kir2

@The Prince of Uncertainty Even though the MIDS program is new, I really like that the program allows you to take classes across multiple departments. Since I am an Economics person, I like having the option to take classes in Economics and related fields. Duke is also stronger in Economics and business than most of the other schools, such as UW and GaTech. Duke is also strong in statistics, and many places have it ranked above GaTech for statistics. Being from the San Francisco Bay Area, Duke as a whole seems to be much more highly regarded in my area than NYU, GaTech, and UW as well. The UW and NYU programs were structured to only have classes at night, which I don't like since I will not be working while taking classes. I especially did not like the idea of commuting in NYC at night, so that was a big downside for me. Full time at UW was 2 courses per quarter, and there didn't appear to be any electives, so I crossed that off my list pretty quickly. I visited both Duke and GaTech, and I like Duke way better. All of the people at Duke seemed very friendly, and the program directors want to help everyone find their individual path, unlike some of the larger programs and ones with PhD programs, where the PhD students are more important. I really like the small class size at Duke since they were very clear they will only have 30-35 people in the program. Tuition was less of a concern for me, especially since I had a full scholarship for undergrad as a Division 1 athlete, so I never had to pay for any of my undergraduate education. The cost of living in Durham is so much less than any of the other places (especially NYC), so that somewhat offsets the high tuition.

I just accepted my offer today

Hi! I'm very excited to have been admitted to Duke's MIDS program! I'm an Economics major (math and management information systems minors) currently finishing up my senior year at Santa Clara University. I personally really like the variety and amount of courses offered in Duke's program, and even though it is a new program, it seems like the faculty are highly knowledgeable. I have also been accepted to UW, NYU, Georgia Tech, and Georgetown, but Duke is probably my top choice at the moment. I'm going to visit the campus in a week, and I'm hoping that will help with my decision.