Durham, NC: This past summer, my family and I visited Duke University, my first-choice school. We drove seven hours from Delaware to this beautiful little town with its nice college atmosphere. The people were friendly and the hotel was great. That first night, my parents and I decided to drive around the campus, but it was dark and we didn’t get the best look, so we headed back to the hotel.

The next morning, we went on a guided tour. A junior showed us around for an hour and really gave us a feel for what Duke life is all about. The buildings are amazing! The main campus is all Gothic architecture with stone walls and beautiful, distinct shapes. The dorm rooms are very stylish and livable, and the common rooms are well-equipped and welcoming. We also checked out the sports stadiums where the Blue Devils play.

After the tour, I was so excited to fill out an application and come to Duke that I forgot I had another year of high school to get through! Oh yeah, in case I forgot to mention it, Duke is fifth in the country in overall academics and offers a very challenging curriculum! This seems like just the school for me.

Overall, my experience at Duke was very positive and exciting. I am glad I had the chance to visit such an excellent college at this point in my high-school career because now I am really motivated to do my best so I might be accepted. Although I want to take my time and see more colleges before I decide, Duke has definitely caught my eye in a very good way.

Reviewed in 2004