<p>I think it depends on the community in which you circulate.
Amongst Catholics, they would probably say GTown or even Notre Dame is more “prestigious” than Duke.</p>
<p>Down south they would probably say Duke.
Up north, perhaps Georgetown.</p>
<p>Amongst parents who have been through the college admissions grinder, Duke would have more cachet as it’s <em>way</em> more competitive than GTown for admissions.</p>
<p>
I suppose it would go…</p>
<p>King’s College
Queens University
Princeton University
Duke University
Earlham College</p>
<p>Then the high ranking generals - US Military Academy, US Naval Academy</p>
<p>Below that, I suppose you could have important people, like saints - St. Olaf, St. John’s</p>
<p>Then the wealthy people - US Merchant Marine Academy</p>
<p>Below that, you’d have the common people - Farmingdale State, for instance</p>
<p>Georgetown annoyingly doesn’t fit easily. On the one hand, George is a rather ordinary, humdrum name, placing it at the bottom of the list - but on the other hand, it was indirectly named after a king, putting it at or near the top.</p>
<p>I suppose place names (Georgetown, Chicago, Florida State) would be at the very bottom, as they’re not even animate.</p>
<p>Cannot go wrong either way however I would say that Duke might have a slight edge. It is YOUR choice though, do not let your parents opinions on which prestigious school is more prestigious and therefore thats the one you have to go to.</p>
<p>“…On the one hand, George is a rather ordinary, humdrum name, placing it at the bottom of the list - but on the other hand, it was indirectly named after a king, putting it at or near the top.”</p>
<p>Gee thanks Warblersrule…I just named my baby boy Georges! LOL!</p>
<p>To the OP…</p>
<p>As you’ve observed, there’s a generational split. Not long ago, Duke wasn’t mentioned in the same breath as Stanford the way it is today. When your parents were in school, Duke was a lot more regional. Georgetown, though, has had a national reputation for a very long time, because it has been considered the best school in DC, and the best Catholic school in the country, for decades. So it’s not surprising that a teen would think more highly of Duke than her parents would.</p>
<p>I hate to bring this up, but as a long term indicator, Georgetown has surprisingly little money. Duke is better off, but still playing catch-up with many of the elites. I’m talking endowment per student.
The effect of money has a grinding impact over time, and the relationship has to do with why Harvard, Princeton and Yale among universities (with Stanford as an up-and-comer) prevail, and why Pomona, Williams, Swarthmore and Amherst are conventionally regarded as the premier LACs. Of course you could be blessed with a middle of Iowa location (Grinnell) and slip below the tippy-top, in spite of your wealth.</p>
<p>
Not really a problem since running/maintaining a great international relations program/foreign services school is relatively inexpensive; no cutting edge facility is required, unlike the sciences/engineering/medical fields.</p>
<p>I agree that prestige, particularly between these two school, will be affected by region and generation. I grew up thinking Georgetown was up there with HYP. Of course, I went to a Catholic high school, so my opinion may be slightly skewed. Being from the south, Duke is definitely held in higher esteem than Georgetown these days. Both are great schools!</p>
<p>They both seem to be schools that are in a great pack–WUSTL, Northwestern, Berkeley, UMich, Rice, Emory, William and Mary, Brandeis, Notre Dame and some other fine schools of a similar quality.</p>
<p>I think Duke is more prestigious.</p>
<p>When someone says prestigious non Ivies, I always think of Stanford, MIT, Caltech and Duke. Georgetown doesn’t really come to mind unless it’s political science/history/IR/whatnot.</p>
<p>lesdia - ARE YOU KIDDING ME?</p>
<p>the average layman out there DOESN’T EVEN KNOW THAT DUKE HAS A MED SCHOOL OR THAT GEORGETOWN HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH POLITICS. The average joe knows that Georgetown and Duke are great basketball schools.</p>
<p>and now you are saying that the average layman has heard of Harvard, Yale’s and Stanfor’d prestige in academics but not Princeton’s?</p>
<p>Are you really saying this?</p>
<p>oops, of course you are, you are a “DOOOOKIIIIEEE”</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Duke >>>> Georgetown</p>
<p>Duke is better in Georgetown in almost everything (business, law, med, basketball). The only program Georgetown has an edge on is public policy.</p>
<p>liu, for undergraduate Business, Georgetown has a top program, Duke has no program at all. Of course, in terms of business placement, both schools do very well, I do not think Duke has a clear advantage here. For Law, Georgetown and Duke are equal. For BBall and Medicine, Duke is indeed better. Georgetown has has the edge in International Relations.</p>
<p>In short, if the OP is pre-law, pre-politics/diplomacy or Business, Georgetown is just as good a choice as any. </p>
<p>But none of this addresses the question of prestige. Caltech is only good in Engineering and the Sciences and yet is one of the most prestigious universities in the US. Just because a university is not strong across the academic spectrum does not mean it is not prestigious.</p>
<p>This said, Dook is EXTREMELY prestigious, but Georgetown is up there too.</p>
<p>I know HYPSM. Duke is no HYPSM. :-)</p>
<p>I think there is a qualitative difference in the mood that each school exudes, and whether that is good or bad is in the eye of the beholder. Georgetown has a refined air of history and tradition. Duke has an in-your-face look-at-us brashness. I prefer the former, but to each his or her own.</p>
<p>Alexandre I would not say Georgetown does as well at Duke in placing business grads. This isn’t true.</p>
<p>“Placing” into what, though? Is it the usual, tired CC assumption that there are only a handful of companies, positions and locations worth working for and / or that can make someone good money?</p>
<p>I think Georgetown is more prestigious, personally… people who know about the school know how amazing the academics are, whereas Duke (while certainly equal academically) just has more of a reputation as a jock school. I’ve always known about Georgetown’s academics, but until essentially freshman year, I knew nothing about Duke besides that it has an incredible basketball team.</p>
<p>But, like everyone has said, don’t base your decision on prestige! Both schools are extremely respected, so it won’t affect your job placement either way. Figure out what programs you are interested in, and which school is a better fit. Also, Georgetown and Duke have VERY different campuses, so you should look into that to see where you would be most comfortable.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>proves that HS kids don’t know anything. In fact, I thought the exact opposite.</p>
<p>Both are great schools. People on CC nit-pick on prestige more than more important things such as general happiness, community, campus life, academics, and job
placement. What does the perception of an average Joe have anything to do with any of that? nothing!</p>
<p>
Obviously, it ruffled your feathers enough to respond.</p>