My dad and I had toured several different colleges in the southeast including South Carolina, Wake Forest and Chapel Hill. Then we took an official tour at Duke and it was all over. I am the oldest of three children and after my dad saw my reaction, he couldn’t resist committing to Duke with me. The students I met that day were so much more impressive than the ones at other schools (perhaps circumstantial in hindsight). This decision meant my younger siblings would not have the opportunity to go to an equally expensive school (as it turned out, neither had the scores). It was a really dumb financial decision, but it was the right decision (I have not earned much money compared to my fellow alumni). My dad and I are still paying off those loans to this day, but the way Duke affected my life was worth it. The woman I fell in love with post grad, the career I’m in now and the way I raise my kids are all products of my Duke education and my Duke social network. Just one man’s opinion.
