Duke vs penn - Econ and public policy

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:From Econ perspective:
Both econ departments are strong but Penn will lean more to having business macro teachers/classes and Duke will likely be more balance and will have more micro applied public policy types. Penn Econ classes may be more business slanted and Duke is likely to be a bit more classical economics.

Duke public policy is VERY strong. (edge over Penn)

If you plan to grad school in Economics - either is fine as long as you take the math required to be prepared for a PhD program.

But if you plan to go into public policy I'd go with Duke (even if you plan to do public policy via an Econ PhD). Duke will be more in line with that route. You won't be fighting against the business econ tide.

You'll probably also have a more colaborative academic community at Duke from both professors and students. Penn is a competitive business culture. Duke is not (and neither is the public policy world).

Both Duke and Penn are very pre-professional and there's no getting away from that at either school. If anything, probably fewer kids in Penn's econ department are looking to go into business than at Duke, instead they're thinking about PhDs. The idea that Duke is more collaborative than Penn's econ department (or even more collaborative than Wharton with all its mandated group projects) is silly; these are both intense schools with lots of kids who want a leg up for their next step, whatever that is.

It should be clear by now that lots of people, like PP, think Wharton runs Penn. That's not true and the rest of Penn will tell you otherwise, pretty loudly. Don't confuse Wharton with Penn's econ department.

(Full disclosure: I went to Penn's econ department and have kid at Duke.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If it's useful I saw this on Reddit today and it seems pretty relevant to your interests. It looks like a text someone got from a Duke student while trying to decide between Penn, Duke, Yale, and Princeton (they seem to have picked Duke ultimately):

“Hey ___, ___ told me you’re interested in ___ and are deciding between a few schools including Duke and Penn. Happy to share how I came to my decision although we have different scenarios. I was deciding between Duke, Harvard, and the Huntsman dual-degree program with Wharton and CAS at Penn. It was tough delineating clear differences between the three, but as I talked to more students and understood the offerings across economics and policy-oriented fields, I was able to get a sense of where I wanted to be.

To start off, my first elimination was Penn as I realized Huntsman was actually very limiting. There are requirements for classes and summers that are inimical to exploration throughout the four years. Many of the kids are overloading on classes to fit everything and have difficulty finding time to get heavily involved with activities and programs outside of classes. The ones that do are incredibly stressed and constantly overworked, which might work for some people, but that was not what how I wanted to experience college. This inclination towards optionality ended up being a significant boon in hindsight as throughout Duke my interests have shifted and expanded across multiple fields; I’ve explored and taken several classes in statistics, CS, and film along with public policy. I’ve also had ample time to be involved with Duke Student Government, volunteer programs throughout Durham, and entrepreneurial organizations on campus. In tandem I’ve found this classroom and extracurricular exploration to be incredibly fulfilling and horizon-broadening, and I still have time to pursue personal hobbies and enjoy my friends.

This leads me to my next, and perhaps most defining, reason to attend Duke. The people here are hard to categorize as a monolith, but if I had to, I’d say they’re overwhelmingly friendly, supportive, and well-rounded. Duke has a unique spirit that cannot be found at its peer schools. The school unity anchored by the basketball program brings people together in a way that’s hard to describe until you experience it. I was never a fan of basketball before Duke, but it’s incredibly fun to participate in the sports traditions on campus and see everyone come together. The beauty is that engineers, art history enthusiasts, physicists, aspiring doctors and lawyers, startup founders, etc. all congregate and share in the joy of Duke basketball and taking a break from the otherwise busy life at Duke. Of course it’s never required or expected to partake, but at a minimum it creates a certain energy and level of happiness on campus that is truly infectious. This reflects in the strong alumni network with extremely fond memories of their time at Duke who consistently go to bat for you if you reach out to ask for opportunities, connections, or just to get advice and pick their brains.

On the other hand, Penn felt more somber and gloomy. Few people were spending time outside simply relaxing, and everyone seemed to be running off to the next with little time for the aforementioned flexibility and exploration. While both schools certainly have a strong pre-professional element, Duke simply has a lighter feel permeating campus. This was also the reason I eliminated Harvard; while attending Visitas I realized the campus life felt dry and inanimate, and the people I met felt less united and friendly. I’m not sure if you felt the same visiting Princeton or Yale.

