OP you cannot go wrong with either of these fabulous schools. As you know, it is very likely that neither one will be an admit. I'd go for the one that's more likely an admit. Which is probably Penn.

Hi OP-

My daughter is at Duke and absolutely loves it. She also has friends at Penn. Both of these schools have such excellent resouces and opportunities. She cannot make a wrong decision.

I cannot speak to neuroscience specifically, but, I would encourage your daughter to focus on experience, and location too. Is the big school "game day" experience important to her? does she want a school in a city? How accessible to home does she want to be? etc...

Anonymous wrote:She’s not getting into either if she’s not mature enough to be contacting professors or seeing which is a better fit, research-wise. Sorry. These schools want to accept kids who are already functioning at a graduate-school level. Why waste time on a kid who isn’t pro-active and self-motivated enough to discern which is a better school for her interests?

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Ignore this- my daughter is thriving at duke and certainly never contacted professors...

Anonymous wrote:She’s not getting into either if she’s not mature enough to be contacting professors or seeing which is a better fit, research-wise. Sorry. These schools want to accept kids who are already functioning at a graduate-school level. Why waste time on a kid who isn’t pro-active and self-motivated enough to discern which is a better school for her interests?

The above post is total BS. Absolutely incorrect.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She’s not getting into either if she’s not mature enough to be contacting professors or seeing which is a better fit, research-wise. Sorry. These schools want to accept kids who are already functioning at a graduate-school level. Why waste time on a kid who isn’t pro-active and self-motivated enough to discern which is a better school for her interests?

This is absurdity, IMO. Many of these applicants are 17 years old. They like neuroscience from biology or AP Psych. My kid is a freshman at one of these schools. Not in neuroscience, but she would never have done that and I would have discouraged her from contacting a professor as a high school student. High school seniors are children. My husband is a professor, graduate level. This sounds over the top.

+100 hardly any of the freshmen are at a graduate school level. Maybe a handful of kids are. That’s about it

Anonymous wrote:She’s not getting into either if she’s not mature enough to be contacting professors or seeing which is a better fit, research-wise. Sorry. These schools want to accept kids who are already functioning at a graduate-school level. Why waste time on a kid who isn’t pro-active and self-motivated enough to discern which is a better school for her interests?

This is absurdity, IMO. Many of these applicants are 17 years old. They like neuroscience from biology or AP Psych. My kid is a freshman at one of these schools. Not in neuroscience, but she would never have done that and I would have discouraged her from contacting a professor as a high school student. High school seniors are children. My husband is a professor, graduate level. This sounds over the top.

She’s not getting into either if she’s not mature enough to be contacting professors or seeing which is a better fit, research-wise. Sorry. These schools want to accept kids who are already functioning at a graduate-school level. Why waste time on a kid who isn’t pro-active and self-motivated enough to discern which is a better school for her interests?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Doesn’t she have favorite neuroscience labs or researchers at one of the institutions? I would have thought she would have reached out to 3 or 4 labs any each school already to discuss her interests and see which university is a better fit.

Troll

Not PP, but my dad is a professor at one of these schools, and I can confirm that he gets students contacting him like this all the time.

Let me tell you why this is stupid.

1) high school kids have not had an opportunity to study neuroscience to any reasonable level

2) just because a student is interested in neuroscience doesn’t mean they have an interest in research

3) contacting professors about working with them or with specific questions at colleges that are extremely difficult admits is so presumptuous from a high school student it is laughable for most kids

4) few high school kids understand academics or academic research enough unless they already have family or contacts in academics making this peak absurdity

Neuroscience department is very strong at Duke - can’t go wrong there.

DUKE

I think for schools like Penn and Duke kids just want to get in rather than worry about specific professors

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Doesn’t she have favorite neuroscience labs or researchers at one of the institutions? I would have thought she would have reached out to 3 or 4 labs any each school already to discuss her interests and see which university is a better fit.

Troll

Not PP, but my dad is a professor at one of these schools, and I can confirm that he gets students contacting him like this all the time.

Anonymous wrote:Doesn’t she have favorite neuroscience labs or researchers at one of the institutions? I would have thought she would have reached out to 3 or 4 labs any each school already to discuss her interests and see which university is a better fit.

Troll

Doesn’t she have favorite neuroscience labs or researchers at one of the institutions? I would have thought she would have reached out to 3 or 4 labs any each school already to discuss her interests and see which university is a better fit.

Daughter having a tough time deciding between the two for early decision, she wants to study neuroscience and likes different things about both schools. Any experiences at either school for premed would be welcome!