bwzup kiddios? soooo this thread is for those who are maybe/most likely/definitely going to Duke in the fall.

These are some of my questions:
are we required to get the dell laptop..i am seriously considering buying an iBook or PowerBook..apple is the wave of the past..and future...when i went to the duke computing website (http://www.dukestores.duke.edu/compstore/computer_hardware.html)though, they have links for IBM, Dell, Apple, and then Duke University Health System which describes a Dell Latitude notebook as the only laptop available...thoughts anyone??

also housing..to roommate or not to roomate??

anyone applying for the primary care program??

post your questions/answers/ideas in this thread... :thumbup:

~L

also waiting to hear on financial aid..i talked to them on thursday and they said things should be mailed out in a few weeks..like end of march/early may..which is when most schools, i think, start assigning financial aid $$...i hope i get a good package ..man i hate loans. :(

also waiting to hear on financial aid..i talked to them on thursday and they said things should be mailed out in a few weeks..like end of march/early may..which is when most schools, i think, start assigning financial aid $$...i hope i get a good package ..man i hate loans. :(

I was stuyding last night when I received an e-mail from my roommate that I had a financial aid letter from Duke. I raced home to find out that it was a routine reminder to complete the FAFSA and such nonsense. I was pissed! Here I was hoping it was "the" financial aid letter

lol..true true..i got a letter from another school telling me to fill out a FAFSA correction...the thing i had to correct was to enter a "0" for net investment worth...i had left it blank assuming blank =0, but i guess not...soo frustrating all this is...

These are some of my questions:
are we required to get the dell laptop..

I haven't heard a definitive answer as to whether or not the laptop program will continue this year. For my class, '06, it was optional, then for '07 it was required, but since then one of the main organizers of the program has been seriously ill. So last I heard, the fate of the program was uncertain. I'm actually not sure what ended up happening with the class of '08...I thought they were once again able to get outside laptops if they wanted, but I'm not sure. In my class, that meant some people just used their computers from college, and it worked out fine (which means they saved some major $$$).

People in my class who got the Duke Dell laptops have actually had lots of trouble with them. But as a result of complaining, the '07 crew got WAY better laptops...significantly upgraded, seemingly less prone to breaking down, etc. One of the advantages of having everyone get the same computer is standardization...it's easy for them to ensure compatibility with the various software packages you'll use as a first year, and also with things like streaming video and the course webpages. Plus, you get really great tech support with the package, and if your laptop breaks they give you a loaner until they can get yours fixed, so you'll never be without a computer. Although, everyone looked kinda stupid walking around with the same exact backpacks (they were part of the package)

I know the price has seem rather inflated in the past, but when you consider that it includes all the software, the tech support and loaner program, AND it's included in the financial aid package, it's really not so bad.

About getting an Apple...I don't know if you'd be able to even run some of the software, like the cross sectional anatomy program, or the histology CD. As things have changed curriculum-wise though, it's probably best to get some info from a current first year. DukeDoc08, are you here somewhere? Can you give us some updates on the laptop issue, and what software, etc. you've been using this year?

Although, everyone looked kinda stupid walking around with the same exact backpacks (they were part of the package)

I know the price has seem rather inflated in the past, but when you consider that it includes all the software, the tech support and loaner program, AND it's included in the financial aid package, it's really not so bad.

About getting an Apple...I don't know if you'd be able to even run some of the software, like the cross sectional anatomy program, or the histology CD. As things have changed curriculum-wise though, it's probably best to get some info from a current first year. DukeDoc08, are you here somewhere? Can you give us some updates on the laptop issue, and what software, etc. you've been using this year?

hmm..but i want an apple sooooooooooooooooo bad...lol..i remember seeing those backpacks like dang..this is strange..then i figured out that they all had the same computer and i was like..oh okay..cool.. the laptops seemed awesome, but dell doesn't have a good track record. they break down and their value depreciates as soon as you buy them.. at least apples hold their value a little bit better..

~L

bump from the 4th page kids!

bump

There seems to be a lot of resistance towards leaving the Countdown page. Either that or people are just getting excited for Harvard, Yale, Penn, etc.

tru true...sad though..on the other 'official' entering class pages, folks seem more interested, enthused, etc.. and people actually visit the pages...hope this is not indicative of the spirit of the incoming class.

Hey future Blue Devils,

Just wondering who is planning to attend the second look weekend in April. I just registered, so I hope to see you there.

each of you are my god. congrats and gl with the nanaline schollie thing.

Hi, I am enthusiastic LRmed! I was just off being enthusiastic all over town last weekend rather than on my computer!

I am going to second look and I am pretty sure I will be at Duke next year. YES!

ditto ditto ditto...see ya soon!!!

I have not registered yet, but I will most likely be there. Anyone else?

I want to congratulate everyone who was accepted (also to those who are waitlisted and even to those who interviewed)!!!! From what I have heard, this has been one of the best or the best applicant pools to Duke. The numbers are going to be sky high and the people should be unbelievable. We were talking the other day about how if we had applied this year a lot of us would not have gotten in!!!
Have fun at 2nd look! Let me know if you have any questions about the new and improved curriculum...we are working out all of the bugs for you guys!!
Enjoy the rest of the year and summer....you will be hitting the ground running as soon as you show up to Duke!!
Also, I want to put a MAJOR plug in for the retreat (campout) thing...it is A LOT of fun and you make a lot of friends right off the bat and have people to sit with during orientation!

registered yesterday for second look..will most definitely be there..can't wait to see your smiley sunny faces :D

I registered following the link for the email. Of course, it registered me for the second look for 2002 :confused: Did that happen to anyone else? :laugh:

hey nubian..

it happened to me too.. i'm assuming it happens to everyone..they must have some kind of glitch or sthn...

bump!!!

I haven't heard back from Duke post interview yet...so I don't know if I've been waitlisted or rejected.

It's kinda of funny, though :laugh: b/c I really don't care anymore. :)

Has anyone contacted the Office of Financial Aid or received any mail from them regarding a financial aid package? I have heard nothing, but I guess it would help to give them a call. :thumbup:

Has anyone contacted the Office of Financial Aid or received any mail from them regarding a financial aid package? I have heard nothing, but I guess it would help to give them a call. :thumbup:
There was some sort of small envelope they sent... no packages yet, as far as I know.

i called a few weeks ago to ask a question they said we should start hearing about packages around the 1st week in april.

i called a few weeks ago to ask a question they said we should start hearing about packages around the 1st week in april.

Maybe during second look they'll draw someone's name out of a hat for a full ride ;). That'd be nice wouldn't it?

sure would..maybe i should call ahead and put a few extra entries in the hat...lol..come on duke, show me the $$

to those going to second look-

Are you staying with a student host?
If so, how many nights are you staying with (or are we welcome to stay with) the student host?

thanks much :D

trying to stay with a student host for thurs, fri, and sat. nights,,but how do we know who our host is??

~L

LR
I have no idea ! Maybe they will contact us with that info?

I want to stay with a host for at least 2 nights. I am going down there thursday through sunday nights to really get a good feel for the place. Although I am pretty sure that I am headed there!

anyone excited about duke? i hope 2nd look week is amazing b/c i was so impressed at baylor...the students were the absolute best!!! come on duke!! :)

Hey all,

Very excited about Duke. I received a call from a current student "cold." It was pretty nice. I'm assuming everyone received such a call. She stayed on the phone to answer all of my questions about the school. I'm actually mostly excited because I interviewed regionally. The agenda for the place the weekend seems pretty cool....Hey maybe Duke and UNC will make the final four..it'll be that Saturday. That would be fantastic!! Well, I look forward to seeing the bulk of you down in a couple of weeks. Still deciding amongst a few schools, but Duke seems pretty cool...Anyone deciding between Duke and HMS..give a shout out...trying to wrap my head around this whole thing.

Thanks.

CONGRATS on your acceptances to Duke everybody! As for second lookers (you did the right thing by coming down!!), your student housing assignments are currently in the "final" stages of being decided...expect an email in the next couple of days!

Hope to see you soon!


LR
I have no idea ! Maybe they will contact us with that info?

I want to stay with a host for at least 2 nights. I am going down there thursday through sunday nights to really get a good feel for the place. Although I am pretty sure that I am headed there!

Bumping to see who's going to Second Look next weekend. I'm going, but i'm arriving Friday night so I won't get introduced to anyone :( C'mon who's gonna be there and be my buddy at the party?

Hey Nubian,

I'll be around to talk to and hopefully make the transition easier...Are you arriving in time for the dinner? Also, I'm sure the people there will go out of their way to make you feel at home....

Peace

Bumping to see who's going to Second Look next weekend. I'm going, but i'm arriving Friday night so I won't get introduced to anyone :( C'mon who's gonna be there and be my buddy at the party?

I am going! I am also quite a friendly girl, so I will be sure to come chat with you when you get in...

Thanks, aeneid! I wish I could make it in time for the dinner because I was looking forward to it the most. But at this rate I'll just be making the tail end of it. Oh well, i'm still looking forward to next weekend :D

I am going! I am also quite a friendly girl, so I will be sure to come chat with you when you get in...
Looking forward to it ;)

mos' def' looking forward to meeting everyone..the party on friday is supposed to be pretty cool.. i am arriving on thursday night...anyone hear anything about a host yet?

so this is what is posted on the dukemed account log-in site...

