Its funny to read these reviews because it is really easy to tell where the reviewer is from.

1. Northerners say that Duke is pseudo-intellectual, probably because it's rated higher than half of the Ivys and traditional northern elitists feel they need to discredit it (God forbid a southern school should be rated ahead of some liberal-elitist dominated institution like Brown or Columbia!). Or they say its just about basketball, because they honestly don't know any better. Or they say Durham is terrible, in which case they are right.

2. Southerners say that Dukies are egotistical, because of course they think Duke is the center of the academic world, and therefore must be extremely snobbish. But Southerners don't know what the hell they are talking about. A LARGE portion of Dukies are Ivy-League rejects: ie, their egos have already been knocked down. It is hilarious still that many southerners think Duke is TOO academic, when amongst its peer schools Duke has a reputation for being a party-school! But since Duke is the "Harvard-of-the-South" they just assume it must be the end-all be-all education, and kids must work their butts off.


THE TRUTH: Duke is an amazing, unique university which Ivy-League elitists are afraid of, and which Southerners are intimidated by. Although it is subject to some incredibly undue scrutiny, Duke is one of the greatest universities in the world. Unlike the Ivys, Duke is a REAL SCHOOL, with REAL KIDS. Kids who will not only debate you into the ground, or invent an invisibility cloak; they will look in you the eye while they do it (unlike so many Ivy Leaguers, who may succeed intellectually but are socially inept.) Unlike Ivy League universities, Duke also as national appeal through its athletic program. While only the ultra-brilliant, ultra-elistist crowd gets to watch Harvard-Yale athletics (got forbid it should become entertainment for the drooling masses!), Duke has fans all over the country, from Joe-the-idiot to Joe-the-Nobel-prize-winner.

The only school that is comparable to Duke is Dartmouth, being that it lies on the fringes of the Ivy-League, has a reputation for normalcy and depends on the values of its school, rather than its location, to attract students.

My #3 choice for college.

Wow, for someone who doesn't want "the stain of this school's poor reputation on my resume," they sure seem awfully concerned about "incredible egotism." The academic departments have not diminished in value or substance at all, and Duke remains one of the world's top research institutions that still places emphasis on the education of individuals.

Furthermore, Duke's location in Durham only highlights the university's value. Students flock to schools like Georgetown and Columbia because their location, not because of their strengths as institutions (I know, I was one of them). Comparatively, students go to Duke because it is DUKE, not because of its glorified location. Does that not speak to the caliber of the university?

I avoided Duke for grad school because I was warned about its students' incredible egotism and its entrenched frat-boy culture. I'm glad I did now that its academic departments have imploded after the scandals of 2006. (Nineteen African-American professors alone left in 2006, and another dozen white academics.) Now that I'm an academic myself, I can tell you that Duke has a subpar reputation outside the South. Duke would like to be known as the Stanford of the South for its combination of academics and athletics, but the school has never managed to approach that level of success. Its students' egos will try to tell you otherwise (look no further than the comments below), but I would never want the stain of this school's poor reputation on my resume. Why two stars rather than one? Well, they do have a few good sports teams. But if you're not a jock, AVOID AT ALL COSTS.

Don't have 1500 on the SAT? Forget it. Actually, that's oversimplified. Last year Duke turned down 50% of its applicants with 1500+ and accepted only 47% of high school valedictorians. Academics rule here, which explains its position as one of the top 5 or 6 research universities in the country. Perhaps its greatest asset is its ability to prepare its undergrads for grad/professional school. A recent Capital Campaign raised over $2.3 billion, a large percentage of which will go for undergraduate financial aid. You get the complete university experience at Duke, and it's more than a one-sport school. Athletically, not only does Duke succeed with men's and women's basketball, but with most "non-revenue" sports as well. Football is the only real problem, and this, too, will change. Meanwhile, focus on the technique of your jump shot, and you'll be fine!

This is probably the best place in the South.

how can the below poster say duke only has basketball- id rather go to unc. duke has a lot more than that, its academically one of the best schools in the nation...unc is not

Excellent school with great name recognition and a reputation as one of the best of the non-Ivy schools. It's Ivy caliber though and even looks like an Ivy school architecturally. Doesnt offer a wide range of majors though and the women there are downright fugly. Really, I went there on a Friday afternoon in the Fall , great day....sun was out, weather warm and I didnt see any cute chicks. NONE!

I go there, great school! Great Men's Basketball Team! I am a Duke Basketball Cheerleader! The fans makes me keep going! Go Duke Blue Devils! Go J.J. Redick!!!

It is not Harvard, but it is one of the great univerities in the world.

very overrated, good basketball, but who cares, as a school over all it sucks, LOL AND IT IS IN DURHAM NORTH CAROLINA, TALK ABOUT DIRTY GHETTO HICKTOWNS!!!!!

