Accionará

I don't think I like the southern conservatism of Duke very much, but I'm still considering. Amherst is an intellectual community full of fun, while UChicago is perhaps the most intellectual community in the country, and more widely recognized internationally. Which would you all choose and why?

Pongo

i don't know much about U of Chicago, but I just wanted to say that once you're on Duke's campus, it doesn't feel Southern or conservative at all. I felt like I was in the North rather than the South, especially with all that great architecture. It also tends to lean liberal, i believe.

I can't say much beyond that until i know what you plan on studying. Details?

celebrian25

Tough one. Duke has the prestige factor- unmatched by the other two. When you say you're going to Amherst, I'd probably expect a lot of, what's amherst? Chicago is by far the one where you'll probably work the hardest. What I mean, is it's the most intensee environment. Amherst offers a supportive, smaller community, but with that intellectual feel. Personally, I'd choose Duke because I like a campus that has an interest in sports, it's the most southern state I would live in, and I just think I fit in with the people there the best. Though it seems like Amherst is the right fit for you.

JER

I don't think Duke is regarded as more prestigious than Chicago, whatever USNWR is saying these days notwithstanding; I'd say they're about the same. The Amherst name will not go nearly as far to impress people at cocktail parties as either the Chicago or Duke names will, but it will impress people in graduate school admissions offices at least as much, and probably more.

Ultimately, I'd say Amherst, for all the general reasons that a liberal-arts college education is superior to an education at a univeristy. The benefits of personal attention from faculty can't be overstated. There are only two things you lose, educationwise:

1) At least once, there will be a class you desperately want to take but can't because it isn't being offered for one reason or another.
2) You will not have the chance to work with people who are truly the top scholars in their field.

I don't think either of those is a big disadvantage compared with things like "there will be no large lecture classes" and "there are no TA's."

miaoling

From an extremely skewed, prejudiced and biased point of view, I'd say GO FOR AMHERST!