<p>I just got my Duke Up Close email and card from mail today. </p>
<p>The events on the card seemed fun and interesting. </p>
<p>So who's deciding to go?</p>
<p>Why bother? We're not getting any money since we weren't selected as scholarship finalists. I feel like this visit is just Duke telling us "You can have all this too, but you have to pay for it." I don't want to go just to be reminded that I wasn't quite good enough.
It probably would be fun and interesting, but I can't get excited about it. Maybe it's because I live 20 minutes from Duke. Oh well.</p>
<p>Mallomar, what are you complaining about... You're not in the top 42 of 19000 (the top 0.2%) -- so what! College is an investment, not an entitlement. You pay for a Duke education and reap the benefits tenfold.</p>
<p>For those of us that won't be missing this opportunity, where are you from?</p>
<p>I'm from Boca Raton, FL ... represent!</p>
<p>i'll be going- i'm from the ATL</p>
<p>I sorta feel the same way Mallomar does actually :</p>
<p>I mean I'm excited but I just finished a scholarship interview for a full ride at my state school (UMD-CP) yesterday... and so it's like back to that age old question of full-price at a prestigious private school with connections and whatnot, or an equally good education but not as prestigious/connections/socially what I'm looking for at the state school.</p>
<p>So it's Brown/Duke v UMDCP. Yikes!</p>
<p>But I'm still excited to visit Duke really... because hopefully I'll get into Brown and the week after Duke Up Close I'll spend at ADOCH at Brown.. and really get to compare the two schools.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Mallomar, what are you complaining about... You're not in the top 42 of 19000 (the top 0.2%) -- so what! College is an investment, not an entitlement.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I don't feel entitled at all to a Duke scholarship. That wasn't really my point. I know what an enormous privilege and honor it is to be selected as a scholarship finalist, especially at a place as great as Duke. It wasn't as though I expected a scholarship invite; I certainly don't think I "deserved" one. I just don't understand why Duke sends 350 likely letters but only gives scholarship finalist invites to a few of those 350. I mean, obviously Duke is entitled to do whatever it wants, but I feel like they're trying to have it both ways: attract the top students but only offer scholarships to the very few they can afford to pay for.</p>
<p>If Duke never intended to give me money or consider me as a finalist for money, I'd rather that I didn't receive a "top 350" letter at all. No one likes to be told that they're "not quite good enough." Of course Duke is entitled to do it, and I am not trying to act arrogant here, but still--don't send me a letter that makes me feel rejected and inadequate. That defeats the purpose of a likely letter. I know people at Duke who felt the same way last year when they got their Duke Up Close invites--one of them goes to Duke now, actually, and pays full tuition like any other student.</p>
<p>That said, I will probably go to this event, just to check out Duke, because it's likely I'll go there (I'm from NC, by the way). It just won't be nice to be reminded that "You're not special enough for us to give you anything."</p>
<p>Yesterday, I was quite hesitant if I should go or not. </p>
<p>Today, I made the decision of NOT going. I think it's a complete waste of my time and Duke's time because I will most definitely not choose Duke as my first-choice college since it's not offering me any scholarship (Not that I really need it because I didn't apply financial aid in the first place, but some extra money for my personal expenses is always nice). Between Duke and Columbia where I've received likely letters as of right now, I pick Columbia. Of course, if one of my top 3 choices at the end of March accepts me, I'll go to one of those.</p>
<p>I got the mailed letter today. I have to say, it's tough to pass up. It's after April 1, so technically, one could go even after deciding on all the rest of one's college acceptances. Who can say no to a free, no-strings-attached vacation? I admit, I am still somewhat anoyed that I'm not getting any money after all this, but...free accommodations, dinner, entertainment...this sort of stuff doesn't get offered to you very often in the real world...</p>
<p>Hey Mallomar, go. "Who can say no to a free, no-strings-attached vacation?" I sure ain't gonna say no to that.</p>
