<p>Hi guys, I’m willing to take any questions from class difficulty to teachers to activities and everything in between. Here are a few things I’m involved in:</p>
<p>Marching/Pep Band
Modeling Econ/Social Systems FOCUS
Finance/Investment Club
Econ/Polisci potential major</p>
<p>So if you are interested in majoring in anything related to Econ I can most definitely help. Thanks!</p>
<p>Hi!!! How difficult is the Econ major? And how difficult is the polisci major? What’s the application like for focus?</p>
<p>The application for FOCUS isn’t too difficult. I applied (and was later accepted to) the Power of Language FOCUS. You choose the top four FOCUS clusters that you are most interested in (#1 being your top choice and #4 being your last resort, really) and when you write four essays based on the prompts. Turn around response varies. I applied on a Friday and found out I was accepted the following Monday. I know others who didn’t hear back into a month later.</p>
<p>@Leggomyeggo990</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Econ is pretty difficult at the beginning (same for every major because all 101 classes are designed to weed out students) but if you are passionate about the subject you will do fine. The only thing I would suggest is to study, because that’s how you do well compared to others.</p></li>
<li><p>Polisic is a lot different. In order to do well, you should have some background in world affairs or things like that and if you are worldy, you can pretty much asnwer most of the prompts very well, and moreso than those who simply only use the materials provided in the course. For here, I would say if you are a good writer and a worldy thinker you will do fine. If you aren’t, you can’t really “become” better, it’s something intuitive. </p></li>
<li><p>FOCUS is really not hard to get into, but please don’t be one of those people that expect it to hold your hand along the way in college. There is some really tough material (graduate level) that is covered in the clusters so choose this if you are willing to work and you like the subject. As for the application, from what I remember it is 4 short essay questions.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>First off it’s great to see another Widwesterner at Duke! I was just accepted from Wisconsin, and live literally 5 minutes away from Minnesota!</p>
<p>Secondly, I’m not super farmiliar with what the FOCUS program really is. Can you give a quick synopsis of it? Secondly, I am planning to study Microbiology, and was accepted into trinity, however I also have a very strong intrest in Biomedical engineering, and I was wondering if there was a Focus group that combined the two. I’m sure it’s too specific, but you never know!</p>
<p>@CaptnKirk</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Where in Wisconsin?</p></li>
<li><p>The FOCUS program is a selection of 2 classes out of a possible 4 (a cluster, there are 2 total) in specific subjects (mine were statistics and sociology) that hope to fullfill aspects of research, small group setting learning, challenging graduate-level curriculum or interaction (we had graduate students in our class) and a mix of all races of students. Each FOCUS group then meets with the other respective cluster for a seminar/dinner each week. The program fulfills a ton of requirements that can be tedious for trinity.</p></li>
<li><p>Here were the 2012 clusters close to what you are looking to do. These can obviously change in 2013:</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Exploring the Mind
Genomes in Our Lives: Narratives and the Meaning of DNA</p>
<p>CaptnKirk,
FOCUS program is amazing. That’s all you really need to know 
Just kidding. To summarize it in the best way I possibly can, firstly, you have to apply. You choose your top four programs and write short essays regarding given prompts. You also choose which two of four available classes in the FOCUS that you would like to take (no guarantees that you will get them your top two, but it is considered.) You will take two FOCUS classes from your topic your first semester along with a seminar that takes form in a dinner one night a week. Speaking personally as a member of the Genomes FOCUS program, it is an awesome experience. The dinners were very cool and we got to hear some very interesting speakers. </p>
<p>Also on the topic of Genomes, it is probably one of a few that will fit the microbiology/biomedical engineering hopes and dreams that you may have. :)<br>
The classes offered this semester included one that focused on Synthetic Genomics from the science and policy side which was VERY interesting. Another focused on the history behind genomes. Another on history and policy relation. And the last on applications of the genome in medicine and science. I absolutely loved it (and am looking to major in biology with a cellular and molecular concentration—though currently undeclared, but hey, I’m a freshman.) It’s definitely something to consider as you get closer and I am free to answer any questions you have about the Genomes FOCUS! :)</p>
<p>@LDdebate, I live in Hudson. I don’t know if you know where Stillwater or Woodbury Minnesota are, but it’s right next to them!</p>
<p>@ILoveCarpet, Awesome to see another (possible) microbiology major! Is anyone in your FOCUS group from trinity, and contemplating possibly majoring in Biomedical engineering, or is there anyone from Pratt in your FOCUS group? The program sounds like an awesome way to meet people with similar intrests, the Genome FOCUS defenitley sounds like one I want to apply to!</p>
<p>@CaptnKirk,
A lot of people in my FOCUS group are in Trinity but we also have some in Pratt as well. It’s a fairly proportional group in regards to the ratio of Trinity to Pratt students at Duke.
It really is a cool way to meet people with similar interests, but also with very different interests. We have kids who are purely focused on science, others on policy, and some (like myself) who are interested in both. You also generally take a class from both sides, which is pretty cool because it basically forces you to expand your horizons which is definitely something Duke strives for. :)</p>
<p>@ Kirk</p>
<p>My friend down the hallway from me is from Stillwater</p>
<p>Wow, what a small world it really is!</p>
<p>@LDdebate: I have two questions about life in Duke’s freshmen dorms:</p>
<ol>
<li>Is it acceptable to walk around the hallways in nothing but a bathrobe and underwear?</li>
<li>Would playing my drum kit during all hours of the day be acceptable?</li>
</ol>
<p>Thanks for your answer RG! ;)</p>
<p>Do we have to submit housing deposits? Do ED acceptees get first pick on dorms? ;)</p>
<p>Ya people walk around in towels…it’s completely normal</p>
<p>2- drums wouldn’t be allowed during quiet hours (you vote on them when you get there it’s pretty much going to be 11/12-8ish</p>
<p>You don’t have to submit deposits for anything you will just pay in the summer and you don’t get to pick your housing freshmen year</p>
<p>About the Finance concentration for Econ majors, is the difference in classes with regular Econ majors effective immediately, after the Intro courses or even further down the line?</p>
<p>Also, can you get both a B.A. and a B.S. for the Finance concentration econ major or just one of those? If so, is that something you decide before taking required classes or can you decide after a while and having taken classes in common?</p>
<p>Sorry for the amount of questions or if any of the answers is really obvious. Last but not least… GO BLUE DEVILS, #1 IN THE COUNTRY</p>
<p>Does anyone know the approximate acceptance rate for FOCUS assuming you are willing to go into any of the four clusters you rank?</p>
<p>You’ll get in. You’ll get your top choice if you apply around when applications open.</p>
<p>But keep in mind that even if you get your top choice for the focus program, you may not get your top two classes in the program. For instance, in the modeling economics focus program, many students did not receive the two classes that they wanted, and instead had to take the other two classes in the program.</p>