<p>It's winter break, and I'm a little bored from time to time! I loveloveloveloveloveee Duke and would be glad to help anyone with any questions. :) Feel free to ask anything and I'll try my best to answer it.</p>
<p>Good luck, current applications! Duke is an amazing place and I hope that if you truly want it, you get the chance to experience it. :)</p>
<p>Great! I have 3 questions.</p>
<p>1) What is Duke known for (majors)?
2) How would you describe the atmosphere in Duke?
3) When do RD applicants get their interviews usually? I submitted only my supplement form a week ago and an interviewer called me today for an interview this week. Is this normal???</p>
<p>I just got in ED. Are there programs I should check out before school starts next year?</p>
<p>Also, I’ve gotta do a work study program as part of my financial aid. Do you know anything about that or what it might entail?</p>
<p>I am thinking about taking 54L</p>
<p>thanks</p>
<p>hello-jello:</p>
<p>1) BME, PubPol, PoliSci, English…it’s good at everything, but those first 2 are certainly its best, I would think.</p>
<p>2) Work hard; play hard, with a little bit of everything in between.</p>
<p>3) Yes.</p>
<p>rk:</p>
<p>the Focus program, definitely. Also, start thinking about DukeEngage if you’re considering it for next summer. You have to apply in the fall semester.</p>
<p>any student can get a job on campus, but a workstudy student’s paycheck is like 50% or 75% (can’t remember which) paid for by the FinAid department, as opposed to the individual employer, so lots of on-campus spots prefer workstudy kids, obviously. All it mans is that you’ll get a job (library, box office, call center, etc.)</p>
<p>brown: no idea. humanities kid lol</p>
<p>I would assume 54L is graded on a curve…</p>
<p>Duke pays for 75% of your work-study paycheck; however, work-study is not mandatory.</p>
<p>DANG IT I typed up a response to everyone and CC decided to lose my posts -____-.</p>
<p>Again…</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>1) As an above poster mentioned, Duke is widely known for its BME program. It was the first accredited program in the US (not sure about globally…).</p>
<p>Along with BME, Duke prides itself in it’s following programs:</p>
<p>-Economics
-Neuroscience (one of the few elite colleges that actually have this major option)
-Public Policy
-Environmental Sciences
-Global Health
-Political Science
-Chemistry
-English</p>
<p>Keep in mind that Duke is very interdisciplinary - most courses cross disciplines and you will be exposed to a lot of different ideas. It’s very cool and a very well-rounded education.</p>
<p>2) Whenever I am asked this question, I always respond with “balanced.” I’ve never worked harder in my life, and yet, I’ve never had so much fun at the same time. Duke students work very, very hard; on the same token, they understand that being social is important not only for their futures, but for their sanity haha. Note here that Duke is not competitive, but rather collaborate. I wanted to avoid competitive environments when choosing colleges, and I got lucky that Duke isn’t. For example, when I took organic chemistry (a stereotypically intense competitive class), people met up for study sessions ALL the time and lent out notes to one another if someone was unable to attend lecture.</p>
<p>Duke’s atmosphere, moreover, is VERY laid back, academic, alive, and cultural (I hear 4635763473 languages simply walking across the academic quad. I love how diverse Duke is, and it is especially hilarious when kids are drunk and start speaking in their native languages to one another and no one understands what the other is saying hahaha. Dang I already miss the place). Lastly, Duke students are very proud and very cognizant of what is going on from Duke’s academic departments to Duke sports. </p>
<p>Btw, Duke basketball games >>>>>> every other sport in terms of fun and energy. :)</p>
<p>3) Yes, that’s very normal.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>1) Not really. Just get excited!!! Maybe look into programs for pre-oreintation (e.g.; PWAVES, PSEARCH, PCHANGE, PWILD, PBUILD)
2) Work-study is not money that Duke gives you directly - so you have to include that amount in your payment to Duke. Work-study is simply an incentive for employers to hire you, as the federal government pays a portion of your paycheck so that employers don’t have to pay it in full. If you have more questions feel free to PM me about this.</p>
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</p>
<p>Quantitive courses at Duke are graded on a curve. I believe that Physics 53L/54L is the pre-med physics (haha GOOD CHOICE!! Pratt kids obliterate any premeds in the 63L/64L route.). Keep in mind that since these courses are graded on a curve, these classes are HARD. Everyone is smart and everyone is capable of getting the A… in high school. Hahah so Duke is a significantly different playing field.</p>
<p>
VERY TRUE. Remember that every time you have a curved class, you’re competing against kids who were ALL in the top 5-10% of their HS class. Basically, you’re competing against 100 other you’s. My friends at state schools love curved classes because the number of the slackers means the kids who try almost automatically get A’s and A-'s. Not at Duke. This got me my first semester - “oh, it’s curved to a B-/C+; no big deal, all the slackers will get the C+ and below…oh wait, there ARE no slackers…*&%$” Be prepared to work your butt off in a curved class, especially an intro curved class.</p>
<p>1) Any tips for someone who is looking to take Poli Sci at Duke next year?