"We will make every effort to contact recipients of mert-based awards before Second Look Weekend. There is no guarantee that the admissions committee will have completed its evaluations for merit based funding by Second Look but this is our goal. Please do not telephone the admissions office OR the financial aid office staff. They will not have any information to give you regarding MERIT SCHOLARSHIPS until recipients have been selected by the Executive Committee."

whenever, if ever, anyone hears anything about a scholarship, even if you get one and don't want to say you did and so you make up a story about how a friend got it...please post...this financial aid thing is going to be a MAJOR role player in determining where i go to school,.... ;)

so this is what is posted on the dukemed account log-in site...

"We will make every effort to contact recipients of mert-based awards before Second Look Weekend. There is no guarantee that the admissions committee will have completed its evaluations for merit based funding by Second Look but this is our goal. Please do not telephone the admissions office OR the financial aid office staff. They will not have any information to give you regarding MERIT SCHOLARSHIPS until recipients have been selected by the Executive Committee."

whenever, if ever, anyone hears anything about a scholarship, even if you get one and don't want to say you did and so you make up a story about how a friend got it...please post...this financial aid thing is going to be a MAJOR role player in determining where i go to school,.... ;)

are there only 4 merit-based awards (Nanaline Duke SCH) for non-URMs?

hey duke people,

i'm also excited about 2nd look!!! it's gonna be fun to meet all of you and see the med school in a more relaxed atmosphere. i'm kinda shy at first, so don't expect me to start any conversations ;) j/k. here's to hoping there will be a duke-unc national semi-final bb game for us to watch on saturday evening. go duke!!!

bumpety bump...it's officially duke or baylor for me.. got my rejection from Harvard finally this morning via email, since the US postal service lost my snail mail one..but hey...i am soooooooooo excited for 2nd look and can't wait to meet everyone.. :D :D :D

bump bump

70-66, less than 2 min.

c'mon, dukies!

(everyone hates me now for shifting allegiance to another ACC school)

So I am not going to Duke.... but you lost tonight! GO BIG TEN!! :D

So I am not going to Duke.... but you lost tonight! GO BIG TEN!! :D

How cruel. How terribly unpleasant. How hideously dirty. How unbecomingly shameful. How pathetically awful. How simply mean. You don't deserve to go to Duke, anyway. And don't you be talking bad about my mama!

How cruel. How terribly unpleasant. How hideously dirty. How unbecomingly shameful. How pathetically awful. How simply mean. You don't deserve to go to Duke, anyway. And don't you be talking bad about my mama!


*Single tear.* Duke was my first choice :p

Go Illini!

*Single tear.* Duke was my first choice :p

Go Illini!

bye bye, illini. :D

unless i spoke too soon.

i did. awesome game.

hmm..come on duke..you were my hope, my dream..still nursing this acceptance though.. AGH!!! i'm torn..headed to durham on thursday night and hope all goes well.. it all comes down to this.. let's have a grand ol' time!!! guy..vandy or duke's wknd? where u gonna be?

~L

Has anyone received any of the Nan Duke scholarships or any dean's awards? If so, let us know. :)

bumpety bump :D

Any of y'all deciding between Duke and a more urban school? Also, does anyone have any concerns about the singles scene in Durham? I stayed with a student host, and he said that a significant portion of his class (MS-1) is seriously involved or married. I am not looking to hook up with a fellow med student, but his statement made me somewhat nervous anyway--perhaps because I would be alone in my aloneness. Although there are obviously numerous positives about Duke, I wanted to pose a few questions about potential Duke drawbacks. Your replies are appreciated.

Any of y'all deciding between Duke and a more urban school? Also, does anyone have any concerns about the singles scene in Durham? I stayed with a student host, and he said that a significant portion of his class (MS-1) is seriously involved or married. I am not looking to hook up with a fellow med student, but his statement made me somewhat nervous anyway--perhaps because I would be alone in my aloneness. Although there are obviously numerous positives about Duke, I wanted to pose a few questions about potential Duke drawbacks. Your replies are appreciated.

Yeah, it's down to Duke and Emory. I'm off the market, so the single scene is not too much of a consideration for me. I wouldn't worry about that too much. I couldn't reason why Duke would have a higher percentage of married/involved than any other comparable school. Doesn't Duke have a smaller number of non-traditionals? Then, again, I have no basis for that.

Has anyone heard anything about the merit scholarships? I know the website anticipates the decisions to be made by tomorrow, but they don't guarantee it. Anyone?

Sorry about Harvard, LR. I'd trade that for my UR rejection anyday :D

See you guys soon second lookers!

so it's really weird that i'm asking this here, but...

does anyone know what time dinner is for second look? i got a ticket and thing that said satisfaction. am i supposed to meet people there? i missed the morning stuff so i'm not sure what's going on.

thanks sdn. you're the best.

so it's really weird that i'm asking this here, but...

does anyone know what time dinner is for second look? i got a ticket and thing that said satisfaction. am i supposed to meet people there? i missed the morning stuff so i'm not sure what's going on.

thanks sdn. you're the best.

oops, sorry stanford05, hopefully you figured out where to go and at what time last night. :)

I'm wondering what everyone's impressions of Duke SOM are now that second look is over.

I'll start: of course I knew going in that the facilities, funding, curriculum, etc. are great. But the people, including my fellow second lookers ;), are amazing. The people I met really sold me on Duke; there is no question for me as to where I'll be attending in the fall.

I loved it :love: It was also nice meeting the potential entering class, especially LRmed ;)

Most definitely, there are some highly outstanding and quality people that will be at Duke this fall. Congrats to those who are decided, good luck to those still deciding, and all the best to those deciding elsewhere!

Peace

likewise, it was great meeting all you guys. sort of frustrating that they still haven't told people about scholarships. did anyone get an update? i'm not necessarily expecting one, but would just like to know where i stand so i can decide whether to go to other second looks, etc.

likewise, it was great meeting all you guys. sort of frustrating that they still haven't told people about scholarships. did anyone get an update? i'm not necessarily expecting one, but would just like to know where i stand so i can decide whether to go to other second looks, etc.

I talked to the finaid office today, and I was told my award letter was mailed last Friday. Has anyone received theirs yet? I'm praying for good news. :)

hey all

awesome meeting ya'll this past weekend..sooooooooooo excited now!!! where is everyone planning to live, etc? i liked the woodstone! well i am at work so let me get back to that..more later.. P.S. no word yet on scholarships from what i understand. P.P.S. several folks got financial aid letters at second look, unfortunately, i was not one of the blessed few. :confused:

also by the way, in the 2006 US News Rankings, Duke is the highest ranked private school for primary care... YAY!!! umm is anyone considering the Woodstone for housing option?

also by the way, in the 2006 US News Rankings, Duke is the highest ranked private school for primary care... YAY!!! umm is anyone considering the Woodstone for housing option?
Do I look like i'm made of money? :p I'm going with el rancho cheapo :laugh: Aka the last place we saw while a certain group of people stayed on the bus :rolleyes: :meanie:

Do I look like i'm made of money? :p I'm going with el rancho cheapo :laugh: Aka the last place we saw while a certain group of people stayed on the bus :rolleyes: :meanie:


lol..you're funny.. :laugh: how much did the lenox end up costing for a 2BR..or are u getting a single?

~L

lol..you're funny.. :laugh: how much did the lenox end up costing for a 2BR..or are u getting a single?

~L
They had several options for 1-3 BRs but all of their one bedrooms were b/w 505 and 610. Some were really nice (at least the floorplans ) and they all include a washer and dryer in unit for no extra charge :clap:

Even if I do defer, I plan on moving to Durham maybe next April or May :D I'm so excited!

They had several options for 1-3 BRs but all of their one bedrooms were b/w 505 and 610. Some were really nice (at least the floorplans ) and they all include a washer and dryer in unit for no extra charge :clap:

I know the Lenox is a popular option, but did they show you the "New Haven" community? It's owned by the same company that owns the Lenox, and the floorplans are identical, although there are some extra ones available too. I'm pretty sure the rent is cheaper, and many of us actually prefer the location. It's only about an 8 minute drive from Duke and it's all highway, which is VERY nice (and there's NO traffic!). My commute is actually shorter than it is for many people who live in closer communities like the Deerfield, because they get stuck at all the traffic lights around Duke. Plus, it's only 5-10 minutes to the airport and about 2 minutes from highway 40, which easily gets you to Chapel Hill or Raleigh. It's also only about 5 minutes from the best mall around.

If anyone's interested in learning more about places to live, feel free to PM me, or ask questions here. The floorplans of all these places can be found at www.ticonproperties.com. For my first two years at Duke I had my own huge, beautiful one bedroom apartment complete with free water and free washer/dryer, for only $535/month! Actually, I think they're running specials now where you get a free month of rent with a 1 year lease, so it would be even cheaper than that! It's definitely manageable to have a single apartment on the Duke financial aid budget, if anyone is wondering.

http://ticonproperties.com/newhaven.html

tommygun..what have you heard about the woodstone??? details, insights, etc ..please. :)

~L

tommygun..what have you heard about the woodstone??? details, insights, etc ..please. :)

~L

Actually, I've never even heard of it! Is this a relatively new place? I don't know of anyone in my class living there. Maybe it's been built in the past couple of years. Do you know who owns it, or is there a website or anything?

I just found the website (http://www.gardenviewrealty.com/woodstone/).

