Duke versus Northwestern
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Anonymous
| There was a discussion about this here, but I cannot find it. Can someone please post a link? DD is torn between both for ED. |
Anonymous
|
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1289100.page
the search function on this site is bad but if you google "northwestern duke urban mom", it brings up the thread. |
Anonymous
| Thank you! |
Anonymous
What are your daughter's concerns & preferences ? I, and others, might be able to offer some help as our family & relatives have had several attend both universities. |
Anonymous
OP. Thank you for offering this. DD is torn because she was all set on Duke ED until visiting Northwestern. She felt the campus was gorgeous, the vibe more collaborative, and she liked being walking distance to suburban Evanston (a lifestyle she’s very used to). The close proximity to Chicago is also a huge plus. She says she’ll be fine with the cold. She also thinks she has a better chance at NU ED than Duke ED, based on her school’s Naviance stats. For Duke, she says Duke is Duke, more prestigious (and yes, she unfortunately cares about prestige despite our many conversations about it). She also thinks student life is better at Duke and that Duke has more resources for undergrads (grant money, research opportunities, etc.). Her concern with NU is the quarter system being fast-paced, though she loves that it means she could take more and more diverse classes. For her major, both schools are top, with strengths in different subfields. The problem is she hasn’t decided on a second major or minor, or what she wants to do post-grad. Duke may offer more opportunities for pre-law or pre-business, while NU is great for a Ph.D. or consulting track. She’s leaning Duke because she sees herself there more, but it’s very hard to get in, even with ED (she has a strong profile, just unhooked). So her big question is whether she’s willing to waste ED on Duke, or use it for NU, where she probably has a better shot. |
Anonymous
|
All valid concerns but it sounds like this just needs to be a gut check. There is no one absolutely perfect school. And the end, it just needs to be a gut check. And yes, there is a significant bump early at Northwestern (depending on what the competition looks like from your school).
Apply to Northwestern early and Duke regular decision? Ask her schools counselor for advice and see how many legacy she has in her class applying early to either school that she’d be competing with. My ‘25 applied to both in RD. Got into NU and rejected Duke. |
Anonymous
OP. Thanks. Was your '25 hooked at NU? I am not sure if school counselor will be able to provide guidance. We are at a public school. |
Anonymous
| But doesn't everybody hate Duke except for people who went to Duke? |
Anonymous
Legacy at NU but ED elsewhere. |
Anonymous
What does SCOIR or Naviance show? |
Anonymous
This |
Anonymous
|
I think if she had acceptances from both, for most people, Duke is the choice.
But she doesn't. So yes, if you think your ED chance is better used at Northwestern, go for that. They are both beyond amazing schools. |
Anonymous
DP here. My kid's 2nd choice is where she is legacy. Did you have concerns that applying ED elsewhere and to the legacy school RD would be off-putting to NU? |
Anonymous
| Both are prestigious schools. If she likes the vibe better she should pick that school. I remember being a high schooler and obsessed with going to the "best" possible school, but now I am an adult and actually hiring recent grads, those rankings really don't matter so much at all. |
Anonymous
| I visited Northwestern and was struck by the lack of a central space, like a quadrangle. Is there a central area where students congregate and run into each other? If so, where is that and how did I miss that from the tour? |