If you managed to get Duke to give you financial aid, I have all the respect in the world for you. That office took all of my applications, posted them on a corkboard, laughed at them, and then tore them up and fed them to their pet hylophagous goldfish... anyways, I would say Duke, all the way.
Like SarahGM said, Durham and the Triangle area is a -different- experience for people used to living in more urban, 'cultured' places. I come from West Virginia, so, Durham is comparable to my home state.
Having got out of Duke last December, I've been spending the past three months living as a Durhamite, and it's not the most glorious experience. The Triangle suffers from major Urban sprawl, complicated by the construction of several new shopping centers and a Super Target. The road and highway system is not extremely well-planned, though you can generally find a good method of transit if you spend some time puzzling over city maps. My biggest complaint is the huge number of people who populate said shopping centers - it's quite a hassle buying stuff from Target/WalMart. I generally just end up going to Whole Foods (which is also often packed, after work).
If you're looking for nightlife akin to Chicago/New York, try another area. There's a smattering of smoky, sit-down bars, nothing too upscale. There is -one- upscale bar that opened early this year, but my friends and I predict a quick turnover.
That said, cost of living is great. I have a roomie in a spacious 2BR multi-room apartment and I pay 325/mo. Water is cheap, and the weather is nice and warm (though we've had freak ice and snow these past two years). There are plenty of trails to hike, and there is a definite plus to having warm, sunny Southern beaches a few hours' drive away. Albeit, working, I wish I had weekends to enjoy them, but, eh.
The area is quite naturalized. This leads to some allergy problems in the spring (right about now, for me at least) as trees release pollen. The pines also release very yellow (generally non-allergen) pollen, some years to the point where it stains the ground gold! It's all worth it, though, and wisteria dangling from the trees in may and june is something you won't see too often in Boston.
Apparently there are cultural and artistic activities in Durham, but you need to be proactive in searching them out. As an undergrad without a car, it was difficult for me to go into the city. Duke's UGrad campus was definitely NOT integrated with the city in any way, shape, or form. As a professional student I'm sure you'd have more freedom.
As to patient diversity, Duke Med Center draws a great deal of patients from across the country, and you also do get a sizeable urban experience. There are plenty of opportunities to work with all sorts of patients. I wouldn't worry about that.
The best way to describe Durham? SPREAD OUT. Things are not close to each other here. To fully benefit from what Durham has to offer, you need to drive. SOUTHERN. While it's crowded here, the people are generally nice, and you feel usually welcome in most places. SPRAWLING. Urban Sprawl has really taken a hold here, which makes things cheap and convenient, but also a major pain when it takes time to find a parking space, drive, and wait in checkout lines. GREEN. North Carolina is great for the outdoorswoman/man. Duke Gardens, at least, is worth many a trip.
My overall experience? It's liveable here, but it's not where I want to stay for the rest of my life. It's a relatively quiet place where one can hunker down and concentrate on studying.
I have no idea what Boston is like.
Hope that rambling message helped.
04DukeBio
('03 Dec. Bio/Genetics)
