<p>Reasons to come to Duke:</p>
<ol>
<li>weather is amazing</li>
<li>good research opportunities. I got a $10/hour research job in the compsci department in freshman year.</li>
<li>sports gives brings unity to the undergrad population</li>
</ol>
<p>Btw, you should all tent if you come to Duke. It’s such a good bonding experience.</p>
<p>how important is this essay? I haven’t visited, and I’ve missed all the 3 info sessions in my state. How much of a disadvantage is that? So I should probably e-mail them or write them a letter or interview?</p>
<p>how many of you actually write the 2 optional essays? It says it won’t hurt u if you don’t , and I believe them. But it’s always better to write one.</p>
<p>It’s alright. I know of some people who never visited Duke and got in.
You are from Ohio, so they understand it’s a long trip.</p>
<p>I never visited Chicago or Rice and got in both of those places.<br>
I visited Penn, Columbia, Harvard, and Princeton. I got in none of those schools.</p>
<p>I only visited Duke after I got in. It isn’t a big deal really. (tried to visit but the airline screwed up and bumped me from the flight and I couldn’t reschedule)</p>
<p>Yeah- Duke doesn’t actually track whether you visit campus/go to info sessions or things like that, so you’re fine. Admissions is kind of of the opinion that some people live so far away and just can’t make the trip, so they shouldn’t be at a disadvantage so it has no weight on your application.</p>
<p>Duke is an excellent institution. It is also located less than an hour from my home.</p>
<p>My top choices are:
Reach:Yale University
Match:Duke University
Safety:UNC-Chapel Hill, and The University of Virginia,</p>
<p>Duke University.</p>
<p>It can sometimes be nice – helpful to the growing up process – to go to college far from home. It’s one of the reasons I recommend Duke to so many of my CA friends.</p>
<p>Any English or economics majors? How’s are the courses?</p>
<p>As for economics (I’m not in the class), there have been tests for which the average has been less than 50%, but thankfully the class is curved to a B- like most intro classes, so most don’t suffer too much, haha.</p>
<p>probably somebody said this,
but Duke has a small U-grad size, and unlike some top tiers, they relatively focus on u-grad</p>
<p>Why Duke?</p>
<p>I’m from the North and I go to a prep-school, so I am VERY familiar with the Ivy-League deal. But right off the bat I was looking for something different. I hate the attitude the Ivy’s have. They are closed to everyone but ultra-elitist academics. That is not to say that Duke is not - from an admissions standpoint - but Duke offers a national appeal that the Ivy’s do not. Ironically, what at times makes Duke the object of disparagement from Northern institutions may also be its strongest asset in standing out: Through Duke’s basketball program, Duke is able to say to the country: “You can have a piece of Duke too.” The Ivy’s DON’T WANT TO BE INCLUSIVE, because it is their very exclusivity that makes them special (in their eyes.) After all, what is so great about the Ivy’s? Excellence! But what about passion! Pride! Love! The human experience? Goodness? Strength of will? Harvard does a great job bringing in the brightest students in the world, but for all of the brains of the Harvard student, if they can’t look you in the eyes, shake your hand and tell you what they are thinking, then they aren’t worth the tuition! Granted, any top ten school is going to be exclusive, but the Duke difference is that whether the University intends to or not, it has opened itself to the world. Harvard, Princeton, Yale, and their little cohorts (Columbia, Brown, Cornell, UPenn, Dartmouth), cannot say the same. </p>
<p>Unfortunately, the Duke admissions office doesn’t always see this (in my limited experience). It feels to me like they are trying to sell Duke as an Ivy-league competitor, when they should more-often sell it as a standout. Props to Stamford, as well, but I don’t think Stamford has the vibrancy that Duke has (at least not the schools spirit anyway.) Duke isn’t there yet, but maybe someday (like in '98 when Duke was ranked 3rd?!?) Duke’s real competitors will be Harvard and Stamford. </p>
<p>Of course, this is an idealistic perspective. But in Obama’s spirit, don’t forget this: Supposed realists might tell you, “Duke is too Southern,” (or too Northern!), “Duke has a race problem,” “Duke kids are just wannabe Ivy-Leaguers,” etc. etc. And all of this MAY be true, but if we have the right perspective, if the Duke community has an idealistic vision of itself, we can make the former of what I’ve said, rather than the latter, the reality.</p>
<p>So, admitting my full bias as a Duke person - I have to say I disagree with your generalizing of schools in the Ivy League. Sure, they are extremely selective, but I do not see that as incompatible with a school having “opened itself to the world.” I wanna mull the rest over a bit before posting - I’m glad that you see us as having an open attitude towards the world - and I hope that the perception is matched or exceeded by the reality. I am just not sure it is a zero-sum-game with the other schools mentioned.</p>
<p>Duke sounds great! Does Duke have a really good premed program? What majors is it known for?</p>
<p>I guess I mean open in the sense of people knowing about it, feeling like they are a part of it and can take pride in it. If you go to an Ivy or you know someone who does, you might take pride in that (especially if you are from an area where few do), but ultimately otherwise they would seem like foreign, distant places reserved for the future leaders of the world. On the other hand, Duke is more accessible - whether intentionally or not - even if you never step foot on the campus.</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/duke-university/147457-pre-med.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/duke-university/147457-pre-med.html</a></p>
<p>Why Duke…so you can meet [Slow Loris](<a href=“Animals of Madagascar - Duke Lemur Center”>http://lemur.duke.edu/animals/</a>) the cute little Lemur everyday?</p>
<p>:)</p>
<p>^ I completely agree! those Lemurs are really cute!! Except for aye-ayes…(strange)</p>
<p>I have a really long long list… but in short-ish</p>
<p>1)I am from New Jersey… Except the rest of my family lives in the triangle area. Both my parents are from that area. And I really miss my grandma’s aunts and uncles… So I have a support network already in place:)</p>
<p>2)I went to a science camp for young women at Duke the year before 6th grade and it was amazing!! (Lemurs and all)</p>
<p>3) I want to be somewhere I can wear skirts(aka no icky NJ weather)</p>
<p>4) I want to do everything… and I have no idea how I’ll ever do all of it… Duke is strong in every area so matter what I decide I like… whether it be Math, French, history… I’ll be able to study it at Duke…</p>
<p>5) I am a synchronized skater and there is a collegiate synchro team in that area…</p>
<p>6) I am a rebel. Both my parents (and grandparents) went to UNC-Chapel Hill
hehe they’re always keen to remind me of the current basketball standings and Duke’s recent loss…</p>
<p>7) And finally I want to be somewhere where I can make a difference… I don’t want to be a passive learner/activist etc… I want to be somewhere where I can make a difference: Duke engage… </p>
<p>I’m going to do Project Build- for pre-orientation… is anyone else doing that?</p>