How good is the financial aid at Duke?

plumazul
Tue, 15 Jun 2010 11:38:16 +0000

@SBR, On a point of personal privilege, I will re-enter the discussion, ;)

“As for plumazul, I have no idea what’s going on in that particular case, but I’d like to point out that the FA system as well as these full ride scholarships aren’t exactly hush hush. If you don’t like it, then feel free to not apply. Like you said, there are plenty of peer as well as better institutions that have much better FA.”

?? I realize that when you posted this it WAS very late, but … what are you trying to say? I did EXTENSIVE research and applied to ten schools that I thought represented the full spectrum of possibilities. I was certainly not content to just read websites, I made trips, talked to representatives from both my academic areas of interest AND the FA office. I asked many questions, I informed them of the limits of my family’s ability to contribute (20K/year). I applied to several schools because I was competitive for merit aid. (Duke included) I applied to Duke because I DID like it! I liked what they told me. “If admitted you won’t have to worry about cost, we will make it afforable” … really? Do you think I’m the only one? What was Duke’s yield? I would guess the VAST majority of those who declined offers did so for financial reasons. The admissions process is “need blind”, yet they are making NO progress on socioeconomic diversity. What does that tell you?

“That’s what it is, if you can’t stomach it, then avoid it. But as much as it pains me to say (I’m middle class too), Duke’s FA implementation will not change in the future no matter how much anyone questions it on CC.”

<sigh>, I take people at their word, if that’s a crime, I plead guilty. As for Duke not changing, they MUST change. The administration knows they have a problem. They want to be/stay a top tier school and to do so they MUST start yielding more of their admits. IF they continue to be a school for “rich kids”, they have nowhere to go but DOWN.</sigh>

"FA has nothing to do with quality of education, student life, … "

The Duke admins disagree with you.

Edit: "let’s not blindly make judgments on the priorities of Duke students/alumni. Up to now this discussion has been pretty civil and rational but let’s not intentionally wander into subjective opinions that will surely offend (ie let’s not ■■■■■). "

Yet you have no problem making judgments and expressing “subjective opinions” about Duke applicants, the vast majority of which do not matriculate.