke or Vanderbilt threads, yet seems like those would be two schools that make more sense to choose between.

For the life of me, I can't imagine someone who really likes Duke liking Penn and vice versa...and I also can't imagine picking one school because it is ranked #6 vs #7.

Then you are pretty narrow-minded. I got into and visited both Penn and Duke and loved both. Most people are able to like and appreciate a broad range of options, including colleges.

Same with our kid, the final two out of many T10 admits. It’s common.

So, your kid just applied to top 10 schools…really not much thought beyond that.

I guess at least let’s be honest folks. That there isn’t much more than the ranking involved.

?? No . They applied to all schools that had the right peer mix plus liberal arts based STEM studies with small classes and top grad outcomes. 6 of those happen to be in the top 10.

What is "the right peer mix"?

The mix that only exists in schools ranked 1-10…but falls off a cliff for school 11.

Also curious what “liberal arts based STEM srudies” means.

Northwestern describes it as whole brain engineering; Penn and Duke both have structured curriculum for undergrads that allows stem majors to take classes in a wide variety of areas with non-stem majors, and allows double majors, minors outside your school, as well as exposure to many interdisciplinary endeavors with faculty. Cornell for example is not at all like that. Neither are many traditional “tech” schools such as GaTech, CMU.

I think the traditional solution at schools without explicit accommodations is to double major. Usually the kind of people who value that much interdisciplinary education are affluent and don't mind if a kid takes an extra semester.

I just met a kid like this who went to Michigan engineering and did two study abroad semesters. Both in Asia. One engineering oriented, one language oriented. Graduated at 4.5 yrs of school.

[Anonymous]

Ivy is Ivy. End of discussion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ivy is Ivy. End of discussion.

Lol. Duke holds more weight than a lot of ivies. Duke and Penn are equals in terms of prestige and opportunities so the decision really comes to fit: urban vs isolated, sprawling vs large centric campus, warm vs medium weather, etc.

[Anonymous]

OP here, thanks for all the feedback! To answer a few questions:

1. DS applied far and wide because he wasn't sure where he would get in. The priority was an academically rigorous program, and filtering based on fit after seeing acceptances.
2. DS had Duke ahead of Penn before applying so Duke is ahead right now, but he is visiting tomorrow (and getting a nice break from school).

[Anonymous]

Congrats on these choices. I'm a biased Duke alum, I vote for Duke! It's such a fun, engaging campus, amazing academics. I am sure Penn would also be a great experience. Best of luck to your son.

[Anonymous]

Duke.
Not a question unless HYP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is it on DCUM there are so many Duke or Penn threads? They are ranked similarly...and that's 1000% where the similarities end.

I just don't get it. I see few Duke or Vanderbilt threads, yet seems like those would be two schools that make more sense to choose between.

For the life of me, I can't imagine someone who really likes Duke liking Penn and vice versa...and I also can't imagine picking one school because it is ranked #6 vs #7.

Then you are pretty narrow-minded. I got into and visited both Penn and Duke and loved both. Most people are able to like and appreciate a broad range of options, including colleges.

Same with our kid, the final two out of many T10 admits. It’s common.

So, your kid just applied to top 10 schools…really not much thought beyond that.

I guess at least let’s be honest folks. That there isn’t much more than the ranking involved.

?? No . They applied to all schools that had the right peer mix plus liberal arts based STEM studies with small classes and top grad outcomes. 6 of those happen to be in the top 10.

What is "the right peer mix"?

The mix that only exists in schools ranked 1-10…but falls off a cliff for school 11.

Also curious what “liberal arts based STEM srudies” means.

Northwestern describes it as whole brain engineering; Penn and Duke both have structured curriculum for undergrads that allows stem majors to take classes in a wide variety of areas with non-stem majors, and allows double majors, minors outside your school, as well as exposure to many interdisciplinary endeavors with faculty. Cornell for example is not at all like that. Neither are many traditional “tech” schools such as GaTech, CMU.

False

[Anonymous]

Imho, the most serious students would choose Penn but it's such a small difference. Duke has more opportunity for fun.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Duke. Many people confuse Penn with Penn State.

bone head comment

DP from Pennsylvania -- you'd be shocked at how true this is in the general public.

This is the most original and best advice ever!

Except, most people outside the east coast don't know Duke. It's an easy coast thing.

??? Educated people know Duke. This is not 1970.

Educated people know UPenn is a level above Duke. Upe n is iternationally known.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Duke. Many people confuse Penn with Penn State.

bone head comment

DP from Pennsylvania -- you'd be shocked at how true this is in the general public.

This is the most original and best advice ever!

Except, most people outside the east coast don't know Duke. It's an easy coast thing.

??? Educated people know Duke. This is not 1970.

Educated people know UPenn is a level above Duke. Upe n is iternationally known.

Maybe educated people from 1890? Today, Duke is world renowned and almost always a better choice v Penn (except for Wharton).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ivy is Ivy. End of discussion.

Lol. Duke holds more weight than a lot of ivies. Duke and Penn are equals in terms of prestige and opportunities so the decision really comes to fit: urban vs isolated, sprawling vs large centric campus, warm vs medium weather, etc.

Parchment shows Duke vs ivy is overwhelmingly <30% for Duke and >70% for an ivy.