Duke University

Duke University, a private research university in Durham, NC, is known for combining the top-tier academics of an Ivy League institution with the excellent sports teams and campus spirit of a large state school. Duke was formally founded in 1924, though a predecessor school, Trinity College, had operated in Durham since the 1890s. Today Duke’s campus is a scenic 8,693 acres with overseas locations in Singapore and China and a marine lab on a North Carolina island. Duke comprises ten schools. Duke undergraduates can study in the Trinity College of Arts and Sciences or the Pratt School of Engineering. The most popular majors are public policy, economics, and biology. There are more than 400 clubs and organizations on campus including 39 Greek chapters that more than 35% of students participate in. Duke is known for its powerhouse athletics; the Blue Devils field 27 NCAA Division I varsity teams, who are members of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Half of Duke students are minorities or they come from outside the U.S. and only 15% of students are North Carolina residents. Alumni include Apple CEO Tim Cook, senior advisor to President Trump Stephen Miller, Melinda Gates, and basketball players Kyrie Irving, Jayson Tatum, and Grayson Allen.