GrandConjuration

While you guys are at TED, check out Bjorn Lomborg's talk on global priorities.

Two weeks ago, I posted a thread titled "Undergrad: Duke vs. Rice". Since then, I've deemed Duke a better fit for me than Rice and I've also been accepted at Penn. I'll be transferring from my current school, a big state university, to one of these East Coast schools. Which one of these schools, Duke or Penn, would best prepare me to apply to a top Ph.D. program? Things to consider: -Both schools will offer me generous financial aid. -I'll be a sophomore next year and I'd like to double major in Math and Econ. -I'm a minority (Hispanic). -I'll be participating in the AEA Summer Program this year at UCSB. Duke has hosted this program the past three years and so they'll be familiar with my particular situation (at least more than Penn). -I prefer Penn's location (urban) to Duke's (suburban). Based on information off their websites, Duke seems to be equally focused on undergrad and graduate research while Penn seems to place less emphasis on their undergrad program. Can someone confirm this? Thanks for any advice and feel free to PM me.

Thanks for all the help! I've spent a good deal of time this week comparing both schools and have finally chosen Duke among the schools that have accepted me so far (Duke, Rice, and Cornell). Providing Duke grants me a similar full tuition offer as Rice (which I'm sure it will--low income), I'll go there. I've been rejected at Stanford and Chicago, but I'm still waiting for Penn and Northwestern(MMSS). MMSS is my first choice now with Penn at second and Duke at third. Btw, the most recent Nobel winner in economics, Leonid Hurwicz, is from Minnesota.

No, I'm from Brownsville but I didn't attend a school in south Texas. Did you go to Pan Am? I heard several students from Pan Am have participated in the program over the years.

Yep, I'll be in the Foundations program this year. I wonder if we'll go to the Fed or CBO this year. I've heard that students in the Duke program went, but obviously Durham is closer to that area than Santa Barbara. Btw, I'm from south Texas. Which part of Texas are you from txecon?

Thanks for the advice! HelicopterEconDad provides a solid argument, but I'll keep on thinking about it. However, it seems that distinguishing yourself among your peers would be considered more impressive at Duke than at Rice. Tough choice...

I'm actually a transfer student from a big Midwest state school applying for sophomore admission. I do, however, read Mas-Colell for fun (still trying to do all of Chp. 1's proofs) and I'll be attending the AEA Summer Program for minorities. Doesn't hurt to start early. Leaning a little to Duke now. Still waiting to hear back form Chicago, though.

Hi, I'm considering both schools for undergrad. I'd like to someday earn a Ph.D. in Econ so I'm wondering which school would better prepare me for this task. Any advice is appreciated. Please do not suggest applying to other schools; I simply want a comparison of these two.