<p>I made this same decision last week. My parents were also encouraging me to go to Duke, but when I visited I liked the atmosphere at Rice better. Reputation and rankings do matter, but it’s more important to enjoy the four years. And seriously, you can’t go wrong with bioengineering at Rice.</p>
<p>Why do you want your kid to go to Duke, anyway? Most people I met there had gotten alcohol poisoning at one point. And it’s so expensive.</p>