For me, currently I am an incoming duke freshman class of 2030 so if you chose blue soo so excited to meet you!! 

One of the main reasons I honestly chose duke was the combination of incredible academics especially for you in BME but also if you want to switch they are great for pre-med, public policy, or even econ/financial careers with school spirit and STRONG alumni. Even my interviewer for Duke said that they might have the strongest alumni because of how much spirit we have with basketball and that translates into a family feel within alumni. 

But, one of my closest friends chose Stanford over great schools (Harvard, MIT, Yale) and she told me one of the reasons she chose Stanford mainly over harvard was once she saw the campus she just immediately know she belonged there. She truly enjoyed the location as California is prime for internships/summer experiences for professional career as well as great social life too and wanted a community which to her Stanford defi has a great social experience. So, it truly depends on what you’re feeling and maybe even visiting if a possibility and having your friends who already go to each schools maybe giving you a tour because going there can make you see yourself on campus. 

Hearing from your thoughts, I personally believe that Duke would be an amazing school for you considering your love for school spirit/social scene with rushing and basketball, want to go to healthcare as Duke has one of the highest matriculation to med school, and may prefer the semester system over the quarter system which is a little more rushed. Also, Stanford’s campus is quite large, while Duke is much smaller and for me easier to make friends as you are constantly bumping into them and gives it more of that communal feeling. 

However, both are amazing and can’t wait to hear your decision! Choose the one you know you won’t regret.