Duke University Reviews

"I absolutely loved everything about my time at Duke--the professors are often the top in their field, the curriculum has a wide array of different classes, and the alumni network is incredible."

"Overall a very good school. It has a friendly atmosphere. However, many of the professors lack real world professional experience. This makes the classes not as practical as they could be."

"Fuqua has been an incredible experience thus far. The students, staff, faculty, and alumni embody the collaborative values of Team Fuqua, which is exuded to anyone that interacts with them outside of the program. In addition, the academic rigors of the program combined with the C-Lead teams have increased the breadth and perspective of thought in our education."

"The Fuqua School has been an incredible, collaborative experience. The admissions staff, staff, faculty, alumni, and students have been incredibly helpful in negotiating my career switch. The Fuqua school is an ideal fit for those looking for an awesome team based mentality paired with rigorous academic instruction."

"Duke University School of Medicine has been a wonderful place to learn and grow as a future physician. The facilities and faculty are world-class, and the financial aid at this program is extremely generous to all who need it. The culture on campus is extremely inclusive and the focus on interdisciplinary programs has been growing year after year. If you are interested in innovation of any kind, Duke University is the place to be."

"Duke has been amazing so far. We have had the opportunity to engage in both rigorous academic pursuits as well as the community which surrounds Duke. The professors are extremely knowledgeable, if not experts, in their fields of study, and the student population is as diverse as any training minister could ask for."

"Equipped with valuable resources that will help reach your goals."

"The university has a vast array of opportunities, but you have to know where to find them. I am hoping with the advent of social media, etc. the communication of all the different educational activities, scholarships, networking opportunities has improved. I would still recommend this school, but I will say it needs to diversify the student body as well as the faculty."

"Duke is a wonderful place to learn from the best, among the best. If you really take advantage of the opportunities it gives you, it's a fantastic investment in your future. If you're a loner and don't make connections, then it's not the place for you."

"Duke University is an excellent place to conduct graduate studies as long as you identify a great mentor. Duke has many excellent PIs to do your training under. Some departments are rather decentralized and that can be a bit socially isolating. Durham is a fine town, but it is not a large city and a lot of city life is missing. Durham is largely not walkable and bicycling is hit or miss; crime, lack of street lamps, and lack of sidewalks is a large deterrent from walking. Public transportation is okay, but nothing like an alternative commute friendly city has to offer. Overall though graduate school is about your thesis work and Duke has a lot of great support for that."

"Duke's Sanford School really challenges students and pushes them to do their best. Faculty are more than willing and available to help students throughout not just their studies but the entire process of completing a graduate degree. Many professors have urged students, even if they are not struggling, to come and visit them during office hours. Faculty genuinely want to get to know each of their students on a personal level. Unfortunately, those students who are recently (within the past 5 months) who completed an undergraduate degree are at a severe disadvantage in obtaining financial aid from Duke. However, this greatly depends on where they completed their undergraduate degree."

"The pros are that the stipend is one of the best in the country and the health insurance is very good. The cost of living is relatively low and it's a fun place to live for young adults. The cons are that many students are very intense/competitive and come from very affluent families so they tend to have a certain perspective on things."

"The pros are that the program is strongly academic while maintaining a ministerial focus. Though difficult, it marries in the practical aspects of what is being learned for post-graduation implementation. Cons are that is expensive, and financial aid favors particular denominational affiliations over others."

"Great financial aid but faculty are not focused on fostering graduate student growth. Some faculty are openly hostile toward graduate students. Department-wide organization is poorly handled and students have had difficulty scheduling PhD defenses. There is very little diversity within the department and course offerings - though this is symptomatic of the field in general."

"This is a very good program. Faculty are all very nice and they are always helpful. Depending on whether you want to work or to get a phd, they can offer you very suggestive advice. But since durham is a very small city,so the transportation is not that good compared with big cities."

"The biostatistics program at Duke is very young but becoming very competitive. The faculty is very concerned with the students success, which is my favorite part of the program. Tuition is high, but partial financial aid is offered. The high cost is worth the education, as the pay off will be high after graduation."

"Great program, excellent faculty, but some classes are large."

"Pros: incredibly devoted professors (in my subdiscipline) modeling integrity in their own work and warm generous interest in their students. Cons: attempted interdisciplinary of literature and theology could be broader, more inquisitive, and better balanced between the two disciplines."

"Econ MA is very demanding and serves as a good transit for those who want to pursue doctoral degree."

"The only downside about Duke Graduate school is that the career center is the worst I have ever seen. This needs to be addressed by Duke ASAP."