This place looks expensive! Given how close it is to Duke, I imagine this is a more expensive option than many others like the Lenox. Has anyone gotten quotes from them? Remember, Durham is rather cheap to live in, so don't fall into the trap of paying lots of money for an apartment just because it's close to Duke. Rental companies really jack up the prices of units that are in very close proximity to Duke, but you really don't have to venture that far away for the rates to drop substantially. For example, you should be able to find a rather new, large, beautiful 3 bedroom apartment for around $350-450 per person (like at the Lenox). Some other places that my classmates really love are Alexan Place and Alexan Farms, although these can be a bit pricey unless you get a larger unit and split the rent with roommates.

It looks like Woodstone is literally just down the street from the parking garage where you'll park as a 1st year, but I wouldn't say it's in all that great of a location...to get to Duke you'll have to cross over route 85 which is a humongous construction mess right now and has been for quite some time. Then again, it is VERY close, which can be nice.

Yeah, I knew for a fact when being quoted prices like 725 for a one BR that Durham did not have to be that expensive. That's why I'm LEAVING NYC :D I know i'll find a beautiful place to live cheaper. I probably will go with some place like ticon.

Tommy i'm sorry if I missed it before, but what year are you in? :love:

*edit*

I now have reason to believe I will definitely be attending Duke and so I have removed my pathetic post soliciting tenants for my townhome.

Does anyone know if you definitely get parking as a first year student? Also, where do most first year's park? Is it the parking deck off of trent road? Is that where most 2nd, 3rd, and 4th years park as well? Is parking free? Just trying to straighten that out so I can figure out my living situation next year. Thanks!

Does anyone know if you definitely get parking as a first year student? Also, where do most first year's park? Is it the parking deck off of trent road? Is that where most 2nd, 3rd, and 4th years park as well? Is parking free? Just trying to straighten that out so I can figure out my living situation next year. Thanks!


Parking is not free. It is included in the student budget and I believe it is about $120. Every med student is guaranteed parking, and I think they park in the deck close to the hospital. I want to tell you that they park in the basement but I may be wrong. In any case, parking for med student is not an issue at Duke - even if it is for most other types of students.

Has anyone else received their financial aid award?

I'm really confused. In the Messages part of the reward, it says, "Your financial aid award has been analyzed using 2 in college." And it goes on to say that Duke considers only dependents in undergraduate programs.

Where did they get this number from? On Fafsa, it asks for the number in college without specifying what college means, so I put 1 (me). On the Need Access, it asks for the number in undergrad plus grad/professional schools, so I put 2 (because I have another sister in med school). So, where did Duke get 2 in undergrad from? If they make me verify it, will I have to put 0?

Duke, I need that grant money. Please let me keep it. :confused:

Tommy i'm sorry if I missed it before, but what year are you in?

3rd year

Parking is not free. It is included in the student budget and I believe it is about $120. Every med student is guaranteed parking, and I think they park in the deck close to the hospital. I want to tell you that they park in the basement but I may be wrong. In any case, parking for med student is not an issue at Duke - even if it is for most other types of students.

Guy is right that parking is included in the budget, and is somewhere in the low to mid $100 range for the first year. To make things absolutely clear, this means you must write the parking office a check for the parking pass, but the amount of money it costs is accounted for in your student loans or your grant money or whatever. It's garaged parking, in PG3, which is the farther of the two garages across from the main hospital (it's the garage right next to the highway). It's a really nice, safe, well-lit garage...it's about the nicest garage design I've seen actually. Given the location, it ends up being about a 5-10 minute walk from the garage to Duke South where the amphitheatre is, or you can just take the shuttle bus that runs every few minutes. I always walked as it was about the only exercise I got first year :laugh:

Parking isn't a problem for Duke med students. The parking is substantially better for 2nd year too...that's when you get to park in the garage that's literally across the street from the hospital, and if it's cold you can even walk to the med center through the underground tunnel! For 3rd and 4th years you end up back in PG3 for the most part.

soooo for all those interested, the following is currently posted on the DukeMed login page:

"As of Thursday, April 7, 2005, the Executive Admission Committee is in the final stages of evaluating accepted students for merit scholarship consideration. Decisions will be forthcoming shortly and awardees will be notified via Federal Express."

Sooo...be on the look out and post if you hear anything..ummm.. i am off to banff, canada for an HIV pathogenesis conference tomorrow and will be gone a week..keep the thread alive kids..keep hope alive!~!~!~! :laugh:

guylaroche, how was vandy's second look? and do you know where you're gonna be living in the Bull City? ;)

I just found the website (http://www.gardenviewrealty.com/woodstone/).

This place looks expensive! Given how close it is to Duke, I imagine this is a more expensive option than many others like the Lenox. Has anyone gotten quotes from them? Remember, Durham is rather cheap to live in, so don't fall into the trap of paying lots of money for an apartment just because it's close to Duke. Rental companies really jack up the prices of units that are in very close proximity to Duke, but you really don't have to venture that far away for the rates to drop substantially. For example, you should be able to find a rather new, large, beautiful 3 bedroom apartment for around $350-450 per person (like at the Lenox). Some other places that my classmates really love are Alexan Place and Alexan Farms, although these can be a bit pricey unless you get a larger unit and split the rent with roommates.

It looks like Woodstone is literally just down the street from the parking garage where you'll park as a 1st year, but I wouldn't say it's in all that great of a location...to get to Duke you'll have to cross over route 85 which is a humongous construction mess right now and has been for quite some time. Then again, it is VERY close, which can be nice.


woodstone is $990 for a 2 BR..it's not TOO bad..but it's definitely not a bargain like lenox or croasdaile crossings..still...you get what you pay for and it does have a huge kitchen, deck, WIC (in both BR), and 9 foot ceilings ;) hmmm decisions decisions

MERIT SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS

Merit Scholarship recipients have been selected and awardees have been contacted. As in years past, we will select alternate awardees if a recipient declines our offer but be advised that a scholarship holder may hold her/his award until May 15th. If there is no response after that date, an award will be offered to another deserving prospective student.

This from the the login page.. guess this means I didn't get one - did anyone actually receive the FedEx package?

ditto..

i just saw this as well.. but i think that means they sent the FEDEX yesterday so folks should know today...unfortunately...i'm in canada and won't know anything til friday night!!! :o good luck all! :luck:

~L

bump biump

I received today my letter informing me of my scholarship. I knew today that I will definitely be attending Duke. I am today happy.

I'm going to be attending Duke SOM next year...and I'm looking for a a place to live and a roommate or roommates...Unfortunately I missed 2nd look weekend, so I didn't really get to meet that many people yet...

I live in chapel hill right now, so it's easy for me to drive around and shop for a place if you live out of state or far away. Anyway, if anybody is still looking for another roomy, hook me up. Just PM me. Thanks, and can't wait to see you all next year!!

Still no word for anyone regarding merit scholarships? I'm pretty sure I didn't get one (didn't get a FedEx package this week) but surely someone on here has found out something. No?

Still no word for anyone regarding merit scholarships? I'm pretty sure I didn't get one (didn't get a FedEx package this week) but surely someone on here has found out something. No?

It sounds like John_Galiano got one...look 3 posts up from here.

It sounds like John_Galiano got one...look 3 posts up from here.

Yeah, I saw that one, but I was assuming it wasn't for real because it was John_Galiano's first ever post and just sounded fake. But, I could be totally wrong :o

Yeah, I saw that one, but I was assuming it wasn't for real because it was John_Galiano's first ever post and just sounded fake. But, I could be totally wrong :o

I'm glad I'm not the only one who was wondering about that! It sounded fake to me too! :laugh:

"I am today happy" <-- sounds like a badly dubbed foreign movie :laugh:

they are definitely out.. a girl at hopkins second look last weekend said she had just been notified that she got one...

~L

CLEARLY I'm biased....BUT I am enjoying Duke med more and more every day and every lecture! The way I see it...it will probably be the most rigorous academic experience you will have faced to date (any medical school you go to, that is), so why make it last longer than it Could?!?!?! From day 1, test 1, and stressful time 1 there was ALWAYS a light at the end of the tunnel for me.....July 2nd 2005!!! The end of classroom work and hours of lectures were always within reach since the 1st day of classes.
I know I have talked a lot about the people, but I will gush at least one more time... they are great!
MOST IMPORTANTLY: Do you want to learn the material for the sake of learning, for the sake that you NEED it, for the sake of making you a better doctor some day? There are PLENTY of us like this (maybe average students now but will be tremendous physicians in the future!!!)
Do you want competition? does it make you work harder? then you'll find it, too!!!!
Do you want to work hard during the week and have fun weekends? You can do it!
Do you want to enjoy the times you have with your classmates in and out of school and not gun 24-7? You will find the laid back people!
Married, single, stressed-out, goofy, dorky, good-looking, good personality, mind in the gutter, conservative, liberal, helpful, gunner, on and on....they are ALL in my class and I wouldn't trade any of them in...well of course a few trades wouldn't be too bad....
And you can't forget that Duke is getting THE BEST recruiting class in America to play on Coach K Court next year, and the ticket campout is WAAAAAAAY too much fun to miss out on!!!!
Good luck in your decisions....you can't go wrong if you choose the place that you love and feels "right"!!!!!
Any questions..send me a PM.
I'm living MY dream and I hope you guys get to live yours, too!