I know I just threw a lot at you, but tldr: find which school has the environment, flexibility, and people you want to be around for your 4 years. For me that was Duke, for you that may be Princeton or Yale, but truly the opportunities afforded to you at all of these schools will be largely similar, so optimize for other factors. Best of luck and let me know if you have any more questions!”

Wow great breakdown!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If it's useful I saw this on Reddit today and it seems pretty relevant to your interests. It looks like a text someone got from a Duke student while trying to decide between Penn, Duke, Yale, and Princeton (they seem to have picked Duke ultimately):

“Hey ___, ___ told me you’re interested in ___ and are deciding between a few schools including Duke and Penn. Happy to share how I came to my decision although we have different scenarios. I was deciding between Duke, Harvard, and the Huntsman dual-degree program with Wharton and CAS at Penn. It was tough delineating clear differences between the three, but as I talked to more students and understood the offerings across economics and policy-oriented fields, I was able to get a sense of where I wanted to be.

To start off, my first elimination was Penn as I realized Huntsman was actually very limiting. There are requirements for classes and summers that are inimical to exploration throughout the four years. Many of the kids are overloading on classes to fit everything and have difficulty finding time to get heavily involved with activities and programs outside of classes. The ones that do are incredibly stressed and constantly overworked, which might work for some people, but that was not what how I wanted to experience college. This inclination towards optionality ended up being a significant boon in hindsight as throughout Duke my interests have shifted and expanded across multiple fields; I’ve explored and taken several classes in statistics, CS, and film along with public policy. I’ve also had ample time to be involved with Duke Student Government, volunteer programs throughout Durham, and entrepreneurial organizations on campus. In tandem I’ve found this classroom and extracurricular exploration to be incredibly fulfilling and horizon-broadening, and I still have time to pursue personal hobbies and enjoy my friends.

This leads me to my next, and perhaps most defining, reason to attend Duke. The people here are hard to categorize as a monolith, but if I had to, I’d say they’re overwhelmingly friendly, supportive, and well-rounded. Duke has a unique spirit that cannot be found at its peer schools. The school unity anchored by the basketball program brings people together in a way that’s hard to describe until you experience it. I was never a fan of basketball before Duke, but it’s incredibly fun to participate in the sports traditions on campus and see everyone come together. The beauty is that engineers, art history enthusiasts, physicists, aspiring doctors and lawyers, startup founders, etc. all congregate and share in the joy of Duke basketball and taking a break from the otherwise busy life at Duke. Of course it’s never required or expected to partake, but at a minimum it creates a certain energy and level of happiness on campus that is truly infectious. This reflects in the strong alumni network with extremely fond memories of their time at Duke who consistently go to bat for you if you reach out to ask for opportunities, connections, or just to get advice and pick their brains.

On the other hand, Penn felt more somber and gloomy. Few people were spending time outside simply relaxing, and everyone seemed to be running off to the next with little time for the aforementioned flexibility and exploration. While both schools certainly have a strong pre-professional element, Duke simply has a lighter feel permeating campus. This was also the reason I eliminated Harvard; while attending Visitas I realized the campus life felt dry and inanimate, and the people I met felt less united and friendly. I’m not sure if you felt the same visiting Princeton or Yale.

I know I just threw a lot at you, but tldr: find which school has the environment, flexibility, and people you want to be around for your 4 years. For me that was Duke, for you that may be Princeton or Yale, but truly the opportunities afforded to you at all of these schools will be largely similar, so optimize for other factors. Best of luck and let me know if you have any more questions!”

The Huntsman School is not Penn's econ department. Again, Wharton doesn't run Penn, whatever PP wants you to think.

Also, the opinion of a kid who never attended the school probably shouldn't carry much weight. I'm sure I could google and find kids who never attended Duke and made the opposite decision, but why bother?

The Duke booster is getting a little annoying, and I even have a kid there.

[Anonymous]

What is the huntsman program? What kind of majors

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If it's useful I saw this on Reddit today and it seems pretty relevant to your interests. It looks like a text someone got from a Duke student while trying to decide between Penn, Duke, Yale, and Princeton (they seem to have picked Duke ultimately):

“Hey ___, ___ told me you’re interested in ___ and are deciding between a few schools including Duke and Penn. Happy to share how I came to my decision although we have different scenarios. I was deciding between Duke, Harvard, and the Huntsman dual-degree program with Wharton and CAS at Penn. It was tough delineating clear differences between the three, but as I talked to more students and understood the offerings across economics and policy-oriented fields, I was able to get a sense of where I wanted to be.

