Bullcitympp

This was me last year! I was about 90% sure I was going to do the CMU DA track, then visited both programs the same weekend - Sanford Friday, CMU Saturday (the logistics were not simple but I made it work). I got a really good vibe from Sanford and a less good vibe from CMU in terms of personal fit. That sent me back to 50/50 and I ultimately went with Sanford and what I felt would be the better experience for me, rather than the more impressive toolkit. It was definitely a trade off though, and I think both options would have been great in different ways. The main thing that stood out to me at Sanford was the close-knit feel - small class size, but maybe more importantly you really get to know the faculty, staff, career counselors, administration, IT folks, etc... it really feels like a family of people who care about you and will be there to help you succeed in grad school and for the rest of your life, and a lot of that came through when I visited. I also realized I wasn't even sure I wanted to do the kind of super quant-heavy work the DA track would set me up for, and so I wanted a curriculum that would give me some flexibility to explore. A year later, I'm happy with my choice, especially on those 70 degree days in February! I'd recommend trying to make it to both admitted students days if at all possible, or if you don't come to Duke then, finding another time to visit Sanford - admissions is great about setting you up with classes to attend and students to meet with. And feel free to message me if you want to chat further!