Duke University NC 2006 (College Prowler Off the Record)

Introduction from the Author

Admitting I go to Duke is sometimes hard—, not because I’m ashamed of my school, but because I’m aware of the many naïve people who seem to have no idea what a great university it is. Many know it’s in the East, but it’s a rare person who can place it in North Carolina. Those who are familiar with Duke most often have been touched by its greatest emissary: basketball. “Duke? You don’t look tall enough to play basketball!” Yeah, that one wears on you after a while. These people should be informed that (at Duke) there is, in fact, life outside of March, and not every Duke student affiliates him or herself with the Cameron Crazies. I must admit, though, that I have come to love joining everyone in the dorm commons room for all the away games. A note to readers: prior to enrolling at Duke University, I never sat through a whole basketball game.

Sports fanatic or not, Duke can and will meet your needs in all aspects of the college experience. In a national college poll, Duke was ranked number four in overall academics, just behind Princeton, Harvard, and Yale, and tied with Stanford. So, it’s safe to say that Duke’s keeping some pretty good company academically. Even more so, the University is fun, laid-back, and deeply entwined in its Southern roots. I was raised in the South, and I’d been longing to go back for a long time. Now, don’t get me wrong—Duke is an internationally diverse campus. People come from all over the world, and this diversity is a cherished part of the Duke community. However, the weather, the accents, and the easy-going attitudes proclaim that, though this school will continue to grow in many ways, it has yet to lose its roots.

Most of this you must already know. If you’re researching colleges, you’ve probably already come across rankings, descriptions of campus, and admissions and financial aid statistics. This book may give you a lot more of the same, but that is not exactly its aim. You will find more information about Duke than I ever knew existed before writing this book. There are some vital questions about everyday life answered here, and more importantly, a lot of student opinions have been revealed. So, it’s best to take what you can find. If you’re looking to spend the next four years of your life here, then you have every right to know how “real” Duke students feel about their school. This book will give you this information, and then some.

Good luck in your college hunting—and when the admissions letters come in, you should celebrate—and then feel free to thank College Prowler for making your decision that much easier.

Margaret Campbell, Author
Duke University