Duke University: A perfect Blend of Academics, Innovation and Vibrant Campus Life

Washington University

8.7(4 Reviews)

University of Illinois

7.9(19 Reviews)

Texas A&M University

8.0(5 Reviews)

Purdue University

7.9(17 Reviews)

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

7.9(11 Reviews)

Reason for choosing my college

• I chose Duke University over others because of its strong industry-oriented Meng program in BME and the flexibility it offers. Duke's program stood out as it had 10 strong, well-developed concentrations, each backed by relevant courses, making it highly customizable to career goals. Duke has great certificate options, out of which I am doing the Medical Device Design and Innovation & Entrepreneurship certificate, which adds on to my degree.
• Its based in Durham, which is very close to Research Triangle Park, which is one of the biggest medtech and biotech hubs, which makes it easy to network and gives us various opportunities. WashU had a great research program but it was less industry-focused and had limited connections with medtech companies and people. UIUC was MEng bioengineering and was more computational. Also, it was just a 1-year program so I had to drop it. TAMU was great with the program but it had too many students and the ratio was not right. Texas was not a hub for Medtech either, so it limits nearby opportunities to network.
• The University of Minnesota was in the hub but the weather is extreme and I did not want to take a chance. Also, it was more research focused but it is a great place to do BME, just not for me. Purdue had an amazing program for industry-oriented BME but location and student population were a setback. Overall, Duke was a no-brainer, as it was one of the top universities in the US and ranked #2 for BME and it is very well known in the medtech industry. The alumni were all in good jobs and the employment rate of BME graduates from Duke was higher than all others.

• BE YOURSELF. They will find out if you lie. Show that you are actually interested in wanting to be at Duke. Include names of faculties whose work interests you and under whom you would love to work/study. Show metrics and facts instead of plain sentences. Follow the resume format. Talk about long-term goals and relate to how Duke will help you reach them.
• Talk about Duke's curriculum and coursework that interested you a lot. This shows you have done your research and put time into all of this.
• Choose recommenders properly. It must be someone who has seen you for a minimum of 2 years and you should have worked or learned under them. Also talk about your leadership experiences and social responsibilities, which make you a well-rounded person and Duke loves students who think more than just academics. Include statements showing your diversity, inclusivity and how you be with people. Talk about how you led a team or contributed to a team. A team player is always wanted and respected here. A resume should only be 1 page if you're a fresher or have under 5 years of experience. Proofread multiple times.

• The US has the biggest medical device companies and healthcare innovators who realize the worth of BME, unlike other countries that are yet to adapt biomedical engineers or understand their worth to full extent. More related jobs for BME graduates compared to other countries.
• Duke is ranked #2 for BME and #5 for masters BME so its very well known for these degrees and companies love to hire students from Duke as its a well-known fact that students from Duke will be strong in all aspects.
• It has 10 concentrations like medical device design, biomechanics, neural engineering, biotechnology, etc. for MS and MEng programs with tailored coursework for each, which makes you build your own career path. Durham is close to RTP, which is a hub for biotech and medtech companies and startups, which makes it easier for networking and getting known about more opportunities.
• Duke has great career services with resume prep, interview prep, and networking, which helps you build your soft skills and identify your weak points and how to improve with a professional. The great alumni network also adds on to this.

• 3 to 4 courses per semester. Timings vary a lot. It can be anytime between 8:30 a.m. and 9pm. Each course has one class of 3 hours per week. Some classes might be split in two and have 1.5 hours in two days. The average strength of the class will be 20 to 30, which is wonderful.
• Larger lectures might have up to 70. Indians are below 10, which makes it good so that we can interact with students from other backgrounds and learn new things and perspectives. You would have to spend a minimum of 5-10 hours outside of class for each course, depending on the course. Time management is very crucial and team assignment will be important.

• Duke has a very low student-to-faculty ratio, which lets all students get individual attention and faculties even remember names, which is rare for a masters degree. Faculties are extremely sweet and highly approachable and will guide you through anything and everything!
• All faculties have 10+ minimum years of industry experience in the related field in leading companies like GE Healthcare, Medtronic, etc. They teach stuff directly required in the industry and let us know what its like there. Some even might have their own business on the side or be the founder of multiple startups so all are very knowledgeable.
• They definitely guide all students and mentor us to get jobs/internships. They do provide references if they are impressed with your work. However, they will not directly connect you with someone, as its not fair for other students.

• West (Hear of Duke with everything) and East (mostly dorms, dining halls) campus. It has every single facility you can think of and Duke students have access to everything. Perkins and Bostock libraries, Wilson and Brodie Gym, Duke Health Center, Sarah P Gardens, Fuqua School of Business.
• All Duke basketball game days are epic. We have the LDOC (Last Day of Classes) festival with live concerts, food and celebrations. Diya (Sound Asian Cultural Fest). Major hackathons take place here too. Almost every day has some events going on around campus.
• There is a separate app called Duke Groups, which lets you track and get to know of the various events done by different organizations. Amazing food court called Brodhead Centre, which is home to multiple cuisines, including an Indian restaurant.

• 16$ minimum wage per hour. I can mention all in the previous question. It is easy to get part-time compared to other universities. Apply through the website and mail directly to employers to get better results, which shows your interest.
• Indian students love working anywhere on campus. Money is money anywhere. All the places and people are friendly and its not a problem.

• They have a specific website where all the part-time jobs for both on campus and off campus are posted so students can check regularly and apply directly through the portal. For TA/RA/DA students, directly approach the professors and get their permission and get enrolled. Minimum pay is 16$ at Duke, which is high compared to average pay at other universities.
• Students can work up to 20 hours per week. Because of its smaller student population, almost everyone can get a part-time job if they put in the effort and reach out proactively. Students can work at various places around campus, including libraries, gyms, departments of the universities, etc. International students cannot work off campus due to our visa but on campus jobs are plenty.

• Here's all you. Campus does not directly connect you with companies. But they provide all resources and guide you to be a good candidate. Almost everyone gets a job within 6 months of graduation, with very few exceptions. Average salary for BME graduates is $100,000 USD per year.
• Students apply directly to companies through various job websites like LinkedIn, Handshake, Indeed, etc. Lowest salary may be around 70k USD and highest up to 150k USD. This is not just Duke but any other university in the US.

• Online platforms. Students usually form WhatsApp groups where they can connect and look for accommodation together. Duke offers websites to look at housing options too. There are many housing options very close to Duke where transportation is also available through Duke buses so it will not be a problem at all. Just connect with immediate seniors through LinkedIn, and they will help you out easily with necessary contacts.
• Duke will reply to emails immediately and their staff will help you out too. Its not a big challenge to find housing or a place to live. Its very trustworthy, and online reviews will tell you properly too.