Off the waitlist at Duke - unsure what to do

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

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.

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

Genuinely curious how/why you think that. I don't see it at all.

[Anonymous]

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.

Because they are similar in terms of perceived prestige, just like Vanderbilt is with Emory, Rice, and Washington U. The fact one is urban and the other more suburban (or smaller city) is not as relevant. They also attract a student body that is largely pre-professional and/or from the Mid-Atlantic.

[Anonymous]

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

You honestly think OP doesn't know the difference?

[Anonymous]

Harvard, Yale, and Princeton are the only ivies to consider over Duke.

[Anonymous]

Yeah, hands down Penn.

[Anonymous]

Penn over Duke, no contest. And agree that you should squeeze in a visit if you can...

[Anonymous]

Duke! Penn grad here. Just no. There's a reason they call it "Filth-a-delphia."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most kids we know who've gotten into both schools picked Duke, unless they also got into HYPSM.

How many could you possibly know?

[Anonymous]

I think students at Penn and Duke are quite similar these days. But when we visited Penn we were really struck by how much Wharton dominates the school. If the ambition is Wall Street, Penn is your school. Students at Duke seem more varied in their interests. Grinders for sure. But with more diverse interests.

I would choose Duke.

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

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.

Not narrow-minded at all. My kid loved Penn and didn't care for Duke at all...which makes all the sense in the world. As it would for someone to think the reverse.

Sounds like you cared about rankings, mostly.

[Anonymous]

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.

Not narrow-minded at all. My kid loved Penn and didn't care for Duke at all...which makes all the sense in the world. As it would for someone to think the reverse.

Sounds like you cared about rankings, mostly.

You said you can't imagine someone who likes one like g the other. That is narrow minded. BTW, I ended up choosing a lower ranked state school....

[Anonymous]

OMG pick Duke! My cousin got into Duke and accepted but is wait listed at Penn and prefers Penn. You can switch places!