Column: Would you let your sister come to Duke?

While home over break my little sister and I started talking colleges. Although she has been dragged along for two older brothers worth of college visits she admitted to me in confidence that she didn't really "pay much attention during all those information sessions." I told her not to worry--neither had I.

One thing led to another and she asked me if I thought she should apply to Duke. My initial reaction was of course; it's a great place. After all, it's where I go; I am placing myself under a pile of financial burden just to stay here. I mean its so much fun, I am learning so much. Right?

Just as quickly as these thoughts came into my head I realized that these were only my justifications on why I should stay and not make the scary leap to some other place (which I know could be just as bad, or is that just another justification?). I thought of the dead social scene on campus. Did I really want to pass that onto my sister? I get a little unsettled at the thought of my little sister trucking off to a random off- campus party (Safe Rides claims to service off campus, but real life has taught almost all of us differently).

We label ourselves "tomorrow's leaders," yet wake up early on a Sunday morning and you'll find a campus covered in broken glass, aluminum cans and garbage. Just because George W is destroying the environment doesn't mean we should. On a weekly basis we trash one of the most beautiful campuses in the country. Walk across this campus, the diversity that Duke points to on bar graphs is quickly translated into an almost segregated campus. Yeah, sure, argue that most places aren't much better. You know that they can't be much worse.

Academically I wondered how great this place is. My sister tells me she is interested in art and biology. That's cool--I am an architecture major because I love design, and it allows me to take courses in almost every different field. Architecture had the added benefit of being a Program II major getting me out of the nuttiness of Curriculum 2000. Under Curriculum 2000 you can barely graduate as a biology major alone on time, let alone trying to pursue an interest in art.

For anyone with remotely different interests, Duke has made them very hard to pursue. I once heard a saying that most kids are more interesting coming into Duke (remember all the kids they bragged about in your orientation?) than they were four years later upon graduation. Academically it took me two years to really become stimulated by something, it was only three years and almost $120,000 (for the same amount I could have gone to a strong state school for nine years) into college that I met a group of teachers that really stimulated me intellectually. Maybe some did it faster, but I didn't know a soul when I got here. It will easily cost most Duke students over $150,000 to go here, much more when you factor in the interest on your loans. Are we getting our money's worth?

Honestly ask yourself the same question, would you recommend Duke to someone you cared about? Why? Why not? This weekend I came up with one solid reason why I wouldn't mind seeing my sister take an interest in Duke. The women's basketball team represents to me something I can really respect. A group that stands up to the academic bar, are amazing athletes and are grounded in the real world. I don't think I would mind if my sisters choose one of them as a role model over me.

So I realize that this is the column that the jaded senior is supposed to write, but too bad the juniors got hit with Curriculum 2000, the closing of the Hideaway and Duke's ever decreasing commitment to a safe social campus, and then came the new housing system.