CLEARLY I'm biased....BUT I am enjoying Duke med more and more every day and every lecture! The way I see it...it will probably be the most rigorous academic experience you will have faced to date (any medical school you go to, that is), so why make it last longer than it Could?!?!?! From day 1, test 1, and stressful time 1 there was ALWAYS a light at the end of the tunnel for me.....July 2nd 2005!!! The end of classroom work and hours of lectures were always within reach since the 1st day of classes.
I know I have talked a lot about the people, but I will gush at least one more time... they are great!
MOST IMPORTANTLY: Do you want to learn the material for the sake of learning, for the sake that you NEED it, for the sake of making you a better doctor some day? There are PLENTY of us like this (maybe average students now but will be tremendous physicians in the future!!!)
Do you want competition? does it make you work harder? then you'll find it, too!!!!
Do you want to work hard during the week and have fun weekends? You can do it!
Do you want to enjoy the times you have with your classmates in and out of school and not gun 24-7? You will find the laid back people!
Married, single, stressed-out, goofy, dorky, good-looking, good personality, mind in the gutter, conservative, liberal, helpful, gunner, on and on....they are ALL in my class and I wouldn't trade any of them in...well of course a few trades wouldn't be too bad....
And you can't forget that Duke is getting THE BEST recruiting class in America to play on Coach K Court next year, and the ticket campout is WAAAAAAAY too much fun to miss out on!!!!
Good luck in your decisions....you can't go wrong if you choose the place that you love and feels "right"!!!!!
Any questions..send me a PM.
I'm living MY dream and I hope you guys get to live yours, too!

Thanks for your post! Just when I think I can't get any more excited about Duke, I talk to a current student or read a post like yours about their experiences at Duke and it gets me all the more excited about starting in the fall (or actually mid-summer ;) ). The great people (students and faculty) I have met at Duke SOM are definitely the school's greatest asset, but the prospect of watching a few basketball games in Cameron doesn't hurt things either :D . The ticket campout sounds like a blast, but I have heard it comes just before block I finals. Is that true? Not that it would matter for me, I will probably campout anyway. Ok, enough of my Sunday morning rambling (what am I doing on SDN at 8:20 on a Sunday morn.?)

Does anyone know what sort of grading system duke employs? Is it pass/fail/honors...and does it change year to year?

Does anyone know what sort of grading system duke employs? Is it pass/fail/honors...and does it change year to year?

Here's an outline of the curriculum http://medschool.duke.edu/curricDesc.htm (click on the "calendar" link for a nice graphical representation of it).

The curriculum has changed recently, although anyone who interviewed this season should have been shown this info. There are now three main "blocks" in the first year. The entire first block (about 6.5 weeks) is pass/fail...there's no honors! The other two first-year blocks are honors/pass/fail, where honors is rather strictly limited to a small handful of people (10-15 maybe?). Coupled with the fact that most residency programs don't care about first-year grades anyway, this makes for a very non-competitive, self-pacing year, where motivation stems from a desire to be a good physician who can best help his/her patients. I really enjoyed this attitude and atmosphere for my first year. Of course there were always a few crazy gunners who couldn't help obsessing about their performance, but most of us maintained our sanity :laugh:

The grading during second year is a bit different. It's an honors/high pass/pass/low pass/fail system. Note that not all of these designations even show up on your transcript; for example, if you get a "low pass" it still shows up as a "pass" on your transcript. Apparently the transcript reporting was recently changed though, such that a "high pass" now shows up as such (during my 2nd year the external transcript would only show honors, pass, or fail, NOT high pass). So these different breakdowns between high and low pass are more so for internal purposes, for the writing of deans letters for your residency application, the choosing of AOA, etc. etc.

Each rotation is a bit different in terms of its grading policies. For example, on surgery only a handful of students get honors each year (maybe only one or two per rotation group of 15-20). I believe the medicine rotation has now gone this way as well, making honors much more difficult to get. The grading is based on clinical performance, evals from residents and attendings, and usually also on some sort of written exam (often the National Board's "shelf exams") and often an oral exam as well, or perhaps even a project (as in the case of family medicine). And now you're able to do elective rotations during the second year!!! I think this is a HUGE advantage.

Once you get to third year the system goes back to honors/pass/fail, and there really isn't much that you get graded on anyway. You get a grade each semester from your research mentor, and you get a pass/fail grade for your practice course continuity clinic (which is generally one half-day per week). You also get a grade for your thesis, which is H/P/F as well.

I'm pretty sure that during fourth year the grading goes back to the 2nd year style, of H/HP/P/LP/F.

I can only speak to my 1st year experience thus far but Honors/ Pass/ Fail system really helps keep the environment relaxed and brotherly. This was the 1st year of the new curriculum and in some ways it was evident. Block I was smooth, Block II was less smooth (things did not seem as integrated as what they were hoping for, BUT it's pretty tough to integrate the different subjects without going to a complete systems based learning) and Block III thus far has been hairy at times. Our biggest complaint (and I'm sure the course directors, too) is that you have so many lecturers that when it comes time to make a test nothing is set until almost the last minute. Is it going to be all multiple choice? or some of every style? on the computer or on paper or both? and each professor is after different levels of information they want you to know (drug name? mechanism of action? generic name? every drug available or just one per disease? drug metabolism in general or specific enzymes and mechanisms?....you can tell we are into a heavy pharmacology section now) however, this block is much more integrated than the last block!
Clearly there will be some bugs in any new system and I am VERY impressed that there have been so few after soo many years of the running the same system in the same way!
For us...and it may change of course....Blocks I and II the grade equaled the honors/ pass/ or fail (90% average)....Block II we had different subjects (I think 4) and you had to get 90% in each subject and an 85% in one to get honors (I think about 15 people got honors but that is just a guess) this included Gross Anatomy and microanatomy as classes even though they were more lab than class and neuro (which had a major lab component) was just 1 grade
Block III is slightly different. They average all of the lecture exams and then there are some small group activities, papers and laboratory exams that you get grades for and depending on how many Honors you get in the lab/ small group sections determines what average (90, 88?, 85) you need to average on the lecture exams to get honors or pass.....
BUT this could ALL change by the time you guys get here, BUT time and time again I have been told that 1st year grades matter very little (especially now that for ALLLLLLL of your 1st year "classes" you have and ALLLLL of the tests you take, your 1st year transcript has 3 grades with only 2 potential honors) and that your 2nd year grades are the make or break ones!!!
I am now interested to feel/see/experience the environment during 2nd year on rotations given the importance of our rotation grades!!!!

PS: The ticket campout was not right before an exam...I think the test was the Monday a week after the campout.....but it was during Block I (I think) (cough cough Pass/ Fail) so 99% of us would have been there anyway!!! The campout dates are already set for Sept 23-25, so you will know of class 1 how badly it will interfere with studying

Ok.....I took Friday and Saturday off......it is time for me to hustle! Write to you guys later

:( :( depressed cuz i don't think i can afford to go to duke.. didn't get a scholarship and they are going to make me take out all loans after they see what my dad makes..who doesn't live with us and walked out in '99 and hasn't contributed since..but duke fin. aid doesn't care and is still going to consider his income toward the EFC...i am very sad and disappointed and frustrated and trying not to be pissed off... :confused: :( :mad:

:( :( depressed cuz i don't think i can afford to go to duke.. didn't get a scholarship and they are going to make me take out all loans after they see what my dad makes..who doesn't live with us and walked out in '99 and hasn't contributed since..but duke fin. aid doesn't care and is still going to consider his income toward the EFC...i am very sad and disappointed and frustrated and trying not to be pissed off... :confused: :( :mad:


LRmed, I'm so very sorry to hear about your bad news :( I'm certain it must be so disheartening to get into the school of your dreams, and then have financial matters possibly stop you from going to school there. Would it be really so bad to take out loans? Graduate schools, in general, aren't even as comparably liberal as undergraduate colleges with awarding scholarships. Is there any possibility of contacting Duke's Office of Financial Aid and explaining your dilemma?

Please know that I'll keep your situation in my prayers tonight. :)

:o hey docjolly

yeah i am calling all around tomorrow AM to see what can be done..thanks so much for the prayers..i'm praying on it too.. :o

:o hey docjolly

yeah i am calling all around tomorrow AM to see what can be done..thanks so much for the prayers..i'm praying on it too.. :o

:)

Thank you, LR :love: . I still haven't heard anything, but God is able.That's the only thing that matters...


I know that things will work out for you. He hasn't brought you this far to leave you stranded. Always remember that :D

LR Med....please call and explain the most sincere way possible....I'm not sure if you have gotten your package yet but they may surprise you...
if they downright disappointed you the call and plead your case...they are very nice and it might just be a matter of somehow getting a letter from your Mom or relative or something
the worst thing that could happen is they say "I'm sorry" and you hate Duke for the rest of your life (with good reason!) the best thing is that things work out.....they have a crap load of money (excuse the expression) and it is for people who are not cutting a check for the full amount and for students who didn't get a 45 and 4.0 and single-handedly saved a tribe from Ebola!!! Try and try again! Talk to anyone and everyone who will listen
DON'T forget the power of prayer!
hang in there...keep us informed even if it's PM

duke doc and everyone..thanks so much for your kind words and support.. i am calling tomorrow afternoon to see what can be done.. i am still soooo excited and can't wait...i'm nervous about missing out on good housing, i.e. putting down a deposit or application or something if i wait too long so...i really just need to pray and breathe, etc, etc.. thanks again all. :D

Just wanted to say again that I'm still on the hunt for a roommate or roommates...PM me if you might want to find a place together (I didn't make second look so I really don't know many people yet...)

