Negatives of Duke University?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Duke University
1

<p>So I was accepted to Duke and a few other schools (Hopkins, Carnegie Mellon, Swarthmore, and honors programs at state schools), but I am not really sure that Duke is the right place for me. I have heard A LOT of negative things (from family and friends), so maybe someone on CC can address them and help me come to a decision of sorts about attending Duke.</p>

<p>Examples from Princeton Review:
Negatives:</p>

<ul>
<li>conservative values (strong religious background?)</li>
<li>uptight, and stuck with old traditions</li>
<li>self segregating, in race and class</li>
<li>intolerant / homophobic</li>
<li>a supposed “30 ft. wall” surrounding the campus?</li>
<li>strained relations with Durham (Durham is supposedly a shady town, with crime and social problems)</li>
<li>a dominant jock culture</li>
<li>the lacrosse team incident tarnishing duke’s rep.</li>
</ul>

<p>Positives:</p>

<ul>
<li>strong music?</li>
<li>pratt school of engineering</li>
<li>“college with a conscience”</li>
<li>school newspaper</li>
<li>school spirit</li>
</ul>

<p>Questions:</p>

<li>How “southern” is Duke, in terms of traditions and culture?</li>
<li>How religious is Duke? Will people flaunt their values?</li>
<li>Does the music program at Duke offer flexibility to people with other majors?</li>
<li>Is Duke really as intolerant and homophobic as it is purported to be?</li>
<li>Is Durham really that shady?</li>
</ol>

2

<ol>
<li><p>Southern enough that they serve sweet potato fries at the Marketplace...and that there are quite a few students from the South. But just look at the demographics of the school - the vast majority are from the Northeast and the West. That can answer most of your questions regarding prevalent mentalities on campus. That being said, the majority of my Public Policy classmates are liberal, but there are also enough well-spoken conservatives to stimulate debate.</p></li>
<li><p>I tend to take offense at evangelizing (that is, forcing beliefs upon someone like me who has made up my mind), but I feel perfectly happy and content eating at the Refectory in the Divinity School. While there are a number of religious options, I would say that the majority of students aren't consistently involved with religious groups.</p></li>
<li><p>I'm a PPS major, turkish minor - I play trumpet, take lessons, play in the orchestra, and play in the hoof 'n' horn pit when there's a part (it's our student run musical theater group). Out of about 100 musicians, I think 3 might be majoring - a good few are minoring. The rest of us just love to play. Unlike schools such as Northwestern/Michigan, you don't have to be a major to participate. There is also the Wind Symphony, Marching/Pep Band, Djembe Ensemble, Chorale, Chapel Choir....and Joe Robinson (former principal oboist of the NY Phil) is our new artist in residence - he sits in on rehearsals, gives recitals, and even is coaching a woodwind quintent. Basically, you'll have more opportunities than you'll have time. Oh, and the music building is on East - very convenient for freshmen.</p></li>
<li><p>If there is blatant intolerance, I somehow have missed it. Many people wear "Gay? Fine by me" t-shirts that were given out a couple of years ago. While some people may be religiously conservative, I don't feel a homophobic vibe at all. Someone can feel free to correct me/give another view - I'm just sharign my experience.</p></li>
<li><p>Durham isn't that shady. No more shady than any city....that is to say, it's a poor choice to walk around in poorly lighted areas anywhere. I'm a short female, and I have never felt unsafe around Durham. The most dangerous areas are on the opposite side of town - where you go to do community service, but not much else. Near East campus are a variety of restaurants, bookstores, etc...it's not a quintessential college town per se, but it definitely gets the job done.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>This lacrosse event has been blown out of proportion - it is not representative of our student body at all. Duke students in no way stand for racism, rape, or the other things that our laxers are accused of partaking in (well, except underage drinking ;-) But seriously, you should not base your opinion of us on the alleged heinous actions of .3% of our school (45 (a maximum!)/15000 total duke affiliated personnel). I understand that until there are charges, there are only speculations and generalizations...but there is far, far more to Duke than a juicy media story.</p>

<p>Also, I chuckle whenever I read those princeton review sites now - some of those generalizations might be true for segments of Duke, but by no means the majority. No school is "flawless"....you just have to pick and choose where you feel comfortable. I recommend that you see for yourself...unless those who say negative things attend here now, I personally question their opinions.</p>

