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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I find it funny how much this forum reveres Duke because of how few they take from the DMV. Perceptions of schools on here are just driven by perceived exclusivity, and it's gross.[/quote]

It's not just perceived exclusivity.  Duke has become known as a well rounded college experience where kids can have fun, attend sports games and also get a top notch education, while places like Princeton and Yale are known for being competitive and grindy with kids competing with another to get into clubs.  A lot of students (and their parents) want their kids to be in a more well rounded college environment and the weather helps too.  Also, with the protests, lots of Jewish parents have been souring on schools like Columbia and Harvard.  My Asian American, STEM-loving DD with very high stats applied ED to Duke and was deferred.[/quote]

Proud Duke alum here. Unfortunately, I hate to say it but though likely still more relaxed than HYP, Duke has gotten a lot more intense and grindy than it used to be. Kids are more competitive. It has its share of obnoxious pre-Wall Street club and the like. I am not very happy with what is happening with my beloved alma mater and I'm debating whether I want my child to go there. My current take is that they can still have a great time and won't feel obligated to fall in with that crowd, but I will be doing my homework. And I'm trying to figure out what a better option is that is academically rigorous but not super cut-throat.[/quote]

Curious.  What's the downside of "that crowd"?  Not snark. I have no background in finance or WS.[/quote]

See the striver thread that was around a month or two ago. The clubs started with the really good intention of helping kids who don't know a lot about finance prepare, which is admirable. They have now become cultish gatekeepers. I graduated from Duke and went to Wall Street. At the time it was a pretty chill process and most of it happened senior year - internships were helpful but not critical and were much more organic. Now it is all-consuming, starts ridiculously early, and the stress is worse than getting into college. It permeates the campus. Again, I think Duke is less bad than a lot of the other top 10 schools, but it is still just a less happy place to go to school than it used to be. Not everyone gets caught up in it but too many do.[/quote]

How do Duke kids actually get hired for these WS and consulting internships?

Does everything actually run through the clubs? Are they now the intermediaries between the firms and the applicants? Or is there a path where Duke kids get interviews and offers without being part of that club process? [/quote]

This is what I've heard - I think others who are closer to it can help. I think that banks like kids from these clubs because it makes it easier for them - these clubs theoretically screen (not sure what the criteria is) and also do some training, so their applicants to banks are basically pre-screened. The days of the banks being willing to hire a really bright English or biology major with minimal relevant background but who can easily be trained are long gone, which is really a shame.

Also, there are a lot of kids from these clubs at the banks and they get involved in recruiting and like to hire other kids from the club. So it is not that different from kids from a frat or team hiring others from their frat or team. I'm sure plenty of other kids get jobs, either based on merit/potential (what a novel idea!) and/or through other personal connections.

The problem is compounded by how accelerated the recruiting cycle is. It is critical to get an internship for summer after junior year, and recruiting for that starts early (I think early sophomore year?). So now you need to arrive at college knowing exactly what you want to do. Rather than using the time to grow, explore different things, take some risks, etc.[/quote]

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