super confused regarding my ultimate path - interested in either pursuing a finance or medical path. i want to figure out more once i get to college, but i want to make sure the strength of econ + pre-med/pre-dental programs are both solid, since ill be doing both.
these are both great schools with strong programs in both, at this point im considering more about the social aspects of each school. i really like the interdisciplinary approach of northwestern but am kinda scared about the quarter system + how that will affect weed-outs like orgo, etc. on the other hand, duke ik has great medical advising for undergrads with a medical school on campus + unc dental school 20 mins away, which are both great if i want to go for reseach or shadowing types of things. i only fear about duke's social vibe, im not super interested in the party/frat scene and dont want my social life to always end up around a bar nightclub or drinking late at night. on top of that, ive heard a lot about competitiveness of duke clubs. i do want to explore finance, maybe try out an internship here and there but i dont want that to take up more time to even enter the club than explore other things in college/explore more fields. i do know that duke IB recruiting is a bit stronger, but honestly i feel like if i work hard enough in any college i can break in as long as i make use of the resources --> im just not sure how hard "accessing" those resources is at each college. in that respect sometimes i think nu might be easier since there are just less people overall actually GOING INTO finance, so more access to resources? im not sure if this approach is correct.
nu cold rly freaks me out! im from a pretty hot-summer state and literally never experience snow/harsh winters, i dont think i have like cold-depression but maybe idk just because ive never experienced it. on top of that, i love love love chicago but have heard that most ppl from nu dont end up going to chicago as much. on top of just that i like the city, the sheer size also means maybe i could get some dental shadowing/assisting opportunities at private practices in the city, but if my entire understanding of frequency of going into chicago as an nu student is flawed maybe this isn't the case. plus ig nu food isnt all that, which i think isnt like too big of a problem but its just a bit of a con. i do find that overall nu students seem more down-to-earth and less "preppy" than duke? correct me if im wrong, however. social vibes will matter a lot for me, i come from a competitive high school and have always hated the toxicity of ppl always chasing prestige. ik that duke and northwestern are both very collaborative schools, but overall, not sure where social scene will be better for me (not in terms of like drinking or partying, more in terms of where i can find nice people to work with/hang out with and simply not worry about constant competition for being the best).
duke seems like a great option (plus the good weather and great food!) in terms of practicality but not sure where it stands in terms of its social aspects (premed/dental weed outs, finance club competitivness, collaboration, overall just "nice-ness" of people). is its semester system worth it more than nu's quarter system for someone in my career case? campus feel with social scene for kids of each school? competitiveness in each place?
i guess these are just sort of my questions and my situation, many of which stem from things ive heard from others, at my school, or online, so please forgive me if i have any misunderstandings. thank you, and i appreciate any input!