Duke University Review 2015

Duke University is a private institution that was founded in 1838. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 6,626, its setting is suburban, and the campus size is 8,709 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Duke University's ranking in the 2016 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 8. Its tuition and fees are $49,341 (2015-16).

Durham, North Carolina, which surrounds Duke's campus, offers a variety of activities including shopping, dining and entertainment. Its "Bull City" nickname comes from the Blackwell Tobacco Company's Bull Durham Tobacco. Students at Duke are required to live on campus for their first three years, and freshmen live together on the East Campus. The Duke Blue Devils maintain a fierce rivalry with the University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill Tar Heels and are best known for their outstanding men's basketball program, one of the top five winningest college basketball programs in the country. Approximately 30 percent of the student body is affiliated with Greek life, which encompasses more than 30 fraternities and sororities.

Duke University is divided into 10 schools and colleges, many of which serve both undergraduate and graduate students. Its graduate programs include the highly ranked Fuqua School of Business, Pratt School of Engineering, School of Law, School of Medicine, Sanford School of Public Policy and School of Nursing. Duke also offers graduate programs through its well-respected Divinity School and Nicholas School of the Environment. Duke's most esteemed undergraduate scholarship, the Robertson Scholars Program, provides approximately 18 students from each class with a monetary reward and the opportunity to study for a semester at UNC-Chapel Hill. Notable alumni include Melinda Gates, co-founder of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; NBA player Carlos Boozer; and former U.S. Congressman and three-time presidential candidate Ron Paul.

School mission and unique qualities (as provided by the school):

Duke University offers a unique and compelling combination of academic achievement, engagement with society, and athletic accomplishment at the highest... Read More

General Information

School type	private, coed college
Year founded	1838
Religious affiliation	Methodist
Academic calendar	semester
Setting	suburban
2014 Endowment	$7,036,776,000

Applying

When applying to Duke University, it's important to note the application deadline is January 2, and the early decision deadline is November 1. Scores for either the ACT or SAT test are due January 2. The application fee at Duke University is $85. It is most selective, with an acceptance rate of 11.4 percent.

Selectivity	most selective
Fall 2014 acceptance rate	11.4%
Application deadline	January 2
SAT/ACT scores must be received by	January 2

Academic Life

The student-faculty ratio at Duke University is 7:1, and the school has 73 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students. The most popular majors at Duke University include: Economics, General; Biology/Biological Sciences, General; Public Policy Analysis, General; Psychology, General; and Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering. The average freshman retention rate, an indicator of student satisfaction, is 97 percent.

Class sizes
Classes with fewer than 20 students (73%) 73.0% 20-49 (20.9%) 20.9% 50 or more (6.1%) 6.1%
Student-faculty ratio	7:1
4-year graduation rate	87%
Five most popular majors for 2014 graduates
Economics, General 11% Biology/Biological Sciences, General 9% Public Policy Analysis, General 9% Psychology, General 7% Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering 6%

Student Life

Duke University has a total undergraduate enrollment of 6,626, with a gender distribution of 50.1 percent male students and 49.9 percent female students. At this school, 82 percent of the students live in college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing and 18 percent of students live off campus. Duke University is part of the NCAA I athletic conference.

Total enrollment	15,856
Student gender distribution
Male (50.1%) 50.1% Female (49.9%) 49.9%
Undergraduate men who are members of a fraternity
In fraternity (30%) 30.0% Independent (70%) 70.0%
Undergraduate women who are members of a sorority
In sorority (39%) 39.0% Independent (61%) 61.0%
Collegiate athletic association	NCAA I

Campus Services

Duke University offers a number of student services including women's center, placement service, health service, and health insurance. Duke University also offers campus safety and security services like 24-hour foot and vehicle patrols, late night transport/escort service, 24-hour emergency telephones, lighted pathways/sidewalks, student patrols, and controlled dormitory access (key, security card, etc). Alcohol is permitted for students of legal age at Duke University.

Students who have cars on campus	N/A
Health insurance offered	Yes

Cost and Financial Aid

At Duke University, 45.5 percent of full-time undergraduates receive some kind of need-based financial aid and the average need-based scholarship or grant award is $41,910.
Paying for college doesn't have to be difficult or devastating. Go to the Paying for College knowledge center to get advice on raising cash and reducing costs, or use the U.S. News 529 Finder to choose the best tax-advantaged college investment account for you.

Tuition and fees	$49,341 (2015-16)
Room and board	$12,886 (2015-16)
Financial aid statistics