Duke 1L (soon to be 2L) taking questions Forum

[SplitMyPants]

Follow up the parking pass question for incoming 1Ls. Looking at the map, the distance to the law school seems to be roughly equal between the two, but blue is twice as expensive. Is this because there are many more blue lots? Is this worth it?

I think it's just that the pricing is not related to the law school. It seems Blue Lot might be generally better if you are not Fuqua or Law.

[Winston1984]

Follow up the parking pass question for incoming 1Ls. Looking at the map, the distance to the law school seems to be roughly equal between the two, but blue is twice as expensive. Is this because there are many more blue lots? Is this worth it?

I think it's just that the pricing is not related to the law school. It seems Blue Lot might be generally better if you are not Fuqua or Law.

Gotcha. So we should roll with the green lot if we can get it?

[SplitMyPants]

Follow up the parking pass question for incoming 1Ls. Looking at the map, the distance to the law school seems to be roughly equal between the two, but blue is twice as expensive. Is this because there are many more blue lots? Is this worth it?

I think it's just that the pricing is not related to the law school. It seems Blue Lot might be generally better if you are not Fuqua or Law.

Gotcha. So we should roll with the green lot if we can get it?

That's what I'm doing. Pretty bummed we couldn't get Chem Lot this year...

[Winston1984]

Follow up the parking pass question for incoming 1Ls. Looking at the map, the distance to the law school seems to be roughly equal between the two, but blue is twice as expensive. Is this because there are many more blue lots? Is this worth it?

I think it's just that the pricing is not related to the law school. It seems Blue Lot might be generally better if you are not Fuqua or Law.

Gotcha. So we should roll with the green lot if we can get it?

That's what I'm doing. Pretty bummed we couldn't get Chem Lot this year...

Did 2Ls have the option of getting it last year? And thanks for your help!

[SplitMyPants]

That's what I'm doing. Pretty bummed we couldn't get Chem Lot this year...

Did 2Ls have the option of getting it last year? And thanks for your help!

I think so... someone correct me if I'm wrong.

[FluffMonster]

That's what I'm doing. Pretty bummed we couldn't get Chem Lot this year...

Did 2Ls have the option of getting it last year? And thanks for your help!

I think so... someone correct me if I'm wrong.

Yes, 2Ls could get Chem last year.

[Serett]

So I'm going to emphatically dispute the notion that the Green Lot was over-sold last year. There are multiple lots that comprise the Green Lot, including two on Duke University Road, which, combined, never fill up. You just have to know what your pass gets you and where the lots are. Those lots are the furthest away of our options, but speaking even as someone who never showed up until right before class, never was there nowhere to park. It just meant that I went straight to the Duke University Road Lots every day.

So 1Ls, yeah, chances are you want the Green Zone unless money is no object.

[kalcifer]

Chem lot was oversold last year. Knowing them, I am sure they will undersell this year.

[gta]

Green lot >>> Blue lot because of the bus that will take you directly from the back or front of the Green lot directly to the law school door (and vice versa). Very useful in oppressive heat & humidity or when it's raining

[MadwomanintheAttic]

Do we pick up our Duke Card during LEAD Week? Also, is there an email that goes out with how to go about getting a Duke Card?

[SplitMyPants]

Do we pick up our Duke Card during LEAD Week? Also, is there an email that goes out with how to go about getting a Duke Card?

If you show up early and want to use the gym and such, you can pick it up from the card office. If you wait too long (e.g. the weekend before LEAD week), the law school will have already picked it up and you will have to wait to get it that week.

When they ask if you want to "enable FLEX," just say yes, even if you only put $1 on it. It's a meaningless distinction between having a FLEX enabled vs unenabled card. Yet, you somehow have to go all the way to the effing card office to change your choice from no to yes... All it means is whether or not you can load money on the card.

This will be useful if, say, you have your card but a buddy is waiting til LEAD week and you want to pay $5 on FLEX to get them into the gym with you. FLEX is also just generally useful to have available.

[FeraFera]

So I'm going to emphatically dispute the notion that the Green Lot was over-sold last year. There are multiple lots that comprise the Green Lot, including two on Duke University Road, which, combined, never fill up. You just have to know what your pass gets you and where the lots are. Those lots are the furthest away of our options, but speaking even as someone who never showed up until right before class, never was there nowhere to park. It just meant that I went straight to the Duke University Road Lots every day.

So 1Ls, yeah, chances are you want the Green Zone unless money is no object.

Ok, but you might want to mention that the walk from those shithole gravel lots you're talking about is 20 mins. or (probably) more (and the closer of the two DOES frequently fill up -- or, it did a couple years ago at least). I mean, I'd definitely go green over blue, but on days when you don't get the green lot law students were intended to get, you're probably going to find yourself using the term "over-sold."

