Duke University

1st Year Female -- Class 2010

Education Quality: A+, Surrounding City: B-

As a biomedical engineering major, I can tell you the academics are top notch in the field. Performing research is extremely common, and if you have enough initiative, you can start freshman year (although most people begin their junior years). Students are generally very bright, but not cut-throat and everybody works together to do problem sets and study for exams. The courses are tough, however, and 30% of Pratt transfers to Trinity (about standard for engineering schools). Other departments vary in excellence and difficulty. Sciences are usually very good (especially biology) and more difficult, and there have been several new buildings erected in the last couple years. Economics is common and known as good, but it's a huge department that you will not get as much personal attention. Psychology and neuroscience has some experts in the field in the faculty, and the courses aren't too hard either. Sociology and cultural anthropology are perceived as being very easy. English and literature requires a decent amount of work, but it's fairly easy to get good grads, and is also known for a very liberal faculty. Art History is also fairly popular and known as pretty good. I can't really speak about most of the other humanities.

Job placement is excellent, especially if you want to go into consulting or investment banking. The top firms who only recruit at 10-15 schools nationwide (Goldman Sachs, McKinsey, Boston Consulting Group, etc.) all come to Duke. Although it's competitive, if you are a decent student, you will get a good offer. Non-profits such as Teach for America are also incredibly popular. Governmental jobs and engineering companies also recruit heavily. Grad school placement, likewise, is excellent (especially med school - seems like 1/3 of the freshman class is pre-med).

The types of people that go to Duke are very diverse - although if I wanted to generalize, I'd say there are a fair number of preppy types, slightly liberal student body, students are into athletics, and it's more of a northern school despite being located in the south. Going Greek is fairly popular, but most people don't. I'm independent, but also have friends in the Greek system. It's easy to find other people with similar interests and, while Durham is not the greatest city, there's plenty enough to find to do. I think almost every person would be able to find their niche at Duke. The only person that I might say to look elsewhere is somebody who is really artsy/hippie type and wants to focus on that as a career. Duke isn't particularly known for the arts, and artsy type people don't come here as often (although Chapel Hill is known for its great music scene). The vast majority of people at Duke love it, and couldn't dream of being anywhere else. Speaking of racial integration as others have, I think it's pretty standard as everywhere else. I personally have tons of Asian friends (I'm white), although that is perhaps because Asians are disproportionately in my classes in engineering. I also have a fair numbers of hispanic friends, and only 1-2 African American friends. Not sure why this is, but I think that's pretty standard at Duke for some reason (also it could be because there are not as many African Americans in engineering). The black community is extremely close-knit and tight, and they have a couple events a year that everybody attends.

The girls are generally pretty attractive and there are a ridiculously small number of overweight individuals at Duke - people care about their health, their looks, and work out (some people work out too hard and care about their looks too much).

The campus is absolutely gorgeous and the weather is great. It has a small-school feel, wherein faculty care about the students and they are very approachable. Basketball is awesome and really unites the student body with a sense of pride.Honestly, Duke is a great place, and nearly every single person I talk with loves it. Academics are amazing, the people who attends are sociable, intelligent, and nice (and not quite as snobby as some Ivy-league types), and Durham is better than you'd expect (although it's definitely no New York City or even Ann Arbor). No regrets at all coming here. Chose it over Columbia and Penn.

3rd Year Male -- Class 2007

Education Quality: A+, Scholastic Success: B