Should I ED to Duke or Penn or Cornell ?

[Anonymous]

If you want to get in to an elite school, best chance is Early Decision Cornell. Penn possible but Cornell easiest. Duke impossible without legacy.

[Anonymous]

They are all single digit admit rates. Cornell has a strong preference for Alumni in the ED round, so if you are not hooked, your chances at all three are minimal to nil.

Pick the one where you like the campus and setting the best but make sure you havae plenty of targets and safeties.

[Anonymous]

Cornell is not even close to Duke in terms of quality of education/prestige/overall experience.

Penn not at Duke level but also much better than Cornell.

Still, all 3 are great institutions- so whichever you can get in!

[Anonymous]

Who wants to go to Duke anyway?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Cornell is not even close to Duke in terms of quality of education/prestige/overall experience.

Saying, “not even close” is ridiculous hyperbole that is expressed all too often here on DCUM. In terms of actual academic quality, which I feel is the most important criterion when choosing a college, Cornell and Penn are both easily peers of Duke.

[Anonymous]

Yes

[Anonymous]

If your kid isn't voicing a strong "this is where I want to go" then don't ED. All are great schools and ED might help a little with admission, but please put your kid's actual interest in the school before admission strategy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cornell is not even close to Duke in terms of quality of education/prestige/overall experience.

Saying, “not even close” is ridiculous hyperbole that is expressed all too often here on DCUM. In terms of actual academic quality, which I feel is the most important criterion when choosing a college, Cornell and Penn are both easily peers of Duke.

+1

[Anonymous]

You should be applying to oxford if ppe is your desire

American ppe programs are woefully less rigorous

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who wants to go to Duke anyway?

I do!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Cornell is not even close to Duke in terms of quality of education/prestige/overall experience.

Penn not at Duke level but also much better than Cornell.

Still, all 3 are great institutions- so whichever you can get in!

Penn not at Duke level? I think a majority of people who frequent this board would disagree with you and see them as relative equals or a slight nod to Penn. Also, latest USNWR ranking has Penn higher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cornell is not even close to Duke in terms of quality of education/prestige/overall experience.

Penn not at Duke level but also much better than Cornell.

Still, all 3 are great institutions- so whichever you can get in!

Penn not at Duke level? I think a majority of people who frequent this board would disagree with you and see them as relative equals or a slight nod to Penn. Also, latest USNWR ranking has Penn higher.

Yes, that PP is way off base. Either they're working with vary outdated info or (more likely) they just have their own opinion about the three schools, which isn't based on any factual information.

[Anonymous]

It is interesting to hear people say that Penn is so much of a harder admit than Cornell. Our kids now attend a public school in upstate NY. It seems like all kids here apply to Cornell (2-6 attend every year/HS class size of about 450). We also see a 2-3 kids attend Penn every year.

In this area I would expect more Cornell admits because so many top students apply and there are so many Cornell parents (many apply ED to get the legacy bump). So I have been surprised with how many go to Penn.

[Anonymous]

My son is at Duke and he absolutely loves it! He applied ED to Duke for its outstanding BioMedical Engineering Program. However, Duke ECON students are highly recruited and Sanford is widely known in the political science and policy circles. Plus there is a BIG difference going to class on a spacious, beautiful campus rather than the inner-city of Philadelphia. Cornell has a very nice campus, as well, but Ithica is nothing special and is in the middle of no where. Durham isn't a booming city either, but the whole technology triangle area is rapidly growing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son is at Duke and he absolutely loves it! He applied ED to Duke for its outstanding BioMedical Engineering Program. However, Duke ECON students are highly recruited and Sanford is widely known in the political science and policy circles. Plus there is a BIG difference going to class on a spacious, beautiful campus rather than the inner-city of Philadelphia. Cornell has a very nice campus, as well, but Ithica is nothing special and is in the middle of no where. Durham isn't a booming city either, but the whole technology triangle area is rapidly growing.

+1 My kid is a junior and he totalllly loves Duke! Public policy is ranked #1 nationwide. Econ dept is highly ranked too! If you sure abt Duke then go for ED!! Penn is great too, slighlty easier admit than Duke