Also, for you guys who are already in school...what are the most popular spots that med students live? I've heard a lot about Lenox...seems pretty reasonably priced...but what are some other popular options? What about those new apartments they just built on Erwin drive (I think it's called Erwin Terrace?) Anyone staying there? They look really expensive though...

hmmm..

i'm leaning more toward woodstone myself...but i too need a roommate..

~L

BUMP BUMP//gee.. Duke is kinda really low key on SDN huh?

~L

BUMP BUMP//gee.. Duke is kinda really low key on SDN huh?

~L

I think this might be a good thing :D

Does Dukes ranking system render LOIs useless? There was a note in my waitlist letter stating that I could indicate Duke as my #1 choice on the response form, but I did not do so because I had yet to hear from several other schools and I was not sure how to 'rank' them at the time. I am considering writing an LOI to Duke now, but am unsure if it would prove even the slightest bit useful. And I obviously want to write only one. Does anyone have any insight, aside from the fact that Duke's admissions process is very, very cryptic? I will probably go ahead and write an LOI regardless, but responses are nonetheless appreciated. Thanks.

I would write it - can't hurt, right?

I'm almost positive I will be at Duke in the fall. I'm so excited for it - it's a great school. I put myself on the waitlist for Lenox...it seems really affordable and I like the idea of living in a two story condo (it reduces the risk of obnoxious college drum majors living above me). I also want to be somewhere that lots of first years live too, because I'm going to be living with a non-med student.

If you went to 2nd look then you probably already have this info, but for others this is a list of the most common places that 1st years are living this year:
Lenox West
Croasdaile Crossings
North Pointe Commons
Deerfield

I think other popular places change slightly from year to year, but I believe these are the ones that have consistently been popular.
There are some nice new places (lofts and apartments) in old tobacco factories downtown and above stores downtown and near Duke but these places are REALLY expensive and unless you like to stay at home a lot or have a spouse/significant other that will be paying the bills.....they are not worth it (in my humble opinion of course).
I know that some 1st years are buying houses to live in and rent the rest of the rooms out, so if you have contacts (hosts or friends) then contact them.....I am not sure what people's plans are so I don't feel comfortable giving out contact info (the houses may be full...they may be waiting for some 3rd years to come back to Duke) regardless....we have a massive test on Monday and an influx of emails right now might make people....testy!

hey dukedoc,,

have you heard anything about the woodstone? it seemed kinda nice and though it was a bit pricier than croasdaile...i really like the spaciousness...hmm..

~L ;)

Hey guys, I'm not totally decided on Duke, but I'm definitely leaning that way. I'm thinking about buying a house close to Duke and renting out the rooms (at a rate that's similar to apartment rates). Anyone interested?

not my personally, but others may be.. i know at least 2 other people who plan on buying houses though..

~L

P.S. Anyone know how we can find roommates if we already know what complex we want to live in? I tried the Duke community housing, but they don't list by complex, only by type of housing and i am not sure of the exact address of the complex i liked.

hey guys,

since you are all awesome enough to have been accepted to duke, i have a question:

i'm about to start the application process, and duke is one of my top choices for med, for multiple reasons. i have a good gpa (~3.9), don't know what i made on the MCAT. but is there precedent for people getting in to duke with scores in the 30-31 range?

i think i'm a pretty well-rounded candidate, but i'm just waiting to hear about the mcat, and wanted to assess my chances, should something bad happen with the exam.

thanks!

not my personally, but others may be.. i know at least 2 other people who plan on buying houses though..

~L

P.S. Anyone know how we can find roommates if we already know what complex we want to live in? I tried the Duke community housing, but they don't list by complex, only by type of housing and i am not sure of the exact address of the complex i liked.

how would i go about finding a roommate? craigslist, roommates.com, etc comments/suggestions/experiences???

how would i go about finding a roommate? craigslist, roommates.com, etc comments/suggestions/experiences???

There used to be an online forum for Duke Med, to post roommate requests, etc. I can't seem to find it now though. There's a link to a Duke-wide list on the Med Student webpage (http://www.duke.edu/web/medstudent/). Click the housing link and it's towards the bottom there.

hey tommy gun and also dukedoc

checked out the dukemed site but i can't figure out how to find someone interested in living in the same place as me...

question on the computer. do i absolutely have to buy the dell laptop? i am really interested in getting a smaller dell or a apple powerbook?

~L

Congratulations on everyone who got into Duke! To the posters who are looking for a place to find apartments and roommates: subscribe to the International House mailing list. Send an email to majordomo@duke.edu with "subscribe intlhouse" (without the quotes) in the message body and get ready for a massive torrent of emails offering apartments, cars, cheap furniture, and roommates. The International House is an organization for international students, who by nature are frequently arriving in or departing from the country and need to acquire/get rid of housing and possessions in a hurry. Their email list is basically a 24/7 swap meet (you're going to want to unsubscribe as soon as you have everything you need; just send an email to majordomo@duke.edu with "unsubscribe intlhouse" in the message body). I wish I had found out about it earlier during my undergrad years at Duke!

hey thanks for the heads up on that!!! :D

LRMed...
I'm sure TommyGunn will say something similar but the computer question changes every year. It seems like every other year they require the computer and every other year you can get your own computer. There are a lot of benefits to having the "school computer" because any little issue can resolved by just walking down the hall and you can get a loaner in a heartbeat!! I'm sure there there better computers, smaller, lighter, cooler, whatever, but the Dell they "gave" us has not let me down yet. Another convenient thing is that everything is completely set up when they give it to you...all of the extra software has been added and all of the personal settings and registration has been set up when they hand it to you....and this aspect DEFINITELY helps you get through the not-so-interesting lectures of orientation!
I wanted a thinkpad but I haven't thought twice about the fact that I'm using a dell.
at some point it won't be your decision...they will decide whether or not there will be a class computer and then you will have your answer.
I'm sure you could NOT get it, but I wouldn't recommend it at that point.

I must sleep now.....this is the HARDEST I've pushed myself in my entire life the last 10 days (averaged less than 3 hours of sleep a night)....and now the test is over (hard to say how it went....."not good" come to mind though) and now I am going to sleep for DAYYYYYYSSSSS! It is not always like this and I'm sure it's like this at all schools.

i'm sure you earned it DukeDoc.. sleep tight!!! :D

i'm sure you earned it DukeDoc.. sleep tight!!! :D
OK, the website that TommmyGunn was writing about I believe will be up and running pretty soon. The 1st years got an email about requesting one of us to be in charge of the website. Apparently it is a website where incoming students can interact and find out where to live and who to live with and who needs a roommate and so on.
I am not sure when it will be complete but I'm sure you will all get an email about it when it is ready to role!
So, do not fret about things now! it sounds like you will have a perfect opportunity to figure out roomies.
There should not be too much concern about who you live with....many people ended up with roomies that they will NOT be living with next year, but they didn't have major complaints or drama this year....
we are at the stage in our lives where you do your own thing and have your own space but share the kitchen and maybe the bathroom.....what I'm trying to say is that even the worst case scenario this year was not very bad....no on had to move out of a place bc they hated it so much is what I mean.
no rest for the weary...lab and clinic until 5

how possible would it be to go to duke without owning a car? i am resourceful when it comes to taking public transit, willing to pay more to live in a strategic location, and happily walk longish distances regularly.

hmm beep..

can't offer advice on that one.. i currently live in Boston and don't have a car and was also quite an active pedestrian/public transportation maven when I lived in atlanta.. however, upon my move to Durham, i plan to get a car..but since almost everyone else will have a car...i'm sure you'll have no trouble bumming rides on rainy days and also to events...other than that..happy walking my friend :o !!

quick question folks..i haven't sent my deposit in to Duke yet...how much was it again?

~L

$100. Sorry guys, this is my first post on SDN! I'm going to Duke as well!

hmm beep..

can't offer advice on that one.. i currently live in Boston and don't have a car and was also quite an active pedestrian/public transportation maven when I lived in atlanta.. however, upon my move to Durham, i plan to get a car..but since almost everyone else will have a car...i'm sure you'll have no trouble bumming rides on rainy days and also to events...other than that..happy walking my friend :o !!

quick question folks..i haven't sent my deposit in to Duke yet...how much was it again?

~L

OK, the website that TommmyGunn was writing about I believe will be up and running pretty soon.

awesome, that makes finding a roommate a lot easier. thanks for the heads up.

$100. Sorry guys, this is my first post on SDN! I'm going to Duke as well!

Welcome flier!

I don't know if any of you are NC residents but does anyone know when the NC Board of Governors Scholarships will be announced?

how possible would it be to go to duke without owning a car? i am resourceful when it comes to taking public transit, willing to pay more to live in a strategic location, and happily walk longish distances regularly.

Although it's possible to live close to campus at the Belmont for example, you definitely need a car!! Just think about those times when you'll be leaving the hospital second year during your rotations at midnight...wouldn't recommend walking home then.

Some classmates of mine didn't have a car first year, and lived a walkable distance from campus, or biked to campus for class. This changes considerably during the clinical years...they all got their licenses (if they came from NYC or other big cities with real public transport) and cars towards the end of first year.

Welcome flier!