<p>It's all free. And they'll put on a show for us with their best events. It's senior year, you've worked hard for four years. Consider this a celebration party of sorts :)</p>
<p>I guess, yeah. It's growing on me. Not like it's a big drive for me, either. So I'm going. See y'all there. Promise I won't poop the party haha</p>
<p>Um, has anyone else tried to RSVP online? I don't see where/how to do it. I feel a little stupid lol</p>
<p>fengshuibundi - i know how you feel. i'm stuck between duke and university of michigan (my state school). its such a hard decision...after all, u of m is going to be crazy cheap, its close to home, my brother went there, many of my friends will go there, its a good school, and besides, it is still pretty prestigious for a state school. i'm going into pre-med, and both schools will prepare me well. and also, there are five kids in my family, so i don't want to spend a fortune just on undergrad when there is still med school ahead. but i guess i'll go to the duke up close thing and see....</p>
<p>mallomarcookie - <a href="https://www.admissions.duke.edu/utils/login.asp?GoTo=%2Fjump%2Fthed%2Fthed%2Dhomepage%2Easp%3F%5B/url%5D">https://www.admissions.duke.edu/utils/login.asp?GoTo=%2Fjump%2Fthed%2Fthed%2Dhomepage%2Easp%3F</a>
go there, and if you have not already registered, then click on the link to register. once you get to your "homepage," look on the right-hand side. there will be a black box that says "duke up close". just click on that to register.</p>
<p>i hope that helps....</p>
<p>I didn't get a confirmation when I did mine.</p>
<p>And yeah. Well I hope to see you all there! I'm also interested in pre-med but I definately want the undergrad experience of a dream school... haha we're all going to go crazy come april when we decide what school to attend.</p>
<p>It'll definately be hard with five kids, but hopefully the others will get some sweet finaid considering y'all will be broke just like my folks will be after they pay for a semester or two at duke/brown.</p>
<p>So I just reentered my info.</p>
<p>Stupid idea?</p>
<p>It STILL doesn't show up or work for me. That's really weird. I am at my homepage, but I don't see any black box. This is all I see:</p>
<p>"The D: My Home Page
Welcome to Duke Admissions, MallomarCookie!</p>
<p>It's March 11th. Remember that the application deadline for Early Decision is November 1, and the application deadline for Regular Decision is January 2.</p>
<p>You have 0 new messages! Click here to enter the Message Center.</p>
<p>Add or edit your selected interests so we can personalize the site for you by visiting our Interests page. Keep track of when the various parts of your application are due -- and when we've received them -- on your Application Checklist."</p>
<p>Then on the right hand side is a dark blue bar with little blurbs about stuff at Duke (Bryan Center, Selective Living, etc.). I don't see any black boxes...really weird. I'm emailing the people. I mean, I did get invited to this program. I got the little pamphlet in the mail. Agh. I'll email them now and call them in the morning.</p>
<p>I'm not understanding some of this logic in this thread. Duke Up Close is just a nice way of introducing Duke to you from an accepted student's perspective. It is in no way telling you that you're not good enough. It is actually telling you the exact opposite. They only offer this experience to the top applicants that they accept, and I think it is not really constructive to compare this to being a scholarship recruit. Please don't rationalize that Duke is trying to waste your time by accepting you then welcoming you to take another look at the school before you decide to attend or not.</p>
<p>I don't mean my post to be acrimonious in any way. Just if you could make it to Duke Up Close, I would highly recommend it. The school is growing and it seems like a new state-of-the-art building is popping up every day. It might not have been there when you visited the first time (if you ever visited at all; I've had friends whose first day at Duke was during orientation). Maybe it's for something you're interested in and want to check out. Also talk to us students. I know I cannot shut up about Duke and would love to share my feelings on topics concerning the school with you on your visit.</p>
<p>Mmm. I can't wait to visit!</p>
<p>Same! Finally got my registration to work too. Strange that it didn't show up till late this morning.</p>
<p>As someone who hasn't visited Duke yet, I am excited to go!</p>
<p>Yay! I'm glad they're paying me for gas money...Lol I'll make sure to drive the 10 miles in my SUV for maximum $$</p>