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Thanks all.

have you tried to negotiate with NU? If you can get em to match it sounds like you'd have a win win.

Honestly it seems like this comparison is a wash. COA is basically the same if you account for the location preference with NU. Both are great schools so neither is a bad choice. I would just go with your gut on this one. Along the lines of where would you rather live for 3 years or do you prefer either school's vibe, etc. Your first post makes me lean NU.

Those COA differences include difference in COL between Chicago and Durham right? If you're frugal you could probably save a good bit in Durham

Also they are peers in placement. They're even ranked the same usually in USNWR.

I agree with everyone here. You seem to prefer NU to Duke at the same price and it would be a hassle to get out of the lease and everything else. Who knows you might even fall in love with Chicago and try to stay. Go back to NU and ask them to bump your scholly up a little bit. The COL difference isn't actually that large between Durham and NU and I anecdotally know it's very easy to shave some of the COL off of NU's COA (especially 2L and 3L year when you know the city better and don't live in Streeterville, which most 2Ls and 3Ls tend to do simply because they like other parts of the city more). Don't go to Duke just because it is "higher ranked. Realistically both probably give you an equal shot of getting back to Cali and NU and Duke are two very different schools. Unless NU comes back with a considerably higher offer to beat Duke's, go where you think you will be happiest.

ETA: If those are the markets you are interested in in that order then NU might the right decision here if you are serious about getting Chicago in the event that you don't get one of those smaller Southern California markets. Getting to Chicago will be tough with absolutely no ties. SF and especially DC are always tough. That would leave you with just NYC and your smaller California markets as realistic markets without great grades, which would make this consideration moot anyways.

Sticking with NU is fine unless you're fudging the COA numbers to help make your decision easier.

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Duke. $20k is a lot of money.