@JenniferClint those words were not meant as scare tactics. They were the exact term used and quoted from a former UC Berkeley graduate in the PhD program at Duke. That is why I said to visit the Duke campus and the outlining areas. My former colleague who made the comment is not even a minority or person of color.
In passing, I might ask another guy about the Duke area. He is on my floor and has a Duke MBA within the past 8 years.