3

<p>I think Lex said it pretty well! Here's my 2 cents, even though this will pretty much echo what Lex said:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>If you compared Duke to any other school in the South, Duke would stand far and away as the least southern - I think things here are far more comparable to Northeastern schools than to Southern schools. The sweet tea in the cafeteria is oftentimes the only thing that really reminds you you're in the South, at least on a day-to-day basis. You can go looking for opportunities to dive into what NC has to offer, though, which I recommend - one thing I personally love about North Carolina is the bluegrass!</p></li>
<li><p>Not sure - not applicable to me, but I'd trust Lex on that one cause he seems to know what he's talking about :)</p></li>
<li><p>I think that most kids are pretty supportive of LGBT issues even if they don't express it outright all of the time - for example, DSG just passed a resolution to resign all individual bathrooms across campus as gender neutral bathrooms in an effort to create a more affirming environment for transgender people. And I personally love my "Gay? Fine by me" shirt. If you wanted to get a gay student's perspective I'm sure you could find some contact information through the LGBT center website (just go to duke's website and search LGBT or something). </p></li>
<li><p>Because Durham has a reputation for being shady, I think incoming students already prejudge it as so. I personally regret the fact that it took me three years to realize how awesome Durham is. I am constantly finding new fun bars to hang out at, new places to grab lunch (I can't believe I just found Fowler's), and I actually considered hanging around Durham this summer and fall just because I don't want to leave yet! Ok, maybe I am on the extreme side of loving Durham, but we just have a ton of awesome local businesses that are out there for you to find. And yes, we do have a high crime rate - if it's nighttime and you're venturing off campus, don't go alone, but that's just common sense.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>I guess that was more than 2 cents :P</p>

4

<p>Oh and about the conservative christian students - simply not true. Campus Crusade is about the only campus religious org I can think of that doesn't have its own drinking parties :P</p>

5

<p>Yeah, Durham has some great little places - Bullock's, the most amazing barbecue around, fosters, locopops (gourmet popsicles anyone? mojito, pomegranate and tangerine, honeydew melon, orange, chocolate brownie? a dollar each? simply amazing). Oh, and to clarify, that "100 musicians" was in reference to those in our orchestra, though I'm guessing you caught that.</p>

6

<p>"Uptight, and stuck with old traditions"</p>

<p>Duke's rep is the opposite -- really young school, dynamic, evolving, ever upward trajectory, not tethered to tradition like much older peers in the NE...</p>

<p>...and students are more laidback than at the Ivies. </p>

<p>"30 foot wall"</p>

<p>What? Well, East Campus is bordered by a stone...fence. It's about, I dunno, 4 feet tall.</p>

7

<p>So then is the campus self-segregating by race and/or class (de facto segregation)? If it is, that's a huge turn-off for me. I want to go to a university with people who embrace the diversity, not just take it for granted and stick to themselves.</p>

<p>And isn't it a bad sign that there is even a group at Duke called "Campus Crusade" ... not that it represents the whole school but still. Has anyone ever spoken up about naming an organization after the crusades? The historical connotations are quite negative.</p>

<p>How does the school of divinity affect the student body, if at all? Does it simply provide a more liberal student body with people to debate? Duke was founded as a Methodist college, if I am not mistaken.</p>

<p>Someone mentioned bluegrass ... as in music? Does that mean the majority of music is country and bluegrass? Do any mainstream artists ever stop at Duke to perform?</p>

<p>Is it true that students routinely "dress up" to go to class? As for the "uptight" part, I was talking more about being "proper" in society and if people censored themselves just to fit in at Duke?</p>

<p>If any of the "negatives" are true, does the general Duke environment outweigh them?</p>

8

<p>I'm finishing out my freshman year here. I think that I can address a couple concerns some people have. I'm from New York, and the question of how "religious" Duke, a southern university is, did cross my mind during the college decision process. I personally am not religious at all, but I don't find any need or pressure to get involved. I think 1/3 of students attend some kind of regular religious service, but I'm not positive of that statistic. There are dozens of religions represented here. Originally, Duke was Methodist, but now its chapel and services are nondenominational. Also, the Freeman Center for Jewish Life is very active on campus. But really the majority of people aren't all that religious. It's somethign that's very available to you if you're interested in getting involved.</p>

9

<p>Alright first to set this up... I don't yet go to Duke (accepted) so I am not the expert on all of this but I do live a bike ride away from the campus so I want to answer a few I know about.</p>

<p>"And isn't it a bad sign that there is even a group at Duke called "Campus Crusade" ... not that it represents the whole school but still. Has anyone ever spoken up about naming an organization after the crusades? The historical connotations are quite negative."
- Duke is a largely liberal campus, as most national universities are. As a liberal I would find it more negative if there werent at least SOME conservative groups on campus or I would only have people that agreed with me.</p>