[Brady199]

The Duke card gives free rides on DATA as well, right? Could I possibly take the bus to school from University Apartments everyday then?

[DOOK101]

The Duke card gives free rides on DATA as well, right? Could I possibly take the bus to school from University Apartments everyday then?

Not very familiar with the schedule, but DATA is not reliable and runs very infrequently. Don't think of DATA like the mass transit you'll have in a major city like NY or DC. It's literally one bus on a busy road. Don't rely on it. Get a car. I don't know how people go to graduate school at Duke without a car.

[Serett]

So I'm going to emphatically dispute the notion that the Green Lot was over-sold last year. There are multiple lots that comprise the Green Lot, including two on Duke University Road, which, combined, never fill up. You just have to know what your pass gets you and where the lots are. Those lots are the furthest away of our options, but speaking even as someone who never showed up until right before class, never was there nowhere to park. It just meant that I went straight to the Duke University Road Lots every day.

So 1Ls, yeah, chances are you want the Green Zone unless money is no object.

Ok, but you might want to mention that the walk from those shithole gravel lots you're talking about is 20 mins. or (probably) more (and the closer of the two DOES frequently fill up -- or, it did a couple years ago at least). I mean, I'd definitely go green over blue, but on days when you don't get the green lot law students were intended to get, you're probably going to find yourself using the term "over-sold."

12-15 minutes in my experience, and I already posted a map and mentioned that they're the furthest lots away. And as I mentioned, I almost always used the Duke University Road Lots myself (and when I didn't, I used the Eden Lots across from the Blue Lot--not the Green Lot we "were intended to get," although it's news to me that we were intended to get a particular lot among the various Green Lots). The closer one does occasionally, but they're right next to each other (and I did make a point of saying "combined").

Fact is, there's never nowhere to park, and you never have to pay to park somewhere else. That's misinformation, pure and simple. The honest decision between Blue vs. Green is whether an additional five minute walk each direction is worth paying twice as much for a parking pass. Maybe it is, maybe it isn't, depending on the individual, but that's the accurate trade-off.

[FeraFera]

12-15 minutes in my experience, and I already posted a map and mentioned that they're the furthest lots away. And as I mentioned, I almost always used the Duke University Road Lots myself (and when I didn't, I used the Eden Lots across from the Blue Lot--not the Green Lot we "were intended to get," although it's news to me that we were intended to get a particular lot among the various Green Lots). The closer one does occasionally, but they're right next to each other (and I did make a point of saying "combined").

You realize the point of my post was just to say "you're probably going to be pretty pissed about having green zone on those days that you get stuck in the gravel lots, but green zone is still a better pick than blue zone," right?

Not sure if you took what I said the wrong way or if you're just naturally hyper-defensive, but a couple things: 1) By "intended to get," I meant the green lot virtually any law student would think of first when talking about the green zone. I mean, it's fairly obvious that we're given the green zone permit option because of the science drive area lot and not because because of the gravel lots. But I suppose that was a loose phrasing -- worthwhile catch, dude. And, 2) I definitely never made that walk in 15 mins, but maybe that's just me.

[Serett]

12-15 minutes in my experience, and I already posted a map and mentioned that they're the furthest lots away. And as I mentioned, I almost always used the Duke University Road Lots myself (and when I didn't, I used the Eden Lots across from the Blue Lot--not the Green Lot we "were intended to get," although it's news to me that we were intended to get a particular lot among the various Green Lots). The closer one does occasionally, but they're right next to each other (and I did make a point of saying "combined").

You realize the point of my post was just to say "you're probably going to be pretty pissed about having green zone on those days that you get stuck in the gravel lots, but green zone is still a better pick than blue zone," right?

Not sure if you took what I said the wrong way or if you're just naturally hyper-defensive, but a couple things: 1) By "intended to get," I meant the green lot virtually any law student would think of first when talking about the green zone. I mean, it's fairly obvious that we're given the green zone permit option because of the science drive area lot and not because because of the gravel lots. But I suppose that was a loose phrasing -- worthwhile catch, dude. And, 2) I definitely never made that walk in 15 mins, but maybe that's just me.

I probably did take it the wrong way, so fair enough. Between the two of us, I think the 1Ls have the information they need to make an informed choice, in any case.

[SplitMyPants]

I think the real takeaway and common ground here is that duke parking is a pile of horse shit.

But everything else about Duke totally makes up for it, 0Ls. Really.

[Brady199]

But everything else about Duke totally makes up for it, 0Ls. Really.[/quote]

Haha. Glad I didn't pick a school where people whine all the time. Real positