Duke University

Summary

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

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

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

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

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

General Information

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

Applying

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

For more information about the tests, essays, interviews and admissions process, visit the Applying to College knowledge center.

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

Academic Life

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