Visit Report by p_hp_fan (Member since July 03 2007 with 131 posts) Visit Date - April 2008
Visit to Duke University in April 2008 by p_hp_fan (Student, HS Class of 2008)
Visit Activities:
Admissions Interview:
No - Already admitted. Didn't ever interview. Information Session:
Yes - All informative. Completely standard. Campus Tour:
Yes - Guide: dull. You could tell she loved Duke.
Tour: short and covered just a tiny portion of West Campus. We had time to explore the rest of campus, though. Classroom Visit:
Yes - I went to Appearance and Reality. A TA was subbing for the professor so the students were discussing mostly. They were all brilliant and the class was extremely interesting. Philosophy.
Duke University Campus:
Friendliness/Courtesy of Students: 5 - Excellent -
For the mast part, they were great. I met a transfer student from Harvard who told me all about how Duke was so much better than everywhere else.
Friendliness/Courtesy of Staff: 4 - Very Good -
I had little contact with staff, but they all seemed friendly and willing to talk with people and help out as much as possible.
Appearance of Campus: 5 - Excellent -
East: very nice.
West: The most beautiful place I have ever seen. It was amazing. Surreal. Chapel Drive. Duke Gardens. Wow.
Building/Facilities Maintenance/Cleanliness: 4 - Very Good -
Everything seemed quite clean and well maintained inside and out.
Dormitories: 4 - Very Good -
They looked like...gasp...college dorms. They were plain and standard. Although, my tour guide said there were big, flat screen TV's in some. Also, quite a few w/o internet and/or AC.
Security/Safety: 3 - Good -
Yellow pole things spread throughout campus. The areas immediately off both campuses, though, were kind of shady and not too great. I would have a mild safety concern alone at night. Not too bad.
Overall Campus Impression: 5 - Excellent -
The campus was absolutely stunning. I can definitely see myself living here for four years. The security concerns were minor and easily avoidable with a little common sense.
Off-Campus:
Area Immediately Around Campus: 3 - Good -
It really wasn't that great and some parts didn't appear to be safe. Why I gave a 3 instead of a 2 is that there are some nice places to eat and Brightleaf Square right off East, which is n
City/Town/Community: 2 - Fair -
I didn't see much of the city. It looked...not so great. Although Duke is in the midst of Durham, it feels quite isolated. I felt a great sense of atmosphere on campus, despite the surrounding
Campus Visit Notes for Duke University:
Visit Description:
Overall, I loved my visit to Duke. I thought I wanted to go there before even seeing the campus, and I was hoping I wouldn't be let down. Now, I know it's the right place for me. If you're on the fence about Duke or have any interest at all, I would highly encourage you to visit the campus.
In addition, the Duke attraction to visitors reaches far beyond aesthetics. You feel the great sense of pride and enthusiasm of a proactive yet laid back and social student body. The thing that I found most unique about Duke was that it was the only school I have visited that seemed to take learning to another level by providing great opportunities for students to apply their world-class educations. They wanted you to not only receive information, but to contribute to and positively influence the Duke community and the world (DugeEngage!).
Hotel/Lodging Recommendations or Comments:
I would recommend the Millennium Hotel. It was nice, providing transportation to and from the airport for a charge and transportation to and from Duke for free. They gave me a discount for BDD.
Dining/Restaurant Recommendations or Comments:
On Ninth Street: Elmo's, the Mongolian place up the street.
Other Comments (Transportation, local attractions, parking, etc.):
Local attractions...lol.
I suppose you could check out The Nasher Museum in Central Campus. Also, don't miss Duke Gardens.
-
For the mast part, they were great. I met a transfer student from Harvard who told me all about how Duke was so much better than everywhere else.
-
I had little contact with staff, but they all seemed friendly and willing to talk with people and help out as much as possible.
-
Yellow pole things spread throughout campus. The areas immediately off both campuses, though, were kind of shady and not too great. I would have a mild safety concern alone at night. Not too bad.
-
I didn't see much of the city. It looked...not so great. Although Duke is in the midst of Durham, it feels quite isolated. I felt a great sense of atmosphere on campus, despite the surrounding