<p>@ AtlanticCoastDoc: While I understand that you have a lot of fondness as a Duke alumnus for the preparation and support you received for the MTSP program, I would not go as far as saying that prospective students interested in pre-professional careers are doing “themselves a disservice if they did not go to Duke.” I am also a Dukie who spent my first year at Rice, and I would argue Rice is just as strong for medical school preparation, especially with the opportunities associated with the Texas Medical Center, the world’s largest medical center (much larger than Duke’s Medical Center) a 10 min walk way from the edge of campus. In fact, 90%+ of med school applicants from Rice get into a medical school. If I didn’t have a strong interest in environmental sciences and ecology in addition to my medical interests, I would have stayed. Med schools know UChicago is among the toughest schools in the country, and I bet UChicago has excellent advising as well. I’m sure UChicago students do well in law school and Wall St. placement as well. Grad and preprofessional schools know that UChicago students receive very rigorous intellectual training. I agree that Duke does offer excellent preparation for pre-professional careers, but it is a disservice to imply that Duke provides “better” pre-professional preparation than Chicago or other top LACs/universities to prospective students/parents on CC. There is no need to put down other colleges/universities in order to put Duke on a pedestal; I wish some of my fellow Blue Devils would stop doing that.</p>