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The fall 2020 acceptance rate for Duke University is 10%. That means, out of _____ applications received in 2020 , _____ students were offered admission. The number of males who applied was _____ vs the number of females which was _____.
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What should every freshman at your school know before they start?
I couldn't have asked for a better college experience. I've met so many amazing people who shaped my views on the world and help me understand the things that motivate me and discover a passion for a career I had never considered. Academically, Duke pushed me to learn new things in different ways and collaborate with people I had never met before. I wish there was a way to express just how appreciative I am of my time at this school but I feel as if words cannot do it justice. I truly think that the education, experiences, and people I met at Duke have made me a better citizen of humanity.
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Describe the students at your school.
My classmates are very intelligent and bring to the classroom alot of diversity from around the world.
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What are the academics like at your school?
Whether or not a professor knows your name clearly depends on the size of the class. In general, classes beyond the introductory level are small and possess an intimate atmoshpere conducive for close relationship with your professor. Students study a lot between Sunday and Thursday, but when Thursday night comes around, not much studying gets done. Another thing that I have found to be most rewarding at Duke is the frequency of intellectual conversations outside of class. I can remember going into the dinning hall with intentions of eating quickly to get work done early, yet I end up staying an extra 4 hours talking to friends about topics ranging from politics, global warming, to race issues. I have always said that the classroom is everywhere. Just being a person with a diverse group of friends helps one to learn and grow as a person. The intellectual conversations I have had at Duke have revealed to me a world of knowledge I could have never thought of amassing. To my suprise students on campus are not as competitive as I thought they would be. Honestly, I feel like we live in an environment in which most of us are very much aware of our intellectual abilities. When you step on campus you are amongst the cream of the crop, and you are rightfully so. There is no need for competition when in the end we all will be in great positions for our future. I would say that the education at Duke encompasses both the preparedness for a job and the overall sake of learning. The curriculum is geared toward classes that relate to your field of study or work, but it also has room for a few classes that one might take just for the sake of learning about that topic.
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What is your overall opinion of this school?
I would say the best thing about Duke is the "work hard play hard" culture on campus. Its a balance unparalled by any of school of our caliber. Often times I am amazed by how much fun I have a this tough and academically challenging school. Our culture completely belies the thought that if one goes to an Ivy Leage status school, he or she will have minimal fun when compared to other schools. One thing I would change about my school is the ever present, whether underlying or not, racial divides between the students that lead to self segreation drawn on racial lines. With that being said, it is important to note that the racial divides present on campus are a part and due to more influential factors that lie outside of our campus walls. Furthermore, I realize, as an African-American student, the great lengths we have come in regards to race in the country and race on campus. Nonetheless, of all things that could be changed, I would change the racial relations on campus. I come from a very small school---62 graduating students--- so I thought come to Duke would warrant a lot of adjusting to. However, to my suprise, I felt right at home. The size of Duke is by all means just right. Its not so big that one would feel "lost in the sauce," and its not too small that one would feel "stuck in a jar." When I tell people I go to Duke people are usually impressed. On the other hand, some are shocked by it, which is indicative of the stereotype against African-American inner-city students. In regards to my time spent on campus, I would have to say that it is a tie between "K-Ville" and my dorm common room. As most of you may know, for Duke students to get into the Duke vs. UNC game inside Cameron, we have to tent for either 1 or 2 months depending the season. So, during the basketball season most of my time is spent in line for games. When im not in line, I am in my dorm common room playing, joking, and doing homework with all of my friends. The common room is definitely one of the best places to get to know the people in your dorm on a personal level. "What college town?!" I come from a city that is right across from Philadelphia, where I spend a lot of time when I am home. Because I am used to the big city feel, Durham, to me, is nothing to write home about. The best college related aspect of Durham I would say is 9th st., where many students go to party and eat. In concerns with campus drama and controversy, one would be remissed by not mentioning JuicyCampus.com. This site has come by storm onto our campus and remains as the primary regulator of drama and all that is controversy. Anything that is crazy or mildly dramatic will be on juicycampus. Some feel its a bad thing and others feel its entertaing. I believe it depends on the type of person you are. When on campus you can choose whether or not to indulge in the campus drama or not. School pride??!!! Of course there is school pride! I find beyond that fact that our school has a legacy of successful sport programs to be proud of, we are a group of students who have tons of pride just because we love Duke!
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What are the most popular student activities/groups?
The athletic events on campus are the glue to life at Duke. Its what brings us all together, transcedning the various categories of people we are affiliated with. When it comes to athletics, we all are Dukies! or even better Cameron Crazies! We have several traditions relating to athletics like K-Ville, which I meantioned prior. In addition we have the tradition of climbing the chapel before you graduate and burning benches when we beat UNC in basketball (the best tradition of them all). If I am up at 2am on Tuesday its because I procrastinated with my friends in the common room all day long!
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Is the stereotype of students at your school accurate?
I feel that this stereotype is a far stretch of the truth. Albeit, there is a large number of students who may be considered better than "well-off;" however, the idea that the number of students who aren't rich and stuck up is negligable when compared to those who are is none other than a derivative of ignorace. I for one come from one of the poorest cities in the nation (Camden, NJ), and by no means do I feel like I do not fit in. Duke has done a better job in the past years with bringing students from all walks of life and backgrounds to campus, which, I feel, refutes the claim the most of us are stuck up rich kids.
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What is the stereotype of students at your school?
