Campus visit

[duke79]

I'm bringing my daughter who is a junior in high school down to Duke in late April (while classes are still in session) to visit the school. She'll be applying to colleges next year and is very interested (at this time) in attending Duke. We're staying at the Washington Duke Inn Sunday night and spending Monday touring the Duke campus and then leaving Tuesday morning to drive south to visit some other schools. It's been a long time since I've been to Duke campus, and I'd like for her to get a feel of campus life. I thought we might try to eat on campus Sunday night. What places to eat on campus would people recommend? I thought we might also try to either eat in Durham Monday night or go to Chapel Hill. Anyone have suggestions for either place? Also, I know the campus has changed considerably since I went there and I wonder what would be good things to see and do on the campus. We are taking one of the organized Admissions Office tours on Monday morning but I assume you can see only so much in a 90 minute tour. Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

[cspan37421]

Since all freshmen live on East, you might want to take her to Satisfaction for pizza or anything else on their menu - festive, student-friendly atmosphere. A more upscale place that is quite good is Metro 8 Argentinian chophouse, also just off East. Of course, it's not strictly on-campus. For on-campus, well, I hear very good things about the Marketplace in the East Campus Union building. I really don't know the on-campus food landscape anymore though.

[Mike Corey]

Have a wonderful time with your daugher on your campus trip! I'm sure you will both have a memorable time.

A recommendation: Get lunch to go from the Loop, an an-campus eatery, and then walk it over to either the quad or to the Duke Gardens and eat out there. I suggest that if only because it's what I'd like to do if I were visiting soon.

Other things to do:

(1) Get a tour of the libraries, old and new. They are wonderful.
(2) Of course visit the Chapel, the athletic facilities (she'll want to see the rec center, and you'll both perhaps want to see Cameron), and then perhaps the public policy school and/or the engineering "campus" as well.
(3) Do walk through the Gardens at some point.

If your daughter wants to connect to a student or two, let me know.

[duke79]

Thanks for your suggestions. I know there is a lot to see on the Duke campus, especially if we are there for only one day. My daughter is possibly interested in being a Physics major, so I'd like to show her the Physics building (we may try to attend a class) and the rest of the science complex. Thanks for your suggestions also on where to eat. I'll give those places a try.

[DST Fan]

If you are looking for a place for breakfast or brunch one of the days, you might try Elmo's on 9th Street. It is a couple of blocks from East Campus and is popular with students.

[BD80]

In the last millennium, we used to host visiting high school seniors in our dorm (Mirecourt was a co-ed house back in the 70s). Gives them a chance to really see college life; not sure if admissions still arranges that kind of thing.

[Cell-R]

In the last millennium, we used to host visiting high school seniors in our dorm (Mirecourt was a co-ed house back in the 70s). Gives them a chance to really see college life; not sure if admissions still arranges that kind of thing.

We still do this. In fact, there were some "PFrosh" (Pre-Freshmen) here this weekend. I bet the admissions office could set that up for the OP.

The food options on campus are pretty limited at the moment due to the massive construction and removal of Chick-fil A, Faculty Commons, Alpine Bagel, Subway, Great Hall, and Armadillo Grill. However, The Loop (in the Bryan Center, now) is always a good choice. The Marketplace could be a cool place to eat for a potential student, but I would be hesitant to give up a chance to eat at one of the incredible Durham restaurants surrounding campus. If she ends up going to Duke, she will likely be sick of The Marketplace after a couple of months.

Off campus: upscale restaurants Watts Grocery and Nana's are wonderful. College-kid restaurants Cosmic Cantina, Elmo's and (surprisingly good) International Delights are available on 9th street. Duke students also frequent Brightleaf Square, where you can find Satisfaction's (mentioned previously), The Federal (great "specials" menu), Mount Fuji and a few others. I would also strongly suggest you eat lunch at Foster's Market one day.

As a soon-to-graduate senior, I'm realizing the huge mistake I made in not taking advantage of Durham's broad selection of excellent food.

[duke79]

We still do this. In fact, there were some "PFrosh" (Pre-Freshmen) here this weekend. I bet the admissions office could set that up for the OP.

The food options on campus are pretty limited at the moment due to the massive construction and removal of Chick-fil A, Faculty Commons, Alpine Bagel, Subway, Great Hall, and Armadillo Grill. However, The Loop (in the Bryan Center, now) is always a good choice. The Marketplace could be a cool place to eat for a potential student, but I would be hesitant to give up a chance to eat at one of the incredible Durham restaurants surrounding campus. If she ends up going to Duke, she will likely be sick of The Marketplace after a couple of months.

Off campus: upscale restaurants Watts Grocery and Nana's are wonderful. College-kid restaurants Cosmic Cantina, Elmo's and (surprisingly good) International Delights are available on 9th street. Duke students also frequent Brightleaf Square, where you can find Satisfaction's (mentioned previously), The Federal (great "specials" menu), Mount Fuji and a few others. I would also strongly suggest you eat lunch at Foster's Market one day.

