<p>Ok, I was really liking DUKE (and I still pretty much am) but I read the Princeton Review Book (not known for its supreme accuracy, but still) and it said that students there are cliquey and the school is super obsessed with sports, while I am not an avid sports fan. Not to mention, is the warm weather and humidity really brutal? Please let me know, to your knowledge, if their is any substance to what PR said. Also, some others schools i am looking at are Brown, Amherst, Wesleyan U., Tufts, Bard C.,etc. Thanx u guys.</p>
<p>I think that Duke is pretty different from the schools you listed. </p>
<p>As far as cliquey-ness, I haven't particularly found it to be that way. One of the benefits of all freshmen living together on East campus is that you become very familiar with everybody in your class. That arrangement also makes it very easy to make friends right off the bat. All parties (those hosted by the Greek system, at least) are open to everyone, and most people are very friendly and sociable.</p>
<p>Many people at Duke love sports, many are not so keen. Many people come to Duke not that into sports and get into them here because of the school spirit aspect. The only time it gets really crazy around here is during March Madness and when some people tent. By no means does EVERYBODY tent. I didn't even make it to a single game last season. You'll find plenty of people with your (non-sports-related) interests.</p>
<p>The humidity can be a little rough, but it calms down not too long after school starts and it's very pleasant the rest of the year. School gets out in early May when it's nice and warm but not too humid. I like the weather here, I even stayed all summer and braved the heat, but it's hard for me to tell you if you'll like it, other than that it doesn't cover too much of the school year.</p>
<p>Humidity is worse during the summer months. It's actually fairly cold well into April and even May, starting in about October. September is still a little hot from the remnants of summer.</p>
<p>Faults of Duke:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Too prestigious</p></li>
<li><p>The woman are too hot</p></li>
<li><p>The weather is tooo nice</p></li>
<li><p>JJ Reddick's outside shot is tooo clean</p></li>
<li><p>The parties are toooo wild</p></li>
</ol>
<p>I'll see what I can do about fixing some of these next year. You have my word.</p>
<p>A girl who went to my school and now goes to Duke reported back to us this spring. She said that the school is racially polarized and that frat culture rules the school. She said even though not too many people are in the greek system the frat boy mentality pervades and that the intellectuals run for cover. Apparently the black faculty refer to the campus as 'The Plantation'. We're a pretty liberal school and don't send too many to Duke each year, and I think after this girls' report, even less!</p>
<p>However, to each his own. I hope no one gets offended. ;)</p>
<p>If it is racially divided, it is because the students have made it this way. So, I am not sure what phase 1 is of altering human behavior and inclinations. As for the frat life....it does not dominate anything. I visited for four days and I was almost unaware of most frats. The only time I encountered them was at a party or some sort of benefit.</p>
<p>The intellectuals run for cover? From what? A frat party?</p>
<p>Duke is probably the most liberal school I have been to in a while as well.</p>
<p>well fine. its perfect :) i'm only repeating what an enrolled student said.</p>
<p>LOL</p>
<p>I don't like her. :)</p>
<p>But to be realisitic..</p>
<ol>
<li><p>I was upset that there was not more of a perpetuated effort from differing students to acclimate to one another. There was just no resolve. </p></li>
<li><p>The food is not healthy enough. :) Like...it's very Southern, which is fine. But I do not like the idea of freshman 15 as the standard. I only visited some eateries, but the selection was far from say....a Cornell. </p></li>
<li><p>Central Campus is completely a mess. You don't have to ever go there, but it is a stark contrast to one of the most gorgeous schools in the country.</p></li>
<li><p>Durham in general. The place was not flattering, but everyone knows that. The place didn't feel so safe around 2 A.M as well. The buses also tend to revolve around campus less frequently around these times as well.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>your blood runs blue, my friend, a very deep shade of blue. :)</p>
<p>I cannot hide that. Come to Duke...that's all I have to say.</p>
<p>"I visited for four days and I was almost unaware of most frats" Whoa, you were there for four whole days and didnt notice fraternities? Well I will say this, fraternities definately dominate the SOCIAL scene at Duke. I actually attended duke last year(So i was there for more than four days), am now in a fraternity, and can tell you without a shadow of a doubt that fraternities are the basis for the social life at Duke. Its not a bad thing at all, but thats how it is. Almost all parties are put on by fraternities. As for a few of your original five "faults" of Duke, lets just say that they would be great problems to have.... if they existed.</p>
<p>Let me rephrase....I noticed Greek life but then It donned on me...THIS IS COLLEGE. To lambast Duke for having a prominent Greek life is fallacious and, ultimately, futile. I am not saying you did, but Greek life has often been synonymous with negativity here on CC. I am quite indifferent to the whole thing and I have learned to deal with it. Moreover, I am not sure where you live, but I was on Central my entire stay and most of the parties were thrown by independents. They were fun. Also, are you telling me Reddick does not have a fantastic three point game? I hope not. :) If anything, that's ALL he's been good at as of late.</p>
<p>Devil May Cry, I was not aware that Greek life has been synonymous with negativity here. I guess that helps explain some of the things I read here. I honestly think that most people who diss Greek life have had no exposure to it and just do it based on what they see on movies and tv. I think people in general need to keep more of an open mind towards Greek life in general cuz its not all about what most people think it is. Anyway, you're right about Central having mostly independents, I didn't really think about that when I wrote my post. I was referring mainly to parties on West Campus and at the various bars and clubs around Durham. Those are done mostly by fraternities. Typically freshman dont go to central as much since there are all upperclassmen there that they would be less likely to know or have met. As for the Reddick comment, lets just say that it would be nice to have some of the other "faults" you mentioned.</p>
<p>whats wrong with frats?
