JD/MA Duke (60k) vs. JD/MA WUSTL (129k+75% off MA tuition) Forum

[1029384756]

Like Both Schools. Want to work in China or other international destination after graduation. From St. Louis and would like to work in St. Louis or Midwest if I cannot go international.

[CanadianWolf]

Duke offers more prestige & job opportunities while WashUStL's generous scholarships offer more freedom.

Are you proficient or fluent in Mandarin or another dialect ?

[bk1]

Duke for increased chance at your first desire. Since you are from St. Louis you can go back from Duke.

[1029384756]

Duke offers more prestige & job opportunities while WashUStL's generous scholarships offer more freedom.

Are you proficient or fluent in Mandarin or another dialect ?

Proficient in Mandarin. The MA will hopefully improve that.

[flexityflex86]

I think Duke is worth the extra 70k personally. How much is MA tuition - can you tell us the exact financial difference? If it becomes 50k, it's a no brainer. Duke will always be t-14. It is possible that in three years WUSTL can fall out of the top 20. That 18-30 range is very volatile.

[1029384756]

I think Duke is worth the extra 70k personally. How much is MA tuition - can you tell us the exact financial difference? If it becomes 50k, it's a no brainer. Duke will always be t-14. It is possible that in three years WUSTL can fall out of the top 20. That 18-30 range is very volatile.

The MA makes it difficult to know the exact money difference as I am not sure how much extra time the MA will take. (I need some extra language classes) Difference will be in the ballpark of 100k. (this difference increases when you account for paying back student loans and interest accruing over time.)

[FuManChusco]

I think Duke is worth the extra 70k personally. How much is MA tuition - can you tell us the exact financial difference? If it becomes 50k, it's a no brainer. Duke will always be t-14. It is possible that in three years WUSTL can fall out of the top 20. That 18-30 range is very volatile.

And what happens if WUSTL falls out of the top 20?

[Flanker1067]

I think Duke is worth the extra 70k personally. How much is MA tuition - can you tell us the exact financial difference? If it becomes 50k, it's a no brainer. Duke will always be t-14. It is possible that in three years WUSTL can fall out of the top 20. That 18-30 range is very volatile.

And what happens if WUSTL falls out of the top 20?

+1. Flexity, please explain.

[CanadianWolf]

The ink on the diploma fades.

[bk1]

The ink on the diploma fades.

Sometimes your dry humor really doesn't do it for me and sometimes, like right now, it really does.

[1029384756]

One thing I forgot to mention: Duke requires that you withdraw from all other applications and submit a tuition deposit on April 1st. WUSTL has an April 1st tuition deposit deadline but does not require that you withdraw applications from other schools. I'm still waiting on NYU and Harvard, and I was just placed on hold at my favorite school Columbia. So accepting Duke's offer would force me to end my cycle with out knowing about those other schools I like. I feel like I should not let this factor into my decision but it is hard not to.

[tecumseh]

Chinese people are pretty prestige centric so if you really do plan on working in China, I would go the school with the most prestigious reputation.

[Slevin Kelevra 2011]

What makes you think you can go international from a school in Missouri? Go with Duke, don't look back.