Quality of Life @ Duke?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Duke University
1

Totally candidly, what are the great reasons to pick Duke, and what are the drawbacks/reasons you think Duke may not be for everyone? (i.e. I heard rush sucks for some girls)

2

Why Duke:

  • Top notch academics
  • On campus graduate programs for Law, Business, Medicine
  • Great sports and on-campus social activities
  • Excellent alumni network and networking
  • Great weather
  • Beautiful campus

Who is not a good fit for Duke:

  • Those who don’t like sports
  • If you don’t like social hierarchy (athletes, frats, SLGs, etc) and find it difficult to fit in
  • If you prefer a small school environment
  • If you are a UNC fan :slight_smile:
3

I don’t agree with your first two points in the “not good fits” for Duke list (but reasonable minds can disagree). I knew many people who had no interest in sports (and went to zero basketball games) who had a great Duke experience. I mean, the undergraduate student section max capacity (for bball) is about 1700, so only 1/4 of undergrad students go to any given game (and many games don’t fill up). But I’d argue they’re missing out on a great time that would enhance their experience.

Also, hardly anybody really likes “social hiearchies.” Even the majority of those in the Greek system at Duke don’t like a “hierarchy,” but do like the sense of community that such institutions provide. I also knew plenty of independent people who had a very enriching experience and only have positive things to say about Duke. But, yes, Duke will challenge you socially at times perhaps, which usually in the end, helps you grow as an individual. Personally, I was a major Duke basketball fan (as I thought that was a fun thing to do) who was not an athlete, in a frat, or SLG (although knew many who were).

4

Fair points @bluedog. I agree

5

Hey! My time at Duke is slowly coming to an end - and I’ll tell you that these past three years have been some of the best in my life. Stressful at times, yes, but overall wonderful. I will definitely miss this place.

If I had to list pros and cons, here’s what:

Pros:

  • Your classmates are some of the smartest people you will have ever met. I consider this a pro, because I would prefer to surround myself with people who I can continually learn from. And contrary to popular thought, most of these smart kids aren't stuck up - they are really down to earth, and incredibly humble for the most part.
  • Grad programs are top notch here, so for the undergrad, this would translate to superb research opportunities, whether it be in the public policy school, med school, or law school.
  • It's incredibly easy to join labs/work with faculty on projects. Simply shoot them an email. Most labs I barely have any undergrads in them because there are SO many.
  • The freshman year living in East Campus is perhaps one of the best things about Duke. The housing arrangements allow you to make incredibly close bonds with the people around you. Infact, the people I've lived with freshman year have been my hall mates all throughout college. We formed a "block" (Duke allows this for housing selections) of 8 people, and we've been together ever since. And even when I'm not in the dorm, since you have such strong bonds with the freshman class in general, you will generally bump into people that you know every day, wherever you turn.
  • All of the above of what the others posted. Agree with the beautiful weather, campus.

Cons

  • Social Scene has been wonderful for me personally, but some people find Greek Life to be disturbing. I personally think that Greek Life is a problem only if you make it to be - yes it's something I generally don't find interesting/beneficial, but they are generally off campus, and don't actually make a visible impact in campus life. I haven't joined any fraternities/SLG (selective living groups). There are plenty of general events on campus that are exciting for everyone, and I personally don't think I miss out at all. But to each their own - my idea of a fun night usually is hanging out with a group of close friends and going to the movies, or playing basketball - or going out for bowling! For some others, the idea of a college frat party is more intriguing....to each their own! You have options...
  • The campus isn't that bike friendly. Most people do tend to walk to classes...but a bike would surely make things faster, especially when you make the walk to places that are kinda far, like Gross Hall (where some premed chem classes are held), or the Sanford School of Public Policy.
  • If you are considering med school, I'd actually not recommend Duke that highly. Don't get me wrong - it is GREAT for preparing you for med school, but such a large percentage of students are premed that entry level bio and chem courses tend to be packed, and the competition is relatively high. It would be slightly lower stress in my opinion to be a premed at places like Yale/Brown. You'd be equally as prepared in my opinion, minus the potential problems that come with premed saturation in the student body.
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