loveduke22

Hmm, well I didn't have trouble in my 4 years, but I guess I usually just hit it up the first day or so of move-in.

Anyway, you're all probably right. Good to have other options (which there are plenty of) in the area. I know my RA my freshman year posted a list/gave directions to all sorts of places (Walmart, BB and Beyond, etc)

Tiger09

My D started at Duke this fall and learned of a sophomore friend who got suspended from Duke for low grades. He was asked to sit out this semester and possibly be allowed to return next semester for re-do. What terrible news!

Number one question is how can this happen, with professors, faculty advisors and fellow peers so available?

Secondly, what is Duke's policy on maintaining a minimum GPA to avert a suspension?

We don't know all the details, since there may be other extenuating circumstances besides low grades. However, a little insight into this issue would be helpful. Thanks.

SBR

Duke's policy on Requirements for Continuation as well as End of Term Grades. These policies (particularly the End of Term Grades policy) lay out the escalating scale of consequences for poor academic performance:

Duke University | Trinity College of Arts & Sciences : Academic requirements

Duke University | Trinity College of Arts & Sciences : Academic requirements

The second link is much more useful in terms of the cutoffs for punishments. In order for the person to have been dismissed for 1 semester, according to that page, he/she would have had to have earned 3 D's in a semester.

singersmom

Tiger09 - my D had a friend who was failing a class. The advisor recommended the student stay in the class and try to do better. The professor was not helpful at all - the student was totally confused and could get no help. They tried the Academic Resource Center - no help from them either - the advice was to hire a private tutor. The student did not have the resources to hire a private tutor and did not have their own transport to meet with a private tutor off campus.

The following year the student found out their roommate had been taking the exact same course and had the exact same problem - that student was advised by both their academic advisor to withdraw from the class - the professor also advised them to drop the class.

Two students - same year - different academic advisors - different profs - same class.

Undergrad advising and help at Duke is hit and miss depending on what type of advice you got. The student who received a failing grade in the class will always have that on their record and starts their freshman year in the hole - their advisor was a nonacademic in a support department. The student who dropped the class had an advisor who was an academic.

The type of situation you describe happens more than you think. There is no re do on classes. Once you receive a grade you are stuck with it!

SBR

Just to note though, you are not stuck with the advisor that you were assigned. You can request a new one if it just doesn't work out. Also many departments (and Pratt) assign new advisors once a major has been declared.

As for staying in a class or not, I'm not going to blame the student but I will say that the deadline for withdrawal is very late in the semester. For many classes with the standard 2 exams and a final arrangement, the deadline is usually before the 2nd exam and even sometimes after the 2nd exam. In that case, if one was truly failing the class, there should be no doubt as to what course of action should be taken, no matter what others might advise. Having a W on the transcript is always better than a D or F.

singersmom

As a parent I personally have found Duke personnel to be very arrogant, rude and condescending and not very helpful at all. Residential Housing is unorganized which is surprising since they should have decades of experience doing the same things every year. In a recent encounter with a Duke alumni who graduated over 10 years ago I was told housing was just as unorganized then and the alumni had hoped things would be better today.

The food service availability especially on weekends is ridiculous considering most students sleep in and are not up until later. Brunch services should be available. Compared to other universities the selection of food is not healthy and and is not even organic. An international student told me that they found it extemely difficult to select healthly foods. And yes, I have sent articles about other universities that have their own organic gardens; have gotten rid of insititutional foods, etc. and never even received a single response.

Don't get me started on safety. I truly dislike the cavalier way Duke dismisses any crime around the school saying the students need to be more careful. I live in a metropolitan area with at least half a dozen universities. Any time there is an incident around a university in which a college student has been robbed the city immediately responds with more patrols and urges businesses and homes in the area to leave the lights on. It also make the TV news and there is much consternation about the event. Unlike Durham where it is ho um whenever a student is robbed or attacked or even murdered like the graduate student from India.

Yes, students can change advisors - but they have a lot going on - adjusting to a new environment, classes, etc. and may not even realize they have a bad advisor until they have time to meet and talk with other students. Most freshmen trust their advisor to advise them - one usually doesn't know one has a bad advisor until bad things happen like being told to stay in a class that one is failing!

I wish that Duke put as much effort and focus on their students as they do on their employees. Duke was recently named one of the best universities to work for. They treat their employees extremely well - I just wish they treated the students and parents as well as they treat their employees. But, oh, wait for it - students graduate in 4 years so why bother. The majority of communication I have received from Duke is for $$$$ - $$$$ for tuition and $$$$ for fundraising. Their parent communication is very poor compared to many other universities. They need a parent ombudsman.

SBR

I'll just point out that yes, while freshmen should be able to trust that an advisor will give good and appropriate advice, having a bad advisor is no excuse to have failed a class.

Yes, freshmen have a lot on their plates. But then again, who doesn't? That excuse might work for the first month or even for the first exam, but not withdrawing when you are clearly failing raises some serious questions about judgment.

It's important to realize that at the end of the day, the only name on that transcript is the student's. If a student can't be bothered to find out more about their situation and to critically evaluate it, then perhaps there is a lesson to be learned from getting a failing grade.

SriverFX

Regarding the advising thing, an advisor is simply one who advises you. The final decision is solely on the student. If you have gotten into Duke, you should have developed the aptitude to think for yourself. Once you are in college, you are an adult, and you need to take responsibility for your actions. Yes, the advising system isn't even close to perfect, but you should do your own research on the consequences of your actions. TheTrinity academic requirements page does a pretty good job because it doesn't make you wade through the entire bulletin to find what you need to know.

vasudevank

Weekend meals in the morning is brunch for freshman. Only on weekdays is there a separation between lunch and breakfast for freshman. I am not exactly sure how upperclassmen meal plans work.

SBR

upperclassmen meal plans are pure food points, about $1500 a semester. Those who live off campus do not have to purchase any plan at all, they (I) usually use flex and pay as they go.