Duke University Reviews

There are rumors that fly around...

There are rumors that fly around occasionally about certain groups or certain people that do hard drugs, but the use of marijuana is more common. This is definitely not a campus-wide activity, but there is also not a "typical" person that smokes pot.

Drinking is widespread. A lot of...

Drinking is widespread. A lot of people smoke marijuana, and people definitely experiment with other drugs. I would say it is more than an occasional thing. It is pretty behind-the-scenes though---you'd only come across it if you were looking for it.

Drugs are there if you want them....

Drugs are there if you want them. Besides alcohol, weed is the most prevalent, but you will never be peer-pressured to do a drug that you don't want to do. Coke is present, but it is underground. That is the only hard drug you hear about.

Drinking is popular, but drug use...

Drinking is popular, but drug use is not.

The guys are all dorks. They all...

The guys are all dorks. They all have an attitude of trying to be cool, partying, frat guys—even though they’re all really geeks at heart.

Dorms are in the process of being...

Dorms are in the process of being improved, but for the most part, they’re all nice—small, but nice. They range in size, and some are in very good locations on the Main Quad.

Weather here is seasonal but not...

Weather here is seasonal but not extreme. I personally like it very much. You get all four seasons, but the winter is tolerable to outside activities (not like Utah, New York, or Minnesota).

The weather from August to early...

The weather from August to early November is typical summer weather. After that, the weather becomes colder, with usually one snowfall. It starts to warm up during March.

The weather is moody in Durham....

The weather is moody in Durham. August, September, and April are sweltering. Every day in between is a toss-up between the most gorgeous and most miserable days ever.

It’s North Carolina weather, which...

It’s North Carolina weather, which means it’s impossible to predict. It will get down to freezing in the winter, but not much lower, and not for long. Just as soon as you think it’s warming up, it makes you get out the sweaters again. Still, it’s nice for most of the time we’re at school.

Most Duke students, me included,...

Most Duke students, me included, don’t tend to spend a lot of time in Durham. There’s a lot to do on campus, so I don’t know too much about what Durham is really like. I don’t recommend walking around off campus after dark because Durham has a fairly high crime rate, but there are things to do within driving distance. Off campus, there are lots of restaurants, the Streets at Southpoint Mall, and the Durham Bulls.

Security is good on campus, but a...

Security is good on campus, but a girl can’t walk around by herself at night because the East Campus area isn’t the best. There are lots of emergency phones and police around, though, so I never feel unsafe, as long as I’m not alone.

Security and safety could...

Security and safety could definitely be improved on campus. Many walkways and parking lots are poorly lit at night. The dorms feel pretty secure, though, as card access is required for entry.

Most of the facilities are really...

Most of the facilities are really nice. There are athletic centers on both East and West Campuses, and of course, Cameron Indoor Stadium is really neat (although not as big as it looks on TV). The Bryan Center is an adequate place to hang out, but I think the dorm commons rooms are a lot more convenient.

Duke facilities are excellent....

Duke facilities are excellent. They are convenient, up-to-date, clean, and provide a very enjoyable environment. I’d rank Duke facilities among the best in the country.

Athletic facilities are very good...

Athletic facilities are very good here. There’s Brodie Rec Center on East and Wilson on West. You can go to either—I haven’t been to Wilson yet, but Brodie has a lot of exercise machines, a nice weight room, and lots of kickboxing and aerobics classes. I’ve heard Wilson has even more of everything.

Athletic facilities are awesome...

Athletic facilities are awesome here, especially on West Campus. There are computers everywhere, including the two main libraries. I’m a big fan of the student center as well. I’d live there if they’d let me!

The facilities better be nice;...

The facilities better be nice; they reflect the amount of funding that goes into them. The facilities are hardly ever lacking. Our tuition money does not get wasted.

The dorms are pretty nice at Duke....

The dorms are pretty nice at Duke. You’re randomly assigned to a place for your freshman year. After that, there is a housing lottery in which upperclassmen get the first shot at choosing rooms. The air-conditioned rooms on East Campus are a bit smaller than the others, but beyond that trade-off, they’re much the same. There’s not really a dorm to avoid, even if you could.

For the most part, I really like...

For the most part, I really like the food in the dining hall. It definitely doesn’t compare to homecooked meals, but there seems to be a lot of variety. And there is a nice variety of other eateries on campus, such as the Loop, Alpine, and Armadillo Grill.

The food is pretty good, and I...

The food is pretty good, and I think the meal plans cover almost all the places on campus. The Great Hall is a cafeteria with pretty good food and lots of variety, and the Loop has good sandwiches and pizza. There is also a hot dog stand and a Breyer’s ice cream shop. Eating at the hospital is always a good choice, as it is cheap, and there are several places in the food court.

Most dorms on East are just about...

Most dorms on East are just about the same, aside from the air-conditioned Blackwell and Randolph, and the remotely isolated Southgate. Everything on West is air conditioned, except for Craven and Kilgo. I would advise new students to avoid Edens. It has the smallest rooms and the longest walk to the rest of campus. Double rooms are the most common, and they average around 200 sqare feet. If you’re looking for the biggest rooms, you can find them in the Keohane.

I have a couple of friends moving...

I have a couple of friends moving off campus next year, and they all seemed to find decent places without much trouble. I couldn’t really tell you, though, because I’ll be spending all four years on campus.

The teachers at Duke are typical...

The teachers at Duke are typical college professors.Most of them have a uniqueness that makes their class more interesting, and they really lecture, too. But they do their job, and they do it well. The academic programs are notoriously excellent, and if you graduate from your courses, you should be set on a nicely paved career path.

I would never go anywhere else...

I would never go anywhere else after having been at Duke this past year. Though I had my gripes about not getting into Harvard or MIT, I’m over that now. Duke offers a great educational opportunity, especially for undergraduates, and if you can take advantage of the Freshman Focus program, do so. It’s a great program for your first semester.