Duke vs Brown

Aibek · 03-27-2007, 12:37 AM

Hi, everyone!
Duke vs Brown
I am int, and need to decide which uni to choose! (also have offers from Worcester PI and Northeastern). And since I don't have any possibility to visit them, I'll appreciate all your suggestions!

About programs:
Program is like MBA for engineers, (in US it is called interdisciplinary program?) It is assumed that I'll take business courses and engineering courses, so I looked for business and engineering ratings of Duke and Brown:

at Duke it is a Master of Engineering Management program (http://memp.pratt.duke.edu/)
at Brown - Innovation Management and Entrepreneurship Engineering (PRIME) (http://www.engin.brown.edu/graduate/PRIME.htm)

Ratings:
US news 2007 (but this is for undergrads!)
Duke - 8
Brown - 15

top engineering schools:
Duke - 30
Brown - N/A

top business schools:
Duke - 11
Brown - N/A

Endowment (information from wiki):
Duke - $ 4,5 billion
Brown - $ 2,3 billion

Faculty:
Duke - 2518
Brown - 628 full-time, non-clinical 2,900 total (approx).

Student body:
Duke - Undergraduates 6,244; Postgraduates 5,993
Brown - Undergraduates 5,701; Postgraduates 1,894(326 medical)

Both Private, in a urban area.

What you think about all that? Especially will be helpfull an inside information

Thank you for your time!

jmleadpipe · 03-27-2007, 12:46 AM

Don,t ever look at the US News rankings when deciding on a Graduate insitution. It could be the worst error of your life.

Aibek · 03-27-2007, 01:44 AM

and how I should choose?

but anyway thnx!

jmleadpipe · 03-27-2007, 03:11 AM

Choose according to fit, faculty, how much you like the campus, what type of profs you will be working under. Not rankings.

nauru · 03-27-2007, 04:23 AM

Let me guess: you are from Eastern Europe/Central Europe/Russia?

In that case, I can understand university brand name and rankings being much more important than actual learning, research opportunities, and general fit.

WilliamC · 03-27-2007, 08:59 AM

You could hardly find two more different schools.

Brown is a tiny, New England, Ivy League school in Providence, RI. Duke is nearly twice as large, in Durham, North Carolina, and a culturally "southern" city.

Winter in Providence can be harsh. In Durham it rarely gets below freezing.

Both are academically excellent, but, again, culturally they are worlds apart.

dallas808 · 03-27-2007, 10:39 AM

My vote goes to Duke as you get to spend some networking time @ Fuqua which is considered one of the top business schools. You may also find a lot internship opportunies from engieering firms within the Triangle area.

My brother goes to Brown. From what I heard, the campus has a very strong European presence -- and hence stronger alumni network in Europe. Graduates are generally very well recruited and placed. Boston is only a short train ride (~1 hour) away. Unfortunately, he has never heard of the PRIME program!

nauru · 03-27-2007, 11:48 AM

My vote goes to Brown, since it I think it would have less prominent jock culture, less prominence of rich ditzy cheerleaders, less prominent frats and sorrorities, and a more academic (university-like?) atmosphere overall.

brand_182 · 03-27-2007, 11:56 AM

Brown is awesome. Go there and be happy.

nauru · 03-27-2007, 12:16 PM

Honestly, I wish I would have known about Brown when I was in (Canadian) high school. I would have applied for sure, and I think I'd have had a very good shot at getting in too. Both Duke and Brown will lead to lots of opportunities after graduation, but Brown seems like a place I would actually want to spend four years of my life. (looking only at North American universities)

jmleadpipe · 03-27-2007, 01:06 PM

Nauru,

You dont think the 130K+ debt you would be saddled with upon graduation might sap some of the fun out of your college experience?

nauru · 03-27-2007, 01:40 PM

Heh, well I was thinking I might have gotten one of those neat scholarships. I mean, how many people in the US actually pay the sticker price for their education? Not that I would expect to go there for free, but I think my profile was strong enough to warrant some decent cash.

Besides, I ended up studying in Europe, which isn't the easiest place to be thrifty. But I won some scholarships and the whole thing ended up being fairly affordable. All I'm saying is that given the fact that I was willing to shell out a considerable amount of money (and take on some debt) for college, I may well have chosen Brown had I known about it at the time.

Aibek · 03-29-2007, 04:31 AM

Thank you all for discussion!
But the quiestion is still open.
I have fellowship, which cover all tuition.
All I should do is to choose right uni...
I am from Kazakhstan (Central Asia). Interested in graduation opportunities.
Of course, I want to spend time in a uni that best fits. Suppose that actual learning level in both univ is awesome, so only looking for general fit.
At the beginning I was thinking about Duke and made a research, and found it very cool univ. But my MA friends argued for Brown, saying that there are a much more possibilities, and that Boston is nearer.

In the Duke I like campus appearence (from fotos and from reports). What about Brown? Is it has convenient "life supplies". At Duke I already like nature, mean huge garden near.

As grad I will live off-campus, and what is worse - without meal plan - as I know. What about food possibilities in both cases?

PS - what about student life? Wanna study hard, but, at the same time, have an opportunity to relax.

__________________________________________________ __________
Brown is a tiny, New England, Ivy League school in Providence, RI. Duke is nearly twice as large, in Durham, North Carolina, and a culturally "southern" city.

Winter in Providence can be harsh. In Durham it rarely gets below freezing.

Both are academically excellent, but, again, culturally they are worlds apart.
__________________________________________________ _____________

"culturally "southern" city." - what that mean? What is the difference in culture between south and north?? How exactly?

Thanx for time!

dallas808 · 03-29-2007, 11:01 AM

Quote:

As grad I will live off-campus, and what is worse - without meal plan - as I know. What about food possibilities in both cases?

At Brown, your nearest meal supplies from Engineering is on Thayer St which offers some good variety. Most restaurants surrounding campus are relatively pricey and less tasty (compared to Boston). Grad students have their own bar (with cheap drinks and pool tables) and you definitely get to meet a lot of people there. If you don't mind hanging around with undergraduates, there are plenty of parties to go. Unfortunately, there is not much "green nature" surrounding Brown. If you end up going Brown, PM me. I will hook you with my B.

Aibek · 03-30-2007, 07:40 AM

Ok! Thanx, Dallas808!

BTW can someone tell me about the grade system in Brown. Heard that it something special. without ABC grades, only satisfactory/unsatisfactory.... am I right?

The most anxious thing is that Brown graduate is not in the Ratings!!! I look through top engineering and top business schools, and there is only Duke, no Brown!
but Brown in Ivy League...