<p>Please share
<a href=“http://www.dukechronicle.com/articles/2014/09/23/editors-note”>http://www.dukechronicle.com/articles/2014/09/23/editors-note</a></p>
<p>Kelowna - thank you for posting that. As someone privileged enough to teach Duke folks, and blessed enough to have taught Alex in two classes, all I can tell you is know I know much my students work to make it appear they have “effortless perfection,” as well as how much that concept is a complete and utter fallacy. </p>
<p>New Japanese Garden Under Construction at Duke Gardens</p>
<p><a href=“New Japanese Garden Under Construction at Duke Gardens | Duke Today”>http://today.duke.edu/2014/12/japanesegarden</a></p>
To the moderators - could you please make this thread “sticky”?
To new Duke parents - I am a mother of a current sophomore. Please ask any questions you might have that a parent can answer 
I agree with Kelowna about making this thread sticky. Congrats and welcome to new Duke parents. Hope we can help.
^ ^ ^
A “sticky” is fine, but I recommend we keep it in the “Parents Forum,” which exists for this precise purpose.
Thanks!
It seems so expensive. Is there merit aid available?
Unlike most of its peers, Duke does offer several different types of merit scholarships, listed here:
https://financialaid.duke.edu/other-sources-aid
Please be aware that these scholarships are extremely competitive and are not based simply on highest grades or test scores.
I noticed a few parents discussing summer storage. I would suggest google searching for summer storage places. There are companies that specialize in student storage and you won’t have to rent a whole unit. The one we used last year came right to my daughter dorm and it was awesome! Highly recommended Help U Store It. www.HelpUStoreIt.com
Jamie
Duke offers several full rides scholarships !
Hello everyone, my son has been admitted to Duke . He is Black. We have heard a few things about race relations. Please if any of you have any input, pros and done, it will be much appreciated. Thank you.
As a parent of a white student, I can give my impressions: she have developed strong friendships with students of all races, You probably have seen the statistics that <50% of the last couple of classes are white, so there strong diversity. As a fairly liberal place, there are always students protesting something, and there are some students doing dumb things from time to time, but I get the impression that it is a very accepting, open place. A couple of months ago, Jamal Edwards who is a Robertson Scholar at Duke and is black, was overwhelmingly elected by the student body to be undergraduate Young Trustee.
http://www.dukechronicle.com/article/2016/02/jamal-edwards-elected-undergraduate-young-trustee
Duke is also reaching out with support programs for first generation college students, in order to improve their experience adjusting to college life.
my son is a Duke graduate 09. I can’t comment in any personal way beyond wastrav on race but basically the Duke experience is intensely diverse and many of its programs have a strong global orientation should your son’s interests be in business, international relations or in medicine, or even engineering.
I will throw out that although I am sure your son has other admissions to weigh with strong post-grad life, the alum life of a Duke graduate is very strong. Both in a boost in networking professionally and in simply enjoying bonding over sports, which my Duke son has greatly enjoyed in the last 6 years. He is spending a lot of money and time at reunions and weddings these days. Although the class scattered to the winds, they remain in constant discussions. Duke’s alum chapters can be very strong and are definitely spread all over the map. Depending on the personality of your son, this can be a positive secondary gain from a Duke degree. (My Vandy son was indifferent to sports and not that great at networking… so this sort of fun and lively alum factor would have been wasted on him.)
Hello, I just wanted to give a shout out to the other parents! My son was admitted ED but I’m only now booking a room for freshman drop off on Aug 23. If you haven’t booked a room then do so because there isn’t much left in the Durham area. Seems to be plenty left in the Chapel Hill area, but who wants that? Boo.
Does anyone know when Parents Weekend 2017 will be? Thanks!
Here’s the word from a recent e-mail from Duke: “Family Weekend 2017 dates have yet to be determined. After the Atlantic Coast Conference completes their winter meetings and announces the upcoming football schedule, an update will be sent with Family Weekend information.”
Family Weekend is October 20-22, 2017:
Book those rooms now! They go fast.
Where do you recommend staying while visiting Duke? Which hotel?