They are wealthy, they feel entitled, they all come from New York and New Jersey, the girls are stuck up, they act or think that they are cooler than they really are.
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Here's your chance: Say anything about your college!
Duke is a large-scale top-notch university with a southern flare which makes it perfect for students who want the smaller atmosphere of a private university and the academic level of a larger university. I chose Duke because they are the top university in many fields, and many classes are taught by the top researchers in the country. Their financial aid program makes the dream of being a blue devil possible for students of any economic background and they provide a culturally diverse atmosphere.
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Describe how your school looks to someone who's never seen it.
Duke is the perfect mix of hard work and challenging academics with a fun, crazy social scene and fantastic athletics that I think most people don't realize adds to Duke's overall balance of fun and work.
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What is the stereotype of students at your school? Is this stereotype accurate?
As an elite, private institution, Duke University is often considered the Ivy of the South. With that reputation comes the stigma of inheritance: inherited trust funds, inherited acceptances, inherited social status. It implies a relatively homogeneous student population of yuppy rich white kids who come from a position of privilege into a fast-track to taking over Daddy's position as CEO of a Fortune 500. While there are Duke students who are from a long tradition of wealthy Duke Alumni, characterizing the entire student body in such a manner is a sin against the diversity of the student population. I, along with the majority of my classmates, am a recipient of financial aid. While 47{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of the student body is white, this is considerably lower than the 74{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of students at UNC Chapel Hill who identify as white. You are just as likely to pass a first generation college student in the quad as you are to pass the son or daughter of an alumnus. Duke, in my experience, is less of a boy's club and more a stocked pantry before Thanksgiving. It gives students the resources to make the experience as diverse as they want to make it.
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Describe your favorite campus traditions.
Duke basketball! Everyone at Duke is a die-hard Blue Devil and it's a fantastic and fun environment that brings together students, professors, alumni, and the rest of the community.
GO DUKE!!
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What's the most frustrating thing about your school?
The coursework can become inherently difficult to balance with extracurricular activities.
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What do you consider the worst thing about your school? Why?
At times, the undergraduate culture at Duke shows elements of "entitlement." Students tend to come from privileged backgrounds and are very successful in academics and often other areas of life, and once in the "Duke bubble" many students seem to lose perspective. This can lead to behavior that seems at times to show a lack of respect for other individuals.
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Tell us about the sports scene on campus.
Basketball is king at Duke. We have some other very successful sports programs, too, whether it's lacrosse or tennis or soccer. But don't get it twisted, we Blue Devils are all about our basketball team. From the most die-hard, front-row, screaming fan to the totally uninitiated, basketball fever is universally infectious here. We all watch the games, and when it's being played at Cameron Indoor Stadium, students get in free. You just might have to wait in line for a while if it's a particularly big game. For our classic rivalry with those awful UNC Tarheels, that "line" becomes a full-blown tent city for over a month, culminating in a live concert and tons of ridiculous fun on the last couple of nights before the game.
Our coach, Mike Krzyzewski (practice that spelling!) holds the all-time record for most wins in college basketball history. He's an absolute legend, but he's also a humble, respectful, nice guy. Perfect example of that well-rounded Duke spirit.
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What kind of person should not attend this school?
A person who's very shy, lacks confidence and doesn't like or thought college would be the end of a competitive environment.
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What do you brag about most when you tell your friends about your school?
Duke has everything you are looking for in a university. This is the place for the well-rounded studnt: students who are interested in top level academics, who want to be successful, but who also love athletics/extra-curriculars as well ascivic engagement and diversity. Students here are engaged in the community and receive the best education possible, while at the same time maintaining healthy social lives. Our alumni network is impeccable and our faculty follows suit. We recently won the NCAA Championship for Men's Basketball, the atmosphere at Duke right now cannot found anywhere else!
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What's the one thing you wish someone had told you about freshman year?
study harder when i was a freshman!
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What kind of person should attend this school?
Students who enjoy being challenged and did well in high school should attend this school. Students who have a high and unshakable self esteem would also do well, as it is easy to become discouraged when your grades here are not as well as they were in high school. Someone who does not mind random spurts of rain, wind, and then warmth will also find the campus pleasant. All races, genders, and sexual orientations are welcomed on campus.
Students who have low tolerance for being around alcohol and partying should beware.
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What's unique about your campus?
I love the faculty! Duke's faculty is unrivaled by any other. Most professors have either taught or learned at universities such as Harvard, Yale, Oxford, etc. The research on campus is easy to get involved with, and all the faculty are willing to help you with whatever project if you just ask.
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Why did you decide to go to this school?
I decided to go to Duke because of the amazing opportunities the school offers for its students. When I was deciding on which school to apply early to, I had narrowed it down to Duke and another university that I knew had a similar student culture and academic standing. So I decided that my decision would be based on dance and community service opportunities because those were my two passions in high school. Immediately I found Duke Engage through the Duke website and could not find an equivalent at the other school, or any school for that matter. The ability to travel to another country to do community service and engagement with all financial, living, and work accommodations provided for was something only Duke offers.
I also found Defining Movement-- a multicultural hip hop fusion dance group-- very easily through the student group pages. I stalked all of their videos on YouTube and knew that if I got into Duke, I would try out for this group. I had found the Dance program at the other school, but it seemed very traditional and technical dance based and lacked outlets for other non-technical styles, such as hip hop. I ended up trying out for DefMo my freshman year and getting in! It is now my favorite and biggest form of involvement / leadership in the Duke community.
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