Predator

My mom seems to think (along with her other reasons of not liking Duke) that Duke is full of a lot of rich kids, and if I go there and have to take a loan, I will definitely be on a money crunch...and the rich kids will treat me like trash because I cannot buy and spend stuff like they can...I know Duke isn't full of elitist rich kids, but is this even partially accurate?

evil_asian_dictator

For the most part, no. It is no more elitist than many of its ivy league peer schools although a portion of the frat scene can tend a little bit to go that direction.

It's college dude. No one can really tell how wealthy you are unless you drive in to the entrance of your dorm in a tricked-out Beamer on Move-In Day or brag excessively about your wealth, in which case you're most likely not a very likeable person.

feikuai

Supposedly, about 60% of Duke undergrads are paying full sticker price for their four years so I doubt you're alone. Of course, that could also mean that many of the kids simply do not qualify for finaid because their parents have a lot of money. However, I'm pretty sure college kids in general are poor.

For what it's worth, my parents said they will be able to pay tuition/room/board without loans, but all personal spending will have to come out of my own pocket, which I am perfectly fine with.

Predator

Dude...that is amazing! They are paying for all of that? Wow....you ARE rich lol. Ok but those 60% of undergrads, are they all taking loans of like over a 100k$? Thats just nuts.....

thethoughtprocess

My roommate's parents are teachers, next year he will be working full time and will be earning more than them (based on annual salary). I'm upper-middle class, and am not spoiled, and indeed my parents are extremely austere. All personal spending I finance with on-campus jobs and stuff.

However, on-campus jobs are awesome - especially if they get you research experience. I work at the business school on a project that researches "employee feedback mechanisms" and make 12.50 an hour...aka 120 dollars a week, and I only do real work 4-5 hours a week.

Ideally, my kids (who will be required by me to attend Duke) will be spoiled and rich (though not white, since I'm not white...maybe half-white - who knows).

grandmaster101

same here...my parents are willing to pay tuition, room and board, and some personal expenses...i did get about 5000 in outside scholarship...not that much compared to cost...i guess you can say we are rich b/c i went to a school that costs 15,000 a year...but i think i am really upper middle class...personally who cares if someone is rich or poor...heck i drive a 1991 station wagon...and my parents can afford duke and my private school...being rich and stuck up is bad...you are all smart for getting into duke! duh...

jct30

Duke is not "full of rich/white arrogant kids." That's just ignorant.

proudinnj

Predator -- what are her other reasons for not liking Duke?? Just curious

mafool

check this out for futher discussion:

i don't get it...

Mondo

There are some disgustingly elitist people at Duke. I've met quite a few. However.. it is far from the majority and these people are only popular in their small insulated silly cliques.

fiskelove

My daughter is a student at Duke. There are lots of kids with lots of money. But our daughter has not encountered any elitist, snobby attitudes. Things are just different for her because she has to earn her own money from her campus job and her finances are tight at times. But she loves it there, has made tons of good friends and wouldn't trade her Duke experience for the world.

llabesab16

if you want to stay away from snobby rich kids you can. not many people like them, and the people that do don't matter. also, most of the rich kids do not flaunt their wealth. i am far from rich, and i haven't had any problems with snobby people

LeBronJamesBBall

my big bro went to duke, and he said that there are many many rich kids at duke. I think this is more so at duke compared to other top schools.

twinkletoes23

this is bull

yes there are rich white kids

but at this caliber of school and this caliber of prestige and academics YOURE GOING TO FIND THESE KIDS EVERYWHERE

THINK: TOP NOTCH SCHOOL+RESOURCES+ACADEMICS+WEATHER+GREAT BALANCE OF WORK AND PLAY=WHY WOULDNT RICH KIDS WHO CAN AFFORD TO AND GET IN BASED ON DADDY'S TRUST FUND COME HERE?

my roommate did not pay a single cent to come here. her mom is a secretary, she doesn't know who her dad is, her mom never went to college, she got a 38,000 grant and the rest she's taking out iwth loans/workstudy/outside scholarships.

so no, it's not filled with rich kids. we do have some rich kids whose daddys are the ceos of investment banks/computer companies/bread dough etc. but you're going to find that at penn, columbia, harvard, stanford, etc.

twinkletoes23

oh and don't give up duke b.c. of rich white kids. u'll be making the worst choice of ur life.