<p>"Someone mentioned bluegrass ... as in music? Does that mean the majority of music is country and bluegrass? Do any mainstream artists ever stop at Duke to perform?"
- No no that isnt the majority of the music at all. This Friday Franz Ferdinand and Death Cab for Cutie are playing at Cameron. There are many good local bands around as well. In addition, it is a short drive over to chapel hill/ carborro which probably has one of the better music scenes in the entire country outside of big cities ala Austin and Chicago and such.</p>

<p>"Is it true that students routinely "dress up" to go to class? As for the "uptight" part, I was talking more about being "proper" in society and if people censored themselves just to fit in at Duke?"
-Well I do notice more button down shirts on guys and such than at some places where everyone wears sweats... but from the time I have spent on campus there is still a laidback vibe as far as attire goes. Some people may chose to wear some nicer stuff... but you could wear some jeans or sweats, sandals, and a t-shirt and fit in just fine... especially if it was a duke t shirt!</p>

10

<p>
[quote]
And isn't it a bad sign that there is even a group at Duke called "Campus Crusade" ... not that it represents the whole school but still. Has anyone ever spoken up about naming an organization after the crusades? The historical connotations are quite negative.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I agree with you here, it is a negative connotation. Campus Crusade is a national organization, though - you will find chapters at the majority of Universities across the country.</p>

<p>
[quote]
Someone mentioned bluegrass ... as in music? Does that mean the majority of music is country and bluegrass? Do any mainstream artists ever stop at Duke to perform?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>No, the majority of music is not country and bluegrass, esp not on campus. I just happen to like bluegrass and I think the triangle is an area where you will be able to find shows of whatever music you like. As far as on campus shows go, in the past couple of years we've had Kanye West, Collective Soul, and Ludacris, among others. This year we had the Rolling Stones, and this Friday Death Cab for Cutie and Franz Ferdinand are coming. On the last day of classes this year Guster will be performing. Not to mention off-campus concerts that are closeby. While here I've seen Coldplay, Jack Johnson, John Mayer, etc.</p>

<p>Some people dress up to go to class, others wear jeans and a t shirt or even sweatpants at times. It's really up to the person. No one is going to think it's weird if you wear sweats, and no one is going to think it's weird if you wear a suit and tie. Certain majors dress up more than others - public policy majors are known to dress up more than your average duke student. There's really a wide variety.</p>

<p>I don't think people censor themselves to fit in, in fact, I think it's quite the opposite - if students are too "proper" they are probably encouraged by their peers to loosen up and relax a little!</p>

<p>The Div school . . . I don't know much about it other than the awesome food they serve there! You can go eat at the div school without feeling like you're being indoctrinated or something.</p>

<p>I think that you will find a wide variety of students here just like at any college. I think visiting would help you get a better feel for whether or not Duke is a good "fit" for you. I know it's not always possible to visit, so keep asking questions here if you have them. We are more than happy to answer!</p>

11

<p>sorry to double post - looks like we posted at the same time! If anything our similar answers probably indicate that we're being pretty accurate.</p>

12

<p>Ohhh dear. I'm sorry, but I just have to laugh at some of this stuff.</p>

<p>There are Campus Crusades at sooooooo many colleges - definitely not just Duke. I'm not sure if it's at EVERY college, but my impression was that it's like the Christian version of a Hillel. I'm pretty sure there is actually a Campus Crusade group, or something like it, at every school. Funny thing is, I'm Jewish and I've gone to a few Cru events for free ice cream and to hang out with my friends in it. Even funnier thing is, the FCJL (Freeman Center for Jewish Life) is actually WAY more active than Cru. FCJL offers dinner every night that tons of students go to, free Shabbat dinners on Fridays (so popular that they started requiring reservations to go), trips to Uruguay and Israel, events, etc....</p>

<p>Duke was originally founded as a Methodist college, but I actually feel like most people I meet here are Jewish. Just a personal observation. During my 1st few weeks here, my roommate (who is also Jewish) and I often joked that in every situation where we met new people, about 9/10 of the people we met were Jewish. And this wasn't even us looking for Jewish people or going to FCJL events...it was just coincidence.</p>

<p>Mainstream artists coming to Duke to perform? Try Guster, Death Cab for Cutie, Franz Ferdinand, and The Rolling Stones - and that's just this year alone! I actually don't know of any bluegrass/country performances here. We do have some AWESOME jazz performances weekly, though.</p>

<p>Some students "dress up" to go to class...in the sense that people do tend to want to look presentable. I walk around sometimes in my PJs without so much as looking at myself in the mirror before I leave my room in the morning. So do a lot of people I know. Those same people and I also sometimes enjoy wearing a pretty skirt and matching shirt to class. But yeah...I honestly don't think it matters. It's whatever you feel like doing.</p>

