Duke vs. Harvard

[Anonymous]

This is a joke, unless Duke is full ride.

[Anonymous]

Everyone hates Duke unless they went there. Harvard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Everyone hates Duke unless they went there. Harvard.

Everyone knows that undergraduates are an afterthought at Harvard. Duke.

[Anonymous]

Has your kid been able to talk to current students to try to get honest answers to questions?

If not, try to do that ASAP. I assume your high school sends kids to both and hopefully alums are happy to give their unvarnished views

[Anonymous]

Harvard is now taking Duke types believe it or not. It says more about Harvard admissions than the student or Duke.

[Anonymous]

I assume the person asking is a top 20 basketball recruit? Otherwise, must be a troll.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone hates Duke unless they went there. Harvard.

Everyone knows that undergraduates are an afterthought at Harvard. Duke.

Any university with fantastic resources can be leveraged by a competent undergrad with decent EQ. I've attended multiple schools that were considered too large to provide an intimate, personalized experience and found that untrue.

Going to a school that's considered "fun" mostly means more bros and more drinking. Yet many people don't define fun that way.

[Anonymous]

Depends 100% on goals.

Want to be a member of the elite (financially, politically, etc.)? Harvard more likely to get you there, though certainly not impossible from Duke.

All other goals? Duke, though not impossible from Harvard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I prefer Yale to Harvard personally, not the area, but the school.

Thanks. That’s very helpful in the choice between Harvard & Duke.

[Anonymous]

If you visited Harvard recently, the choice is obvious. Go to Duke and pursue advanced degree at Harvard. 80 degrees at Duke vs high 40s in Cambridge. Fun vs no fun.

[Anonymous]

If you want better feedback, I'd suggest providing a little more info.

The fact that it's a question makes me wonder if they prefer Duke and are drawn to that experience / campus but feel like they ought to choose Harvard because -- well, it's Harvard?

If you're asking in terms of prestige, one school would brag that its undergrads go on to grad school at the other -- and we all know which is which.

But prestige is just that, and your child is a full-fledged human about to go through a major life transition. So: What environment feels exciting and supportive?

One thing to keep in mind: the vast majority undergrads at these schools will go on to earn a graduate or professional degree. So think of this as the first step in their higher ed journey, not the final word.

Good luck.

[Anonymous]

Op is trolling obviously

[Anonymous]

I went to Duke and my best friend at Duke chose Duke over Princeton and Stanford. I didn’t find this out until years later and was a little shocked in that it was a bit unusual even in the late 90s. He said he wanted fun and Duke as way more fun back then. He had a blast in college and loved his undergrad experience. He went on to HLS and is a successful lawyer. He was genuinely a smart person and wasn’t so worried about his career at 18 and made healthy normal kid choices and continued to do so at Duke, drinking at parties and studying during the week. Didn’t seem to hold him back on life, suffering his Duke choice. And we have an incredibly tight circle from Duke and we get together and watch games and text about it, etc. The Duke hate does fuel a sense of loyalty and belonging that isn’t quite replaceable by attending Harvard. Go to Harvard for grad school like my friend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I went to Duke and my best friend at Duke chose Duke over Princeton and Stanford. I didn’t find this out until years later and was a little shocked in that it was a bit unusual even in the late 90s. He said he wanted fun and Duke as way more fun back then. He had a blast in college and loved his undergrad experience. He went on to HLS and is a successful lawyer. He was genuinely a smart person and wasn’t so worried about his career at 18 and made healthy normal kid choices and continued to do so at Duke, drinking at parties and studying during the week. Didn’t seem to hold him back on life, suffering his Duke choice. And we have an incredibly tight circle from Duke and we get together and watch games and text about it, etc. The Duke hate does fuel a sense of loyalty and belonging that isn’t quite replaceable by attending Harvard. Go to Harvard for grad school like my friend.

Fun=drinking

Such a prevalent mindset. Why isn't this questioned?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone hates Duke unless they went there. Harvard.

Everyone knows that undergraduates are an afterthought at Harvard. Duke.

Any university with fantastic resources can be leveraged by a competent undergrad with decent EQ. I've attended multiple schools that were considered too large to provide an intimate, personalized experience and found that untrue.

Going to a school that's considered "fun" mostly means more bros and more drinking. Yet many people don't define fun that way.

You're making an argument that people should fight and claw their way through a university that offers a sub-par undergraduate education simply because it's Harvard.

That's for clout-chasers, not those looking for a place to spend four of the best years of their lives.