To start off, my first elimination was Penn as I realized Huntsman was actually very limiting. There are requirements for classes and summers that are inimical to exploration throughout the four years. Many of the kids are overloading on classes to fit everything and have difficulty finding time to get heavily involved with activities and programs outside of classes. The ones that do are incredibly stressed and constantly overworked, which might work for some people, but that was not what how I wanted to experience college. This inclination towards optionality ended up being a significant boon in hindsight as throughout Duke my interests have shifted and expanded across multiple fields; I’ve explored and taken several classes in statistics, CS, and film along with public policy. I’ve also had ample time to be involved with Duke Student Government, volunteer programs throughout Durham, and entrepreneurial organizations on campus. In tandem I’ve found this classroom and extracurricular exploration to be incredibly fulfilling and horizon-broadening, and I still have time to pursue personal hobbies and enjoy my friends.

This leads me to my next, and perhaps most defining, reason to attend Duke. The people here are hard to categorize as a monolith, but if I had to, I’d say they’re overwhelmingly friendly, supportive, and well-rounded. Duke has a unique spirit that cannot be found at its peer schools. The school unity anchored by the basketball program brings people together in a way that’s hard to describe until you experience it. I was never a fan of basketball before Duke, but it’s incredibly fun to participate in the sports traditions on campus and see everyone come together. The beauty is that engineers, art history enthusiasts, physicists, aspiring doctors and lawyers, startup founders, etc. all congregate and share in the joy of Duke basketball and taking a break from the otherwise busy life at Duke. Of course it’s never required or expected to partake, but at a minimum it creates a certain energy and level of happiness on campus that is truly infectious. This reflects in the strong alumni network with extremely fond memories of their time at Duke who consistently go to bat for you if you reach out to ask for opportunities, connections, or just to get advice and pick their brains.

On the other hand, Penn felt more somber and gloomy. Few people were spending time outside simply relaxing, and everyone seemed to be running off to the next with little time for the aforementioned flexibility and exploration. While both schools certainly have a strong pre-professional element, Duke simply has a lighter feel permeating campus. This was also the reason I eliminated Harvard; while attending Visitas I realized the campus life felt dry and inanimate, and the people I met felt less united and friendly. I’m not sure if you felt the same visiting Princeton or Yale.

I know I just threw a lot at you, but tldr: find which school has the environment, flexibility, and people you want to be around for your 4 years. For me that was Duke, for you that may be Princeton or Yale, but truly the opportunities afforded to you at all of these schools will be largely similar, so optimize for other factors. Best of luck and let me know if you have any more questions!”

The Huntsman School is not Penn's econ department. Again, Wharton doesn't run Penn, whatever PP wants you to think.

Also, the opinion of a kid who never attended the school probably shouldn't carry much weight. I'm sure I could google and find kids who never attended Duke and made the opposite decision, but why bother?

The Duke booster is getting a little annoying, and I even have a kid there.

You seem to think there's some agenda when people are just sharing information, you are also free to share information which you have been doing as well

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is the huntsman program? What kind of majors

Huntsman is international business, so dual degree between wharton and college of arts and sciences. Usually accompanied by a focus language.

[Anonymous]

Oh okay. Is it mostly geared for IR or Econ? What kind of careers it paves the way for. My kid is interested in IR, wonder if should apply for this program

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh okay. Is it mostly geared for IR or Econ? What kind of careers it paves the way for. My kid is interested in IR, wonder if should apply for this program

It's more geared for business, that's the main facet of Huntsman. If IR and Econ are the goals don't apply for huntsman. Huntsman is also incredibly competitive, probably the most difficult program to get accepted to Penn at along with Jerome Fisher M&T (tech management)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If it's useful I saw this on Reddit today and it seems pretty relevant to your interests. It looks like a text someone got from a Duke student while trying to decide between Penn, Duke, Yale, and Princeton (they seem to have picked Duke ultimately):

“Hey ___, ___ told me you’re interested in ___ and are deciding between a few schools including Duke and Penn. Happy to share how I came to my decision although we have different scenarios. I was deciding between Duke, Harvard, and the Huntsman dual-degree program with Wharton and CAS at Penn. It was tough delineating clear differences between the three, but as I talked to more students and understood the offerings across economics and policy-oriented fields, I was able to get a sense of where I wanted to be.