I don't know if any of you are NC residents but does anyone know when the NC Board of Governors Scholarships will be announced?


Hey. I'm not going to Duke, but I'm from NC. I was told at UNC that the Board of Governor's info should be out around the third week in May.

Hey. I'm not going to Duke, but I'm from NC. I was told at UNC that the Board of Governor's info should be out around the third week in May.

hey muchlove,

long time no see on here.. how's life treating you? I'ma need for duke to show
some love to the non-NC residents cuz uhhhhh..i'm broke!!! lol ..how's life for everyone out there?

~L

hey muchlove,

long time no see on here.. how's life treating you? I'ma need for duke to show
some love to the non-NC residents cuz uhhhhh..i'm broke!!! lol ..how's life for everyone out there?

~L

Hey there! Yeah, I've been a lil MIA. Word is that Duke shows all the love for fin aid in NC. See, that's why being for the stixs is good every now and then :laugh: What's going on up in Red Sox country?

yay!!! i think i found a roommate...now if only i could hear good things from the fin. aid office..i'd be all set as a blue devil!!! the folks in that office have been kina nasty to me though?!? oh well.. headed to durham in july...know that!!! :D

I have not registered yet, but I will most likely be there. Anyone else?


Congratulations to my sista, my queen doctor to be (ok not like that cuz I do not know you :D ).

Much congrats!!!

also by the way, in the 2006 US News Rankings, Duke is the highest ranked private school for primary care... YAY!!! umm is anyone considering the Woodstone for housing option?


Congratulations my sista!!!!! Good luck with your first year.

Have some fun this summer b/c when classes start, your fun will be good old books and lectures 24/7

'preciate it... lol..umm..why am i dominating this thread? can we tell that the level of job satisfaction has diminished significantly??? good morning blue devils!!! ;)

Does anyone know why the total budget for M1 has gone up so significantly? I seem to remember that last year's budget was ~$53,000 and now it is up to ~$63,000... over four years we're talking about a quarter of a million dollars...this seems quite ludicrous and ridiculous....comments?? answers??? suggestions?? :confused:

Does anyone know why the total budget for M1 has gone up so significantly? I seem to remember that last year's budget was ~$53,000 and now it is up to ~$63,000... over four years we're talking about a quarter of a million dollars...this seems quite ludicrous and ridiculous....comments?? answers??? suggestions?? :confused:

I think I know why. The financial aid folks did some surveying this year and found that enough students felt really stretched on last year's budget to warrant an increase in the "cost of living" allotment. Another factor is the increase in health insurance costs for Duke students; this isn't an issue if you have your own insurance or are on your parents plan (which you often CAN be until you're 24 or so). Finally, Duke's tuition in general has gone up quite a bit recently. I recently read that the undergrad tuition just broke the $40k mark for the first time, and that the highest percentage increase was in the graduate and professional schools. Sad, but true :(

Lots more loans for me...

finally got my package..i think it's pretty good, but it still looks like i'ma be in a LOT of debt when i come out.. if my loans don't go down, i will be way over the $90K average debt that Duke boasts about.. :( next question, does duke have work study? i meant to call and ask about this today, but i forgot. i was awarded 2 semesters of workstudy at baylor and i was just wondering if i could push for it at duke.. it's only $1000 but it would still reduce my loan amount...

You seriously don't want work study, you won't have time. I have not heard of anyone doing such a thing, I really don't even think it exists.

If money is that big of an issue, you would probably be better off getting a job with Kaplan or the Princeton Review teaching a MCAT class.

Remember, in the grand scheme of things, $1000 isn't that much and you will thank yourself later for not adding any more unnecessary stress.

Also, there is no reason you need to take out all the loan money. If you get a reasonably priced apartment with a roommate and don't eat out every meal, you'll be fine. I took out a couple thousand less than recommended this year, and I still have almost $3000 remaining to last me the remaining 2 months of first year (granted I am still covered under my parents medical insurance and car insurance as many other first years are as well).

If you choose an expensive apartment complex, live alone, and have to buy your own insurance, that's another story. Think about your personal situation closely before taking all the money because not everyone needs that much.

I was one of the people who filled out the financial aid survey and it helped push the "living expenses" part up a little bit (but not that much!)
people in my class did feel a little tight but I'm sure everyone can pinch pennies better than what they do.
When financial aid sent us the email letting us know about the increase they told us to really consider how much we need and only take the bare minimum.....it is easier to ask for money IF you run out vs paying interest over the next 10 years on money you didn't need in the 1st place.
Some people in my class tought Kaplan from some extra moola....but I would say 95% didn't do jack other than eat, sleep, study, watch TV, and procrastinate!
Whoever said enjoy the summer now before classes could not be more correct!!! It will hit you like a ton of bricks and it will fly by faster than you could EVER imagine (except the 2 days before each exam!)
We are getting our schedules for 2nd year (rotations) and it is AWESOME to think that we will be OUT of the classroom in only about 9 weeks!
I love you Duke (except the tests)!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You seriously don't want work study, you won't have time. I have not heard of anyone doing such a thing, I really don't even think it exists.

If money is that big of an issue, you would probably be better off getting a job with Kaplan or the Princeton Review teaching a MCAT class.

Remember, in the grand scheme of things, $1000 isn't that much and you will thank yourself later for not adding any more unnecessary stress.

Also, there is no reason you need to take out all the loan money. If you get a reasonably priced apartment with a roommate and don't eat out every meal, you'll be fine. I took out a couple thousand less than recommended this year, and I still have almost $3000 remaining to last me the remaining 2 months of first year (granted I am still covered under my parents medical insurance and car insurance as many other first years are as well).

If you choose an expensive apartment complex, live alone, and have to buy your own insurance, that's another story. Think about your personal situation closely before taking all the money because not everyone needs that much.

hey secretmiss..

i am not living in a place that is too expensive, but i will end up having to get health insurance and car insurance...how did you figure out how much you could decline on your loans? You're probably right about the work study thing, but as it stands, i'll be $140K in debt when I come out of Duke, which is WAY above debt for both private and public medical schools!! i have to call this afternoon to clarify some stuff anyway, but this is ludicrous! :(

here are some very simple ways to save money at Duke Med.

#1 - Don't buy an unnecessary textbooks, there just isn't that much time to read them. And when you need to buy something, buy it used from an upperclassmen, who are always trying to sell their stuff.
#2 - Don't buy an opthalamoscope, its goes for over $300 and you really don't need your own.

For first year, Duke allots $2,554 for books and supplies, but its way more than most people needed. If I even spent $1000 I would be surprised.

#3 - bring your own lunch to school, if and when you go to class.
~ $5 a day for lunch * 5 days a week * 4 weeks per month * 11 months = ~ $1100 a year for lunch. You can really save on your food budget if you are not eating like this.

Also in general, as a female, I do not spend that much money on food ( I estimated how much I would spend on food per month when I budgeted my financial aid last year and that was part of the reason why I took out less money to start with). They estimate $4,812 on food for your budget next year, for a single person that is over $400/month. I couldn't eat that much food if I tried.

#4 - They estimate $9060 a year for rent (only) which comes out to $755 per month. The only people I know who spend that much money on rent live by themselves. I spent almost half that in rent by living with another person. Even if you add in utilities, cable, internet, etc., I still spend significantly less than that amount and have a really nice apartment. And some guys live in 3 bedroom Lenox apartments where the rent is ~$300 a month.

#5 - They estimate $6,168 for miscellaneous. That's alot of money with no real purpose. Granted you need some of it for stuff that comes up but I that is still very generous.

For all these reasons is why you don't need to take out all the money. And as far $140 K debt, that is actually approximately what I am looking at and I was happy about that considering other schools were only offering all loans, sending the price of my education well over 200K.

For all these reasons is why you don't need to take out all the money. And as far $140 K debt, that is actually approximately what I am looking at and I was happy about that considering other schools were only offering all loans, sending the price of my education well over 200K.

I agree with secretmiss. $140,000 in loans is actually quite good for a top, private school like Duke. Other such schools would've required me to take out non-governmental loans having higher interest rates, and they offered less than half as much grant money as Duke. As it stands now, it looks like I'll graduate with about $120,000 or so of loan debt from med school, and I'm quite happy with that compared to what it would've cost me at most other institutions (my state school wasn't all that cheap, and I hated it)

Also, don't forget about the wonders of the Duke 3rd year!!! Most students end up with a significant amount of scholarship money for their 3rd year research. We're talking $10-25,000 in free money here. Of course, if you're doing a dual-degree program, you may be out of luck. BUT, as compared to other schools you'll still save a year of your life, and in many cases you won't even have to pay extra tuition to get the degree!

All in all, Duke is a heck of a deal!!! Penn would've cost me $40-50,000 more, and it's a lot tougher to live on a student budget in a city like Philly.

I agree with secretmiss. $140,000 in loans is actually quite good for a top, private school like Duke. Other such schools would've required me to take out non-governmental loans having higher interest rates, and they offered less than half as much grant money as Duke. As it stands now, it looks like I'll graduate with about $120,000 or so of loan debt from med school, and I'm quite happy with that compared to what it would've cost me at most other institutions (my state school wasn't all that cheap, and I hated it)

Also, don't forget about the wonders of the Duke 3rd year!!! Most students end up with a significant amount of scholarship money for their 3rd year research. We're talking $10-25,000 in free money here. Of course, if you're doing a dual-degree program, you may be out of luck. BUT, as compared to other schools you'll still save a year of your life, and in many cases you won't even have to pay extra tuition to get the degree!