2) What classes should I look for my first term, I wanna keep it easy. Is it overwhelming when you first start working?
3) How are the parties like your first 3 months at Duke? Is it easy to make friends and go out as a new kid?</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>1) I’m not a political science kid, so I’m not exactly sure about this one. My suggestion is to talk to professors or PAN (peer advising network) when you get to Duke and they’ll help you out. Advisors are another really good resource. And of course, upperclassmen who are polisci majors are great as well.
2) Probably seminars/writing 20. These can sometimes end up being hard though, so make sure you research them well and take a section in which you ACTUALLY enjoy the subject. If you’re a science/math kid, it will be hard to avoid difficult introductory classes.
3) The thing I loved about the Duke social scene is that it is really open and exclusive, which is unique to Duke. I have never really felt weird going to parties on campus even as a freshman. I’ve usually felt very welcomed and people just start dancing/playing stuff and yeappppp. There’s usually a lot of things to do on campus, so I’ve never found myself to be super bored and sitting there in my dorm doing nothing.</p>
<p>Hope that answers your questions! :)</p>
<p>Prospectus:</p>
<p>1) Take Peter Feaver’s Intro to IR class. I believe it’s PoliSci 93D. Alternatively, look into the Visions of Freedom Focus program.</p>
<p>2) Easy classes include: Rocks for Jocks (EOS 11), Psych 11, any intro to Sociology, and most freshman seminars. Careful with the writing load, though, if you go with Focus.</p>
<p>3) Easiest social scene known to man as a 1st semester freshman. Things will change 2nd semester when rush starts, but in the beginning, pretty much everyone is welcome everywhere.</p>
<p>what if you are interested in both BME and biology? Should you (could you) apply to both or put undecided on your application?</p>
<p>(Thank you for making this thread! =))</p>
<p>^ The former is in Pratt, and the latter is in Trinity, but double-majoring across the two schools is no big deal. I don’t know; I’d probably apply to Pratt and then add the Bio stuff later.</p>
<p>Oops,
</p>
<p>Meant to say “not exclusive” haha. Hope that makes more sense.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Approximately 1/3 of Pratt students double major in something in Trinity. If you’re interested in engineering at all though, apply to Pratt. Once you get in, you can take classes in either school and pursue studying biology as well.</p>
<p>bme and bio is one of the easier science-pratt double-majors since you’re required to take 2 bio classes as a bme major anyway and bme 100 (required for bme majors) counts as a bio class. plus, all the math physics requirements bio majors must fulfill are required for pratt kids too. this means if you complete the bme major, you need 8 more bio classes for the bio major + orgo or 2 more bio classes only (no orgo) for the minor.</p>
<p>eatsalot,</p>
<p>thanks</p>
<p>brown2009</p>
<p>Just to clear up any confusion regarding work-study:</p>
<p>Work-study is simply a financial aid “program” that subsidizes your (typically on-campus) job salary. (Read on for more details.)</p>
<p>There are 2 types of work-study offered by Duke’s Financial Aid Office. You don’t get to pick; one or neither will be offered through your need-based financial aid package. For either type, the amount “offered” through work-study in your financial aid package is the maximum amount that you can earn under the subsidized salary (including both the amount contributed by the subsidizing institution and the amount contributed by your employer), and it is included in the financial aid package that “closes” the gap between your EFC (expected family contribution) and the university’s total cost of attendance.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>DUKE Work-Study: Duke subsidizes 50% of your wage.</p></li>
<li><p>FEDERAL Work-Study: The US Federal Government subsidizes 75% of your wage.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>If you’re a science student, I’d recommend looking into the possibility of lab research. Don’t look at DukeList for this; the professors who post on DL are looking for students to do their gruntwork (ex. washing glassware, doing mundane DNA extractions and PCR). Instead, use the method that high school students use to get into labs: email dozens of professors, speak with the handful who reply, then pick which one you’re most interested in (if any interest you at all). If you have work-study, then by their research grant budgets, you’re practically free to hire. Thus, you’ll have much more freedom to select labs from which you’ll get a genuine educational experience.</p>
<p>^ regarding working in labs, my advisor once told me he was always too lazy to reply to those emails from undergrads. however, the undergrads who walked into his office when he was in there (without having emailed) and asked for a position nearly always got one.</p>
<p>@ ENTPForTheWin and eatsalot: thank you soo much!!!</p>