Originally Posted by
Stray Gator
Astute observations, with which I fully agree. I would, however, add a couple of additional justifications that I customarily offer when asked why I encouraged both of my children to attend Duke and was happy to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for their college education rather than let them attend for free a public school (the University of Florida) that, in relative terms, enjoys a high academic ranking, offers great cultural diversity. and provides a wonderful college experience. In addition to the reasons you've mentioned--that a degree from Duke is like a badge of honor that provides instant credibility and opens doors throughout one's lifetime, and that the opportunities for networking with other Duke grads is a valuable enduring benefit--I believe that the size and composition of the student body gives Duke, and for that matter gives any of the selective admission private colleges, a significant advantage over public schools for at least two major reasons.
First, I agree that it's possible to obtain the same quality of undergraduate education at a large state school as it is at Duke. At the state school, however, the student must actively seek it out, and getting the best courses and best professors often depends on timing and the luck of the draw. At Duke, by contrast, the small classes and rigorous curriculum requirements and consistently outstanding faculty virtually ensure that each student gets a great education, as if by osmosis.
Second, at a large state school, the vast majority of students come from the same geographic area--which is, after all, consistent with the mission of a state school--so they generally have similar cultural backgrounds and life experiences. Consequently, for many students at state schools who do not actively pursue a different circle of friends, the college experience is only a modestly advanced version of high school in terms of "expanding horizons." At Duke, the geographic and cultural diversity of the small undergraduate population means that each student will inevitably interact with peers from different backgrounds, and will thereby be exposed to unfamiliar influences that create the opportunity to enlarge their perspectives about a whole range of things--from foods, to music and literature and art, to politics and religion, and so on. As one who believes that the most valuable part of a college education comes outside of the classroom, I consider this "acquiring of more expansive tastes that creates a curiosity about, and diminishes the fear of, different cultures" to be a priceless life-enriching facet of the learning experience.