<p>I went to Duke for graduate school, more than a few years ago, and now live in the South Bend area as a faculty spouse and parent of two students. Duke is a fine school with an excellent reputation, but it, in contrast to Notre Dame, it is a relentlessly secular place. That may be fine with you – you didn’t mention the Catholic identity of Notre Dame in your post – but it makes for a real difference in the feel of the campus and in student life. For example, the chapel at Duke, which is magnificent, is almost always empty, except for visitors getting a quick tour. We were on campus last spring for an alumni weekend, and popped in during what was supposed to be a service for deceased alumni. There were six people there, three of whom were the clergy conducting the service. It’s more like a museum than an integral part of campus life. </p>
<p>The other major difference is that Duke, unlike Notre Dame, has a thriving fraternity and sorority system. It also has a definite “country club” vibe that Notre Dame lacks.</p>