Duke University Top Questions

Probably the most common stereotype of Duke students is that we allPerhaps, the most prevalent stereotype associated with Duke is that we are, by majority, a school made up of white, "douchey", rich Southern kids. Associated with this stereotype comes the notion that we party really hard, that the Greek system dominates our entire social scene, and that we're obsessed with lacrosse (and "lax bros"). I, for the most part, would say this is not true. While the Greek scene is big and popular, it by no means defines social dynamics at my university. There are many students who decide not to be a part of it and are equally as happy as those who find themselves happy in fraternities and sororities. Furthermore, Duke, is in fact, very diverse. On campus, you come across people from all walks of life and the world, which makes our campus very interesting and dynamic. Besides the fact that we are diverse, students who are not "white" are very proud of representing their respective heritages on our campus, through extremely active student groups and organizations. Sports, including but not limited to lacrosse, are a huge deal. We are proud of our academic programs and support them, as a whole, through victories and losses. I guess I would say that yes, you can and do find the stereotypical white, "douchey", smart, rich kids on campus, but they in no means define our campus' society!

You should know that Duke kids occasionally get a bad rap in the media for being rich, white, cliquey party animals. There was a Rolling Stone article several years ago about our apparently super-Greek campus culture, GQ rated us one of America's "Douchiest" schools, and of course, the lacrosse scandal still sticks out in the average American's mind when they hear "Duke." Think polos, topsiders, and Brooks Brothers club shorts. What you should also know is that these aggressive, negative stereotypes are incredibly overblown. Is there a significant Greek presence at Duke? Sure. Some students choose to take fraternity and sorority life very seriously. Rest assured, though, that even those within the Greek system are very often actively involved in many other social and extracurricular spheres and avoid closing themselves off from the rest of campus. As an extroverted independent, I have never once felt socially alienated. I party with frat guys. I hangout with my teams from various extracurriculars. I chill with my basketball/workout friends. At Duke, our students are such amazing, well-rounded, talented individuals that the concept of over-the-top social segregation is becoming less and less of an issue. Duke might have been closer to some of our stereotypes years ago, but know that when you step onto campus now, you will be surrounded by thousands of amazing, dynamic people who don't fit into neat little cliche boxes. You can make friends with anyone and everyone. Duke is also far more ethnically and financially diverse than people give it credit for. The admissions committee does a good job of making sure they've built a class full of people from all kinds of backgrounds, and the financial aid system is one of the best in the world, thanks to our generous endowment. Big need-based grants are far more common than our privileged stereotype might suggest.

You should know that Duke kids occasionally get a bad rap in the media for being cliquey party animals. There was a Rolling Stone article several years ago about our apparently super-Greek campus culture, GQ rated us one of America's "Douchiest" schools, and of course, the lacrosse scandal still sticks out in the average American's mind when they hear "Duke." Think polos, topsiders, and Brooks Brothers club shorts. What you should also know is that these aggressive, negative stereotypes are incredibly overblown. Is there a significant Greek presence at Duke? Sure. Some students choose to take fraternity and sorority life very seriously. Rest assured, though, that even those within the Greek system are very often actively involved in many other social and extracurricular spheres and avoid closing themselves off from the rest of campus. As an extroverted independent, I have never once felt socially alienated. I party with frat guys. I hangout with my teams from various extracurriculars. I chill with my basketball/workout friends. At Duke, our students are such amazing, well-rounded, talented individuals that the concept of over-the-top social segregation is becoming less and less of an issue. Duke might have been closer to some of our stereotypes years ago, but know that when you step onto campus now, you will be surrounded by thousands of amazing, dynamic people who don't fit into neat little cliche boxes. You can make friends with anyone and everyone.

The stereotype of students at Duke is that they are all rich and white. While many of the students are from the upper class, this is certainly not the whole story. My family is considered middle-class, with my father barely making more that Duke's yearly tuition! What people don't realize is that a significant portion of Duke undergraduates are on financial aid, without which they would not be able to attend. In terms of the racial breakdown, I would also not say that Duke is comprised solely of white students. Actually, there is a running "joke" that Asian students are slowly taking over the campus, as perpetuated by Duke's academic nature. With that being said, Duke has a reputation for housing "geeks," as the admissions process is one of the most competitive in the country. You won't be accepted into Duke without some measure of your academic excellence (be it GPA, SAT, ACT, etc.) Not surprisingly, most students at Duke are extremely competitive, and the pressure to do well can certainly be overwhelming at times. There is a term at Duke called "effortless perfection," in which students are expected to excel at all their endeavors but act like they put forth a minimal effort; many students abide by this standard and will work incredibly hard to make the grade.