To start off, my first elimination was Penn as I realized Huntsman was actually very limiting. There are requirements for classes and summers that are inimical to exploration throughout the four years. Many of the kids are overloading on classes to fit everything and have difficulty finding time to get heavily involved with activities and programs outside of classes. The ones that do are incredibly stressed and constantly overworked, which might work for some people, but that was not what how I wanted to experience college. This inclination towards optionality ended up being a significant boon in hindsight as throughout Duke my interests have shifted and expanded across multiple fields; I’ve explored and taken several classes in statistics, CS, and film along with public policy. I’ve also had ample time to be involved with Duke Student Government, volunteer programs throughout Durham, and entrepreneurial organizations on campus. In tandem I’ve found this classroom and extracurricular exploration to be incredibly fulfilling and horizon-broadening, and I still have time to pursue personal hobbies and enjoy my friends.

This leads me to my next, and perhaps most defining, reason to attend Duke. The people here are hard to categorize as a monolith, but if I had to, I’d say they’re overwhelmingly friendly, supportive, and well-rounded. Duke has a unique spirit that cannot be found at its peer schools. The school unity anchored by the basketball program brings people together in a way that’s hard to describe until you experience it. I was never a fan of basketball before Duke, but it’s incredibly fun to participate in the sports traditions on campus and see everyone come together. The beauty is that engineers, art history enthusiasts, physicists, aspiring doctors and lawyers, startup founders, etc. all congregate and share in the joy of Duke basketball and taking a break from the otherwise busy life at Duke. Of course it’s never required or expected to partake, but at a minimum it creates a certain energy and level of happiness on campus that is truly infectious. This reflects in the strong alumni network with extremely fond memories of their time at Duke who consistently go to bat for you if you reach out to ask for opportunities, connections, or just to get advice and pick their brains.

On the other hand, Penn felt more somber and gloomy. Few people were spending time outside simply relaxing, and everyone seemed to be running off to the next with little time for the aforementioned flexibility and exploration. While both schools certainly have a strong pre-professional element, Duke simply has a lighter feel permeating campus. This was also the reason I eliminated Harvard; while attending Visitas I realized the campus life felt dry and inanimate, and the people I met felt less united and friendly. I’m not sure if you felt the same visiting Princeton or Yale.

I know I just threw a lot at you, but tldr: find which school has the environment, flexibility, and people you want to be around for your 4 years. For me that was Duke, for you that may be Princeton or Yale, but truly the opportunities afforded to you at all of these schools will be largely similar, so optimize for other factors. Best of luck and let me know if you have any more questions!”

The Huntsman School is not Penn's econ department. Again, Wharton doesn't run Penn, whatever PP wants you to think.

Also, the opinion of a kid who never attended the school probably shouldn't carry much weight. I'm sure I could google and find kids who never attended Duke and made the opposite decision, but why bother?

The Duke booster is getting a little annoying, and I even have a kid there.

You seem to think there's some agenda when people are just sharing information, you are also free to share information which you have been doing as well

Sorry, but the info shared needs to be based on experience rather than suppositions by posters or unknown kids who never attended a given school.

[Anonymous]

Prestige wise they are about equal, so whichever he likes the most.

I'd probably choose Duke because of the weather.

[Anonymous]

I honestly don’t understand these types of posts. They are both great schools. But they are totally different environments. City school versus suburban campus. Which does your child prefer? If you have two great options academically, go with the better fit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I honestly don’t understand these types of posts. They are both great schools. But they are totally different environments. City school versus suburban campus. Which does your child prefer? If you have two great options academically, go with the better fit.

Most likely trolls.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I honestly don’t understand these types of posts. They are both great schools. But they are totally different environments. City school versus suburban campus. Which does your child prefer? If you have two great options academically, go with the better fit.

Most likely trolls.

Doubt it, every year lots of kids have to make that decision and they split pretty evenly between both schools so it ends up being a tough choice that can be helped by advice

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid is accepted to both and is interested in economics and public policy. Which would you choose for your kid? Cost of attendance is the same. No merit or need award for either

I wouldn't "choose for" my kid in this situation. I doubt they'll find this thread helpful...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I honestly don’t understand these types of posts. They are both great schools. But they are totally different environments. City school versus suburban campus. Which does your child prefer? If you have two great options academically, go with the better fit.

Agree. What are you going to learn posting about this in an anonymous forum where people rarely cite any sources for what they say?