As a soon-to-graduate senior, I'm realizing the huge mistake I made in not taking advantage of Durham's broad selection of excellent food.

Thanks for the suggestions! I'm getting excited about bringing her down to Duke for her first visit.

[Cell-R]

Thanks for the suggestions! I'm getting excited about bringing her down to Duke for her first visit.

No problem! Feel free to send me a message if you have anymore questions. Regretfully, I am not one for math or physics (global health and science here), but I hear that a new physics building is planned for the next few years.

[AncientPsychicT]

I am a physics major! If you or your daughter, duke79, have any questions about the physics program here, you can just ask me. I'll do my best to answer.

but I hear that a new physics building is planned for the next few years.

I sure hope so. I've heard rumors to that effect as well, but nothing definitive. But I can speak for everyone in both the physics and math departments when I say that a new building is both much desired and long overdue. I think the dusky air is starting to give me respiratory problems.

[Dev11]

I sure hope so. I've heard rumors to that effect as well, but nothing definitive. But I can speak for everyone in both the physics and math departments when I say that a new building is both much desired and long overdue. I think the dusky air is starting to give me respiratory problems.

Not to mention that the floor numbering system is ridiculously confusing

[diablesseblu]

We still do this. In fact, there were some "PFrosh" (Pre-Freshmen) here this weekend. I bet the admissions office could set that up for the OP.

The food options on campus are pretty limited at the moment due to the massive construction and removal of Chick-fil A, Faculty Commons, Alpine Bagel, Subway, Great Hall, and Armadillo Grill. However, The Loop (in the Bryan Center, now) is always a good choice. The Marketplace could be a cool place to eat for a potential student, but I would be hesitant to give up a chance to eat at one of the incredible Durham restaurants surrounding campus. If she ends up going to Duke, she will likely be sick of The Marketplace after a couple of months.

Off campus: upscale restaurants Watts Grocery and Nana's are wonderful. College-kid restaurants Cosmic Cantina, Elmo's and (surprisingly good) International Delights are available on 9th street. Duke students also frequent Brightleaf Square, where you can find Satisfaction's (mentioned previously), The Federal (great "specials" menu), Mount Fuji and a few others. I would also strongly suggest you eat lunch at Foster's Market one day.

As a soon-to-graduate senior, I'm realizing the huge mistake I made in not taking advantage of Durham's broad selection of excellent food.

My goodness, time flies. I vividly remember your excitement and enthusiasm when you were admitted. Hard to believe you're graduating! Hope it's been a great ride.

[Native]

Current junior here! Born and raised in the Durham area, practically grew up on campus.

If you or your daughter have any questions, I'd be happy to help alongside Cell-R and AncientPsychicT.

[Native]

The food options on campus are pretty limited at the moment due to the massive construction and removal of Chick-fil A, Faculty Commons, Alpine Bagel, Subway, Great Hall, and Armadillo Grill.

Ah, Alpine Bagel. We hardly knew ye.

And I'm a current junior at Duke at the moment. If you want a second or third opinion, feel free to shoot any questions my way! (Not that I begrudge Cell-R or AncientPsychicT's knowledge of Duke. )

[Wander]

Hold up. Is removal of Alpine Bagels temporary? Getting rid of Armadillo and, much worse, Pauly Dogs is enough to make me cry.

[Native]

Hold up. Is removal of Alpine Bagels temporary? Getting rid of Armadillo and, much worse, Pauly Dogs is enough to make me cry.

First off: sorry for the double post above! If a mod could remove the first one, that'd be swell.

Second, I'm not sure, and *sob* I won't be around to see the re-opening of the West Union. My guess is no.

Excuse me while I go cry in a corner.

[duke79]

Thanks everybody (again) for all of your input and suggestions on where to eat and what to see on the Duke campus. It is very helpful to me. I hope the weather is nice (I want her to see Duke under the best conditions). I may also have her try to attend one of the introductory Physics courses. There is both Introduction to Astronomy (Physics 130, taught by Mark Kruse) and Introduction to Astrophysics (Physics 154, taught by Chris Walter) that are offered on Monday, April 21. If I'm reading the academic calendar right, I don't believe finals will have begun by that date. As I said before, I'm getting excited to bring her down to Durham where I spent some of the best years of my life and where I hope she might want to go to college, if she can get in.

[tecumseh]

Unless she is a really unusually qualified person I would tread carefully, it is very, very hard to get into Duke and college application process is enough of a stress without feeling that you disappointed Dad. But IF you daughter has a special talent or ability, number one goal is meet the coach, or professor in that field. Never of course say things like "I might not want to swim in college". Number two goal is meet the person in charge of reading your daughter's application and try to make some sort of connection with them. The college admissions process is very uneven and in a large part this is because the readers bring their own preferences and prejudices to the table. Number three is meet the alumni person in charge admissions, there is a particular person who is charge of that and can help you a bit. Number four is follow up, if you say meet the swim coach and then do a really good time at sectionals make sure you let the swim coach know.