intellectuals running for cover? I'd rather go to a college that has parties and entertainment than a college that is based around sitting around talking to people who have already made up their mind on what you are talkinga bout. Of course I like both, and hope to find a balance. There's a lot of alcohol at Duke...which is cool. All the kids I know that went to Duke turn out to either be really big partiers or very bookish. At least thats what they try to come off as. Of course I only know four kids who are attending already. </p>
<p>The biggest drawback would be its really far away from similar schools, and that Durham isn't very big nor active, if you'd ask me.</p>
<p>Check back with me and I'll probably have more reasons.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Durham - Duke has possibly the worst location in the top 25. I might give Cornell the edge because of the weather.</p></li>
<li><p>First-year meal plan - unhealthy, expensive, very few get up for breakfast</p></li>
<li><p>Intellectualism - we're not saying we want Duke to be the Academy or anything, but there needs to be more. It's not an all or nothing proposition, there's a balance here.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Isn't Central Campus supposed to be renovated?</p>
<p>What about the sheer size of the campus? I think that's a drawback...taking a bus from one campus to the other? </p>
<p>Durham seems to provide many community service opportunities based on all the info Duke keeps sending me...</p>
<p>It will take more than a decade before Central is fully reconstructed. They are hoping for classrooms and restaurants to replace most of Central. We will already be long gone before that happens. </p>
<p>Maybe your children will see it when it is finished. :)</p>
<p>New Haven has three times the crime rate of Durham, if that's what you're basing your "worst" location off of. </p>
<p>I've gone to school in downtown Durham (location of East and some would say Central campus) for the last six, approaching seven years. I've lived in Durham for my entire life. It's dangerous in parts, sure, but what large city isn't? There are the "bad parts" of town frequented by gangs (their territories), yes, and it's easy to stay out of those. I wouldn't advise walking around alone late at night too near these areas, but it's a good bet that you wouldn't be alone anyway, if you're going to a party or something.</p>
<p>I like Durham. It's colorful and beautiful. Even driving through the messier neighborhoods, I want to get out of the car and take photographs of some of the unique houses. These neighborhoods may be run-down, but they're not prepackaged and identical housing, like some of the developments around. There's so much character here, especially in the old red brick tobacco buildings. It used to be that very early on particularly dewy mornings (7-8 AM) all of Durham would smell like fresh, sweet, green tobacco leaves, from the old warehouses. They're turning the warehouses into apartments now (rather high end ones, I believe), so that doesn't happen anymore, sadly. The buildings remain though, and you don't see much brickwork like that anymore. Nowadays, people can't afford to have decorative work built into their warehouses, of all things.</p>
<p>Oh, and the trees along Duke University Road are beautiful. Especially on misty mornings when the mist catches the rays of sun slanting down through the leaves.</p>
<p>Excuse my ramblings. I just like pointing out some of the good things about Durham. (:</p>
<p>Novah, I wasn't using crime rate as a factor, although Durham has plenty of that. I was more using the fact that the city really has very little to offer to college students. If you look at what is probably the consensus "best" street in town, 9th street, it pales in comparison to other college areas like Franklin Street, Collegetown of Cornell, or the U District of Washington. Durham just really isn't a college town. It's not big enough to offer the advantages of a big city either, like a wide variety of restaurants/clubs, local attractions, or public attractions. It takes a car to get anywhere (bus for UNC), and frankly, there isn't much within reasonable driving distance either. With Cornell and Yale, you can at least get to NYC within 4 or so hours, while with Duke you can get to...Charlotte?, which is a nice city but no NYC.</p>
<p>thats true, but then again Dartmouth is just as isolated as duke. </p>
<p>and within that same time frame one could either head west for skiing or go east to go to the beach :)</p>
<p>Ive lived in NYC and a So Cal sprawling suburb so I guess Im just not that "impressed" by NYC</p>