There is no question that Duke University has excellent academics and a strong basketball tradition. Moreover, the campus is historical and attractive. However, choosing to attend Duke does have some drawbacks. First, the school is located in Durham, North Carolina, which has one of the worst crime rates in the state. Second, the enrollment has a low ratio of in-state students, and I think a university should reflect the location of the school (though North Carolina does have some excellent state universities that serve this function). Third, there is little to do in Durham for social activities so students must typically travel to Raleigh or usually Chapel Hill for a social life (though I understand that things have improved recently). Fourth, Duke invests little in its football program, which makes it a one sport school. Fifth, the egos of the student body are practically unbearable. Finally, Duke remains a poor financial investment for North Carolina citizens as compared to the state supported institutions (eg North Carolina and N.C. State) which have much lower tuition costs for in-state students.

The South is a backwater place. Duke is just another mediocre college in Hicksville, WhoGivesADamn.

Overpriced, overrated. Only a basketball factory.

Icon to Big Tobacco, should have been banned along with cigarettes.

Duke is a good time. Contrary to the nimrod opinions put forth by several posters, not all Duke students study endlessly. Everyone here is concerned about their grades, but most don't really bare down until midterms/exams/papers are coming up. In between, fun stuff can be found quite easily. Durham is s slight negative but it isn't nearly as bad as its image. All in all, I've had a great 3 years here so far...

I will be a freshman at Duke this fall. Since I obviously can't give you my opinion on what it's like at Duke since I haven't started yet, I'll tell you about my experience in choosing a college. I applied to Harvard, Yale, University of Texas, and the University of Southern Cal in addition to Duke. I visited every school but Southern Cal, and found the admissions officers generally disinterested and the faculty unengagable. Duke, on the other hand, went out of its way to get me to come. They sent me free tshirts, professors called me, the admissions committee wrote personal notes, and the school even paid to fly me up to visit. Every prof was eager to meet with me in person, and when one of the profs bought supper for one of her classes while I was there, she invited me to attend. The classes I sat in on were absolutely amazing, and I found myself wanting to take notes even though I wasn't a member of the class! I have found Duke to be an amazing school that is still of the same caliber of the Ivies, but quite a bit more personal.

what a true college should be

One of the most prestigious and challenging schools in the world. Sure the students might be elitist snobs, but give them a break, at least you had a social life in college. Life is all about tradeoffs.

Saw it briefly. . .man, I wish I went here.

I wouldn't mind having a degree from that place, only because I know people would respect it. I'm sure, however, that Duke is just like any other school and that you get out of it what you put in. As far as the kids being snobs: Well, I don't like the pause in conversation they all leave after telling you they're going there. It's like they're waiting for loud applause and a pat on the back. Nope, it's just a school. I personally won't go there because I don't want to watch my parents eat pinto beans for four years straight just to send me there. Also, I enjoy life just a little too much to spend such a great portion of it studying. I know someone that goes there and spends four hours a day outside of class studying. I want a good education, but I also don't want to remember the prime years of my life as studying for things that didn't help/interest me.

I can't imagine a better place to go to college. It's gorgeous, challenging, and a very fun place to be.

Duke? Seriously, give me a break...it's in the middle of nowhere and honestly-tell me something about the school that doesn't in any way pertain to basketball...

Only has basketball. I would rather go to UNC-Chapel Hill.

first, people at duke are not elitist. most of the snobby kids came in that way and you can't expect the school to work miracles. second, are you saying, then, that students at harvard, princeton, yale, etc, are not snobbish and elitist? if so, you really ought to look at the schools again. I know quite a few ivy leaguers and the account for a good number of the pompous jerks in the world. but I won't dismiss their entire institution as such.

Highly overrated

I go to Duke and I can honestly say it has the most amazing balance of great curriculum, brilliant professors and students, a split liberal-conservative campus (which is often difficult to find these days), and an unbelievable basketball team and school spirit as well.

The Duke student body is comprised of some of the brightest people in the world. We are not arrogant elitists. We are simply confident in our abilities. Duke pushes its students academically in order to prepare them for leadership roles.

This is a school that masterfully coalesces a strong social atmosphere with great academics.

It is a great university with very good centers of excellence. If you are gearing towards a career in law, medicine, engineering and business you are looking at the right place. It is literally rich in financial resources, so if it does not have it (a particular professor, equipment, etc.) it will get it. It also helps that it has the best college basketball program in the world.

Named after a cigarette company, this university is pseudo-intellectualism meets pseudo-elitism.

Duke is the greatest college in education and sports!

This is a great school, with great academics and great athletics, and I don't think that they're arrogant one bit. To each his own!

Great atomsphere and surrondings. Top quality school academically

This is a fine academic institution but the arrogance of the students and teachers results in a very unhealthy environment and a negative perception outside the "hallowed halls" where they have to "get along with others." CYA!

Let's be honest, if you think college should value academics, Duke is a 5 star school.

Two words: Christian Laettner

Top academics, great weather, a hoops team to root for and a lot of fun people. Rep suffers from being the school that many kids at other schools wanted to attend.

If I want to send my children somewhere where they will think they are superior to everyone else I will think about Duke.

Very tough, no matter what program you are in. The students there are TERRIFIC and overall IMPRESSIVE!!!