Best of luck to your daughter and realize it is a crap shoot, my son did not get into Duke, not even wait listed and I contribute some every year but got into his first choice Yale where we have no connections and no one from his high school has gone in like 30 years. (Actually I think and the director of admissions sort of admitted that any of the other readers would have admitted him but his application was only given a cursory review by the reader assigned to our area).

[duke79]

Follow-Up: Just got back from my college visit trip to Duke with my 17-year old daughter who is a junior in high school. We also visited Davidson and Emory on this trip. Bad and depressing news: She did NOT love Duke. I did my best to make this an enjoyable trip for her. We stayed at the Washington-Duke Inn for the two nights that we were in Durham. First time I have stayed there. Nice hotel – quite luxurious although I thought somewhat pretentious and ersatz. My daughter liked it, though, and kept saying how “prestigious” it seemed to her (which she also kept saying about Duke itself). For our Easter dinner on Sunday night, I took her to Chapel Hill to the Top of the Hill restaurant that was recommended to us by someone at the Washington-Duke Inn. Nice place with decent food and a good view of downtown CH from the rooftop deck. We spent some time walking around town after dinner. I thought it would be good for her to see Chapel Hill, if she had any interest in going to Duke.

The next morning we went to the information session at the Admissions Office at Duke. I thought the admissions officer (whose name I forget) gave a very good description of life at Duke and why prospective students and their parents should be interested in attending Duke (without being too partisan or obnoxious). It was a beautiful day to be at Duke – low 70’s and despite a long and cold winter in Durham, most of the flowers and bushes on campus were in bloom. We then took the campus tour that was led by a very funny and entertaining student tour guide. The tour lasted about 90 minutes. It was a good, although somewhat brief tour of West Campus. I assume for time reasons, they do not include a tour of East Campus which seemed a little odd to me. Also, my daughter and some of the others on our tour were disappointed that the tour guide said he could not show us a dorm room (for privacy reasons?). I know at least my daughter was interested in seeing the living arrangements. After the tour, I took my daughter to lunch at the Bryan Center. After lunch, I had arranged with a professor in the Physics Department for her to attend an Introduction to Astronomy class. She is possibly interested in being an Astrophysics major in college. She liked the class, although I have to admit the Physics building is quite run-down, with a definite 1970’s feel to it. Even my daughter commented on the crappy classroom. We also spoke to the professor afterwards and my daughter was somewhat disappointed to find out Duke does not really offer an Astrophysics or Astronomy major.

That night, we went out to dinner in Durham, at Brightleaf Square, that was not around when I attended Duke. We ate at an Italien restaurant there that we both thought was quite good. I then drove her around East Campus. I have to admit it seems a little run-down to me and could probably use a major overhaul.

My daughter did not love Duke because she was intimidated by the physical size of the school. I don’t think she was expecting it to be so big and she didn’t really like the East/West Campus separation. I tried to explain to her that it didn’t really seem that big to me when I attended the school but she just did not get a good feel for the size of the school. Admittedly, we live in a small, rural town and she attends a rinky dink high school. She was also disappointed to find out that there is not an Astrophysics major offered at Duke. I may still be able to change her mind but, at this point, it would definitely not be her first choice. May be a long shot to get in, anyways.

We also visited Davidson on this trip. Nice campus in a very pretty small NC town. My daughter liked the school but I think it is really too small for her. We also saw Emory. Beautiful campus and a bigger school. I have to say I think Duke should hire whomever is in charge on the grounds at Emory. Literally, there was not a speck of dirt out of place on the campus and the grounds and landscaping were meticulous. My daughter liked it too.

We’re just beginning the college search process. We need to look at some other schools that have strong Astrophysics programs. Maybe a Princeton (probably a long shot to get in) or maybe a Williams College.

(sorry for the length of this post)

[Wander]

After lunch, I had arranged with a professor in the Physics Department for her to attend an Introduction to Astronomy class. She is possibly interested in being an Astrophysics major in college. She liked the class, although I have to admit the Physics building is quite run-down, with a definite 1970’s feel to it. Even my daughter commented on the crappy classroom. We also spoke to the professor afterwards and my daughter was somewhat disappointed to find out Duke does not really offer an Astrophysics or Astronomy major.

Depends on what she wants to do after, but if you think a masters or PhD program is in her future, grad schools in these kinds of sciences don't look down on being a physics major, as opposed to the more specific astrophysics or geology or atmospheric sciences or whatever - in fact, I know a lot of scientists who consider it a benefit and a strength on an application. That being said, I was also a bit disappointed that there weren't many astronomy-type classes to take during my time at Duke, so I don't really blame her for that (Duke students can take some at UNC though).