<p>Duke is amazing. There's nothing like it. Any negatives are totally outweighed. I had some really, really difficult personal issues at the beginning of this semester - but Duke was just so amazing that just being here really helped me pull through and helped me stay healthy/sane. There are SO MANY opportunities to get involved, be active, learn, interact, etc. Come visit...you'll see. I promise.</p>

13

<p>"Negatives:</p>

<ul>
<li>conservative values (strong religious background?)</li>
<li>uptight, and stuck with old traditions</li>
<li>self segregating, in race and class</li>
<li>intolerant / homophobic</li>
<li>a supposed "30 ft. wall" surrounding the campus?</li>
<li>strained relations with Durham (Durham is supposedly a shady town, with crime and social problems)</li>
<li>a dominant jock culture</li>
<li>the lacrosse team incident tarnishing duke's rep."</li>
</ul>

<p>I've also been very concerned about these negatives.. I'm the "friend" who's considering between Duke vs. Northwestern a couple threads back. I'm inclined to believe that I wouldn't have to worry about the conservative values, bc Duke as a diverse university.. (and generally universities tend to be a bit more liberal), but I guess I'm still worried about the surroundings of Durham, as well as this "too-wealthy-prep-school" feel that I've been reading/hearing about.</p>

<p>Because I don't intend to stay on campus all 4 years of my college years, and will def be exploring the surrounding areas.. this is crucial to me. Durham vs. Chicago at this point seems a clear win to NW.. but I'm really trying hard not to be swayed so easily before I visit. How bad is it really.. this "Duke bubble"? And the Durham citizens' negative attitude (supposedly) against Duke students?</p>

14

<p>Of course Chicago isnt right next to NW (though it is close) and at least of the students I have talked to there it doesn't play into what students do a HUGE amount... Chicago is way cooler than Durham though... I can't argue that. Still, I love Durham in a lot of ways. It is way harder to get Cubs and White Sox tickets than Durham Bulls tickets!</p>

15

<p>Rolling Stone has a college guide that ranks schools (or school regions). according to their music scene. Duke/UNC are #2 I think. Look for it.</p>

16

<p>you are right...here it is:</p>

<p><a href="http://www.rollingstone.com/schoolsthatrock%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.rollingstone.com/schoolsthatrock&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

17

<p>bandcampgirl-</p>

<p>It's interesting to hear you say that you have met so many Jews at Duke. I am jewish, but I've been worried that I am going to feel like a minority at Duke after coming from a public high school that's more than 25% jewish. I'm also very involved in BBYO. Do you know if there are any BBYO alumni that are active at the Freeman Center? I think it's really cool that that the Freeman Center is so active on campus. It seems like it has changed since I visited last year. I'm guessing that it has something to do with people going there for the Kosher dinners every night?</p>

18

<p>Well, I have to admit - a lot of the activity there this year is because the freshman year meal plan works at the FCJL in addition to the Marketplace (the normal freshman eating place), and it's a nice alternative to Marketplace food when it starts to get repetitive. However, it is very true that there are a TON of Jewish people here. I remember when I went for my interview, I brought up that my one main concern was that Duke is in the South and, as a Jew, I didn't want to feel like a minority. My interviewer (who happened to be Jewish as well) actually laughed in my face. Now I see why. Do not worry at ALLLLLLLLLL about being a minority here. Seriously. I think the Jewish percentage here is just about the same as at any other prestigious university - maybe a little less than UPenn and WashU, but quite possibly larger than Brown, Harvard, Yale, etc.</p>

<p>My roommate was actually incredibly active in BBYO, and she has a couple of old BBYO friends here with her. So I know for a fact that there are definitely some BBYOers here...and of course, they all love it here and don't feel like a minority. Most of them even echo the same sentiments about how many Jewish people they meet here. So there's that.</p>

19

<p>In my opinion, as a Duke acceptee, this prevading jock culture REALLY turns me off. One of the things that first attracted me to Duke was seeing how crazy everyone was at games and being able to watch some awesome basketball, but the more I learned about the school the more I heard about the school's absolute OBSESSION with basketball. Maybe the school doesn't condone the lacrosse team's actions, but the fact that it happened shows a lot, imo, about what the athletic culture at Duke is like. </p>

<p>If I were you, I'd take a serious look at Swarthmore. Those LACs are really, truly incredible in terms of the education you receive, and their reputation is equivalent to that of the Ivies and Duke.</p>

20

<p>What pervading jock culture? You realize this is Duke, right? Not Chicago? The OP sounds like a fruitcake anyway.</p>