Duke or UPENN?

[Dr.G]

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Hi,
I would really appreciate feedback on which one of these schools you guys like better and why.
I was almost certain that I would attend Duke, but lately I have really been leaning towards UPENN and think I may have liked it better if my significant other wasn't at Duke.

 

[Dr. L]

I'm in a long distance relationship and its so hard being at different schools, especially knowing that its for four years. They are both great schools. I think I would go with Duke just because med school is so time-consuming that your relationship will be so much harder if you are seperated.

 

[ValleyGal]

If you have a relationship that would make Durham much more bearable, because for those of your age who are single, this city is D-U-L-L. In Durham you definitely have to make your own fun, which with a sig. other is cool.
Duke is an unbelievable school, and they give you unlimited opportunities. But so is Penn. When choosing between the two you should look at where you are most happy. If you think that your significant other will make you happier, then go to Durham, making sure that you won't be bitter that you are stuck in a podunk southern town. If you think that you would like a big-city atmosphere better, then go to Penn.
Good luck and you really can't go wrong with either. Your decision really hinges on how big of a part of your life your relationship is!

 

[ashman399]

i'm a duke senior, going to Penn next year (almost definitely). the reality is, durham SUCKS. as an undergrad, not so bad, but as a med student, i'd shoot myself. there is really very little to do compared with a big city like Philly. the only thing that would save you would be the significant other. duke's a great school, obviously (assuming you like cramming your basic sciences and then doing the research year) but i think penn is better. keep in mind, i'm biased against duke b/c i've been here for 4 yrs, wouldn't wanna do it again (but that's ok b/c they gave me the big R) - either way, it's a great decision to have to make...

 

[Dr.G]

Thanks Dr. L, ValleyGal, and Ashman,
just from my visits to Duke I can tell it is a pretty boring town- which is one of the main reasons I think I like PENN beter. I will probably end up going to Duke because my relationship is extremely important to me- my boyfriend went there instead of UCSD for grad school so that we could be closer to each other, so I should be willing to make sacrifices for him.
But I think I will still wait until I get financial information before I make my final decision.