Off the waitlist at Duke - unsure what to do

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.


It's ok to care about rankings, by the way.
Anonymous
DC was admitted to both but chose a third school. He thought Penn's campus was ugly and that the students looked unhappy. He liked Duke's campus and thought the students looked happy. Duke's food court with the sushi counter and steak restaurant also turned his head. Duke is a luxury resort.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
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.


This is the most original and best advice ever!
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:DC was admitted to both but chose a third school. He thought Penn's campus was ugly and that the students looked unhappy. He liked Duke's campus and thought the students looked happy. Duke's food court with the sushi counter and steak restaurant also turned his head. Duke is a luxury resort.


Wow! is this how students decide if a school is good? Based on some smiling faces and a sushi counter. What a way to choose an educational institution.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:DC was admitted to both but chose a third school. He thought Penn's campus was ugly and that the students looked unhappy. He liked Duke's campus and thought the students looked happy. Duke's food court with the sushi counter and steak restaurant also turned his head. Duke is a luxury resort.


What was the 3rd school that DC chose to attend?
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:DC was admitted to both but chose a third school. He thought Penn's campus was ugly and that the students looked unhappy. He liked Duke's campus and thought the students looked happy. Duke's food court with the sushi counter and steak restaurant also turned his head. Duke is a luxury resort.


Wow! is this how students decide if a school is good? Based on some smiling faces and a sushi counter. What a way to choose an educational institution.


Yes, I'm sure that's all that went into the decision. Very literal folks in this thread today.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:DC was admitted to both but chose a third school. He thought Penn's campus was ugly and that the students looked unhappy. He liked Duke's campus and thought the students looked happy. Duke's food court with the sushi counter and steak restaurant also turned his head. Duke is a luxury resort.


So, I guess when my kid visits a school and says the campus is ugly and kids look unhappy...my advice will be "Definitely apply"!
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
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.


Many confuse Duke with dukes of hazard.
Anonymous
I wouldn’t send a kid to school in Philly given how dangerous it’s become. I know someone who works at Temple and she can’t wait to get out of there. Especially where Penn is located.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
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.


This is the most original and best advice ever!


Except, most people outside the east coast don't know Duke. It's an easy coast thing.
Anonymous
The people who answer "X school hands down" are dolts. Both schools are impressive. Hopefully your kid can visit before deciding given how extraordinarily different these two schools are in terms of cultures. Can't go wrong with whichever feels like the best fit.
Anonymous
Duke has prettier women by some margin
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Penn hands down.


+1

So much better than the University of New Jersey at Durham.
Anonymous
I think kids are generally happier at Duke. Better food. Better weather. And Penn is thought to be cut-throat because of low grading. (I don't know if this is also true of Duke, but Penn has the reputation compared to, say, other Ivies.)
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Go visit Duke. They're just really different. There is no world in which having gone to Duke will hurt his career.
Penn isn't perfect. It's cutthroat as to grades and clubs, there are massive issues right now with antisemitism and the administration and the media around all that. As a Penn Law alum (and that was a great experience), West Philly is Not Nice. Take some time to think this through.


Agreed.
Visit Duke. My husband went and hated it. That’s when it wasn’t so cutthroat. Kid toured there and didn’t make it through the tour. The vibe was all about stress. There’s a reason suicides have spiked there. Environment matters.
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