All in all, Duke is a heck of a deal!!! Penn would've cost me $40-50,000 more, and it's a lot tougher to live on a student budget in a city like Philly.

ummm so i'm poor so $140K is a LOT of money to me....ANYWHERE!!! not mention the fact that Duke boasts on interview day and second look that its graduates finish up with less debt than the average graduate at private AND public medical schools...sooooo yeah, $140K is a lot..and i'm REALLY looking into scholarships b/c i want to reduce that loan amount..my total indebtedness at a few of the other schools would have been more like $60k-$80k... fingers.crossed :o :thumbup: how's life in durham these days kids?

ummm so i'm poor so $140K is a LOT of money to me....ANYWHERE!!! not mention the fact that Duke boasts on interview day and second look that its graduates finish up with less debt than the average graduate at private AND public medical schools...sooooo yeah, $140K is a lot..

Whoa, lets not make assumptions here. I'm poor too, but you're going to medical school...you WILL be a doctor, and you WILL make more money than most people, even if you do something relatively low-paying like general peds. I know it sounds like a lot of money now, but doctors generally don't have trouble paying off their loans. It typically takes about 10 years, and that's not because it can't be done sooner, but rather because it's to your advantage to invest your surplus money, since the return you can generally make is higher than the low interest rate on your student loans.

I like to think of it like this...Duke is an investment in my future, and it's a solid one. It's worth taking out some extra loans to go to such a great school, and it really helps open doors in your career. I too used to get upset about how Duke boasts such a low average loan rate, when I realized I was poised to rack up well over $100k. But then I realized that it's partly due to the fact that many students aren't on financial aid at all, or their parents are paying a more sizeable amount of their tuition. You and I aren't in that group, so our total indebtedness ends up higher. That's life. But there are enough people with no debt or very little debt to make the Duke average come out lower, when you add in the fact that Duke is quite a bit more generous with its financial aid than other private schools. What they REALLY should do is tell you the standard deviation of that average debt number, and also the maximum, to help give you a good idea about the range of borrowing that Duke students do. I agree it's a bit deceptive...it's sad but true.

At least you're not as bad off as some of my classmates who're getting MBA's though...the MBA tuition alone is $50k per year, so those students can end up borrowing an extra $100,000 on top of their med school costs!!! Look on the bright side...it could always be worse! But I hope those scholarships pan out for you.

I am also carrying around undergrad debt on top of my new med school debt....but it's worth it!!!
When I am busting my butt and getting mediocre grades and when I think about getting into the clinics in 8 weeks and THEN I remember that my 3rd year will be spent doing the oh-so-important-research to increase my chances of getting certain residencies (WITHOUT taking a year AFTER med school to complete said reasearch) I think it's worth it!
And at risk of getting flamed.....the Duke name counts for something (if not A LOT)....I will take my drowning Duke education and the feelings of stupidity as I continue to be average in an above average class and walk into a residency interview and have SOME of my interviewers say "hmmmm, you went to Duke? (we would love to have our website say that we have a Duke grad in our program)"
HOWEVER! the bottom line is you need to do what is right for you! If it would kill you think about the debt building daily then DON'T do it!!! You don't want stress of debt on top of stress of school.
Do what is right for you and never look back!

hey all..

didn't mean to sound assuming..just frustrated about this b/c i don't want to be compromised about what i go into in the face of paying all this off.. honestly, i don't think i will because i'm pretty much committed to doing what I believe in,, but it is a lot.. Tommygun, thanks for clarifying about the debt thing, it makes MUCH more sense now. I think that I (and some other folks) interpreted the financial aid data to mean that folks don't have to take out much loans at Duke b/c of the grants. i don't think we realized that there is a significant $ of folks who just pay the whole thing or don't take out loans..i guess i'll get over all..anyways..i am SOOOOOOOOOOO EXCITED!!!! YAY DUKE!! really though!!! how come there aren't any other incoming students posting on here..i feel like a dork!!! :D

hey all..

didn't mean to sound assuming..just frustrated about this b/c i don't want to be compromised about what i go into in the face of paying all this off.. honestly, i don't think i will because i'm pretty much committed to doing what I believe in,, but it is a lot.. Tommygun, thanks for clarifying about the debt thing, it makes MUCH more sense now. I think that I (and some other folks) interpreted the financial aid data to mean that folks don't have to take out much loans at Duke b/c of the grants. i don't think we realized that there is a significant $ of folks who just pay the whole thing or don't take out loans..i guess i'll get over all..anyways..i am SOOOOOOOOOOO EXCITED!!!! YAY DUKE!! really though!!! how come there aren't any other incoming students posting on here..i feel like a dork!!! :D

okay, now you're not the only incoming student who has posted here today :D . I was also surprised (in an unpleasant way) when I received my fin. aid package. I'm right there with you as far as being poor (married and my wife is also incurring undergrad debt), but having the opportunity to study medicine at Duke is hard to put a price on for me. I'm very excited for what the next few years will bring!

good afternoon beautiful duke kids..

hang in there first years,, only 1.5 months left..YOU CAN DO IT!!! good luck to those waitlisted at Duke..may 15th is right 'round the corner!!! hope all is well with everyone else..just wanted to say hey and bump us back to page one..!! :D

wow it's been about a year since i've visited this website!

i was wondering if any of the incoming duke 1st years have received information about a roommate website. i know they're setting it up; if you have any info on it just send me a private message.

i'll be looking for roommates (females) for next year and i'd like them to be 1st years since i'll be on clinical rotations 2nd year:)

thx

hI

i don't think they've set that website up yet. the old one is still up with the link to Duke Community Housing, but not the one for our class to find roommates..

~L

how possible would it be to go to duke without owning a car? i am resourceful when it comes to taking public transit, willing to pay more to live in a strategic location, and happily walk longish distances regularly.
It's entirely possible, but you have to be very resourceful. I've spent most of my time here carless -- my life is set up in such a way that I can do most anything via public transportation, which is easy when you live in one of the historic neighbourhoods near Duke. The only challenge is visiting friends who live the newer car-dependent neighbourhoods on the other side of town....

Let me know if you want more info -- I'll be happy to blather on at length any time after May 17th (Step 1 day!)

yay!!! congrats on taking step one..just out of curiosity..what year are you?

~L

I noticed your very helpful postings about the Duke waitlist way back in 2003. I don't suppose you have any heads up about how the list is shaping up this year as you pop into the admissions office for sodas, hmmm?

It's entirely possible, but you have to be very resourceful. I've spent most of my time here carless -- my life is set up in such a way that I can do most anything via public transportation, which is easy when you live in one of the historic neighbourhoods near Duke. The only challenge is visiting friends who live the newer car-dependent neighbourhoods on the other side of town....

Let me know if you want more info -- I'll be happy to blather on at length any time after May 17th (Step 1 day!)

It's entirely possible, but you have to be very resourceful. I've spent most of my time here carless -- my life is set up in such a way that I can do most anything via public transportation, which is easy when you live in one of the historic neighbourhoods near Duke. The only challenge is visiting friends who live the newer car-dependent neighbourhoods on the other side of town....

Let me know if you want more info -- I'll be happy to blather on at length any time after May 17th (Step 1 day!)

i'm also a Duke Med student living in an old house within walking distance to school/buslines/grocery (although I generally rely on my car). Check out the web site: http://communityhousing.duke.edu for lots of listings with places to live that are accessible, and aren't in a beige-on-beige apartment complex

good morning...bout to be away for awhile..heading to miami for a quick vaca...good luck and high hopes to everyone on the waitlist..may 15th has come and gone..keep the faith!!! :luck:

Duke's waitlist is starting to move. I just got a call from Richard Wallace. :)

YAH!

Who is Richard Wallace??? Are you in NC?

Duke's waitlist is starting to move. I just got a call from Richard Wallace. :)

YAH!

Who is Richard Wallace??? Are you in NC?

Richard Wallace is the assistant director of admissions.

yuppers...I do live in NC.

yeah, I couldn't find his name in the MSAR but figured it out eventually. Congrats on the acceptance, I suppose you're taking it. Didn't you get into NW off the waitlist too?

yeah, I couldn't find his name in the MSAR but figured it out eventually. Congrats on the acceptance, I suppose you're taking it. Didn't you get into NW off the waitlist too?

Thanks Dr. Donkey! Yah...I got off the NU waitlist just recently.

I actually haven't made the decision as to where I will go yet...I called the deans and they said that they will give me until the time my financial aid stuff is processed and they can tell me how much money they can give me. After that, I have to drop one.

Thanks Dr. Donkey! Yah...I got off the NU waitlist just recently.

I actually haven't made the decision as to where I will go yet...I called the deans and they said that they will give me until the time my financial aid stuff is processed and they can tell me how much money they can give me. After that, I have to drop one.

Congrats Eesayah55! Maybe we'll see you in Durham this fall. :)

glad to hear that things are moving along..hope all is well. i am a definite blue devil..just got back from a mini-vaca in miami and my last day of work is next friday...soooooo DUKE SOM c/o 2009..here i come!! hooray! :D

Hi guys, Just got off the waitlist and am excited about Duke! Does anyone know what kind of housing options are availalbe? Also, I'm moving from NYC and looking for a car...

Thanks!

:o hey isabelle :o

congrats congrats congrats!!! check out the Duke COmmunity Housing links for Housing..also check out craigslist. This is a VERY abbreviated list of some of the places we visited during re-visit weeked, and some of them have specials. You can find out more about them in a simple google search: Woodstone, Croasdaile Crossings, the Lenox, Alexan Farms, The Verge, only to name a few. I am in boston and posted the place where i wanted to live on craigslist to find a roommate and all seems to be working out fine.. i also plan to check into craigslist for a car...you might want to do the same... from what i've heard, no matter how close to the school you live, you still basically need a car to get around to various places.. hope this helps and congrats again.

:D bumping us and just sayin' hey

:D bumping us and just sayin' hey

Hey! Just wanting to know who is planning on going to campout the weekend before orientation. I wish I could go but already had other plans before I found out about it. Is campout an annual event, and if so, where does it take place and has it been fun in the past? Just curious.

any news on the housing website for incoming students? thanks.

Unfortunately, I can't go to the campout either. I'd love to, though.

I have another question, is it 100% sure that Duke will be giving the first years laptops this year?

i believe the laptop info should be in your financial aid information; everyone gets laptops. and if you're like some of the people in our class (2008) you can spill coffee on your laptop the first day of orientation and then get a new one:) and a new one, and a new one.... For those of you thinking you can just get your own, etc... believe me what you're paying for is the insurance policy on them that will allow you to be set laptop-wise until you graduate.

the campout is fun; i didn't go last year. but it's supposed to be a good time:)

roommate website should be up soon; i've been asking too, b/c i'm looking for other medical students to share this townhouse i just bought. i'm hoping to have 1 or 2 roommates... so if there are two c/o 2009 women as yet starting to look for housing and interested, just pm me

hey all..

yay for more posts!!! I also called the Duke Med OIT to find out about the computers... EVERYONE in the incoming class gets the same laptop and it is all pre-loaded with software, etc, etc..

i will mos' def be at the campout..i am moving to durham ~july 14th. this will be my first apartment.. at some point i want to get a pool party together for the whole incoming class..i'm kinda social like that..but i can't wait to meet and re-meet everyone!! anyways..hope all is well.. :D

~L :D

Maybe you have already received this link but here is the the link to the new housing website...

http://medweb.duhs.duke.edu/housing/

I went to campout last year and it was a blast! The van ride over is a lot of fun and you get to know about 9 others and 2 upperclassmen really well, and then you are in tents together with random people so you get to them....activities for the day (I HIGHLY recommend rafting) again getting to know different people and the 2nd night a lot of the upperclassmen come up to the mountains and hang out and there are skits and different contests and things......(we will have OCY (orientation to clinical year) that weekend but I know people are still planning on coming up to see you guys)
If you can POSSIBLY go....GO!

I bet you are all getting excited to start....as I'm getting excited to finish 1st year and get onto the wards!
your first block should be pass/fail only, so it is a good time to get into the swing of things without trying to compete for honors (which in my case I NEVER competed for honors!)!! have a lot of fun...get to know your classmates as well as you can....go out whenever possible that 1st block...it just gets tougher (in my opinion) every week thereafter...

Maybe you have already received this link but here is the the link to the new housing website...

http://medweb.duhs.duke.edu/housing/

thanks for the link. i called the admissions office just now, and the email is gonna be sent pretty soon with the registration code.

Question for you new Blue Devils - how many letters of recommendation does the Duke secondary ask for? I'll only have two letters from science profs that taught me (one additional from a research advisor), and I've heard that Duke requires three LORs from your science profs. Is this true? Thanks in advance.

Don't worry - your PI counts if it's three.

Don't worry - your PI counts if it's three.


Thanks! :thumbup:

yup..I have 2 science letters and then one from a research PI and also our council letter from our health careers program.. it was quite a challenge b/c i wasn't a science major..

hey all just bumping and representing for the blue devils...yip-eeeeee

hey folks.... yesterday i got the call from duke that i am in off the waitlist. pretty kewl. thought i'd give y'all a shout out. still waiting on finaid info yet tho... not a done deal. yeah for me!

congrats seethrew...now we're rooting for laelia and all the others..ho hum..hope all is well..get those fin aid papers together folks..

~~L

Thanks LRmed! I am so excited to be finally posting to this thread, as I just got the call earlier this week! Yippeeeeeeeeeeeee!!! :D

Just a few questions for you guys who are current students or have known you were going to Duke for a while. 1) Is the computer cost included in the financial aid budget? I was looking in the budget posted online, and the only place where I could see room for it is under "Miscellaneous". Are the computer choices listed somewhere online? Just curious! 2) I was thinking about living in Beech Lake apartments next year - any thoughts? 3) Is there a Duke Class of 2009 website?

Thanks!!! I am still giddy from getting the call!!!!!!!! :laugh:

Thanks LRmed! I am so excited to be finally posting to this thread, as I just got the call earlier this week! Yippeeeeeeeeeeeee!!! :D

Just a few questions for you guys who are current students or have known you were going to Duke for a while. 1) Is the computer cost included in the financial aid budget? I was looking in the budget posted online, and the only place where I could see room for it is under "Miscellaneous". Are the computer choices listed somewhere online? Just curious! 2) I was thinking about living in Beech Lake apartments next year - any thoughts? 3) Is there a Duke Class of 2009 website?

Thanks!!! I am still giddy from getting the call!!!!!!!! :laugh:

yes, there is a c/0 2009 thread in case no one has told you yet
umm the cost of the computer is in the financial aid package they give you...I got mine the other day and it said something like "technology fee" or something.....I am not sure if you HAVE to get the computer they are offering, but I would recommend doing that! People spilled coffee on their laptops 10 minutes after taking it out of the bag and they had new ones a few minutes later....I think as long as the screen is intact you can get a brand new one if yours ever completely died...and plus the tech people are right there in CTL (where all of your labs will be) so even the smallest issue can be fixed ASAP...can't say that if you have an IBM or something
I'm not a huge fan of Dell computers but this thing has been rock solid the entire year! NO PROBLEMS (knock on wood!)
Congrats to everyone again...if you have any more questions PM me or I check the forums regularly....

Hey Fellow Duke Folks!

I'm new to SDN and just found our Duke Thread! I am DEFINITELY going to Duke (I was accepted last year and deferred) After traveling all year and goofing off, I am really excited to start school! HOW 'BOUT YOU GUYS?

I was at Second Look Weekend, so I probably met several of you! I've been living in Durham for about 3 months now, so if any of you need anything or have any questions about Durham, let me know!

Definitely planning on attending the Campout! See you guys soon!

Hey Fellow Duke Folks!

I'm new to SDN and just found our Duke Thread! I am DEFINITELY going to Duke (I was accepted last year and deferred) After traveling all year and goofing off, I am really excited to start school! HOW 'BOUT YOU GUYS?

I was at Second Look Weekend, so I probably met several of you! I've been living in Durham for about 3 months now, so if any of you need anything or have any questions about Durham, let me know!

Definitely planning on attending the Campout! See you guys soon!
I was accepted this year and deferred!

I was accepted this year and deferred!

So you'll start August 2006? What are your plans? HAVE LOTS OF FUN...it goes way too fast!

bump

bump

here. here. man, i hate finding housing. i'm so lazy.

Just trying to get a little poll/head count going. How many of you are going to the Campout?

Bump...who's out there?

Hey flashMD..

it looks like you took over for me on the bumping of the thread.. it's good to see someone else out there cars.. ;) . Anyway, I will definitely be at the cookout..I just finished the book "We Are All the Same," that they sent us..hmm what else? i am moving to durham 'round bout the 15th of july..have no idea how i am going to get all my stuff there since uhaul is talking about $700 for a one-way rental...craziness!!! anyway, hope all is well and folks are excited..see ya'll soon!!!

~L

That's right, I guess I'm the official new bumper! I can't believe you finished the book already! I decided I'd put it off until closer to orientation. Oh no, I'm procrastinating ALREADY! That can't be a good sign :) Good luck with your move...yeah, Uhaul pretty much STINKS! They know that they can stick it to you cause everyone has to move sometime! Did you figure out where you are living? Where is everyone else living? So far Durham seems pretty cool...though it's really HOT and HUMID! (I'm kind of a sissy though, been in Cali the last 5 years!) Can't wait to see you all and get started!

Hey flashMD..

it looks like you took over for me on the bumping of the thread.. it's good to see someone else out there cars.. ;) . Anyway, I will definitely be at the cookout..I just finished the book "We Are All the Same," that they sent us..hmm what else? i am moving to durham 'round bout the 15th of july..have no idea how i am going to get all my stuff there since uhaul is talking about $700 for a one-way rental...craziness!!! anyway, hope all is well and folks are excited..see ya'll soon!!!

~L

That's right, I guess I'm the official new bumper! I can't believe you finished the book already! I decided I'd put it off until closer to orientation. Oh no, I'm procrastinating ALREADY! That can't be a good sign :) Good luck with your move...yeah, Uhaul pretty much STINKS! They know that they can stick it to you cause everyone has to move sometime! Did you figure out where you are living? Where is everyone else living? So far Durham seems pretty cool...though it's really HOT and HUMID! (I'm kind of a sissy though, been in Cali the last 5 years!) Can't wait to see you all and get started!

We didn't talk about the book until the author came and spoke during lunch about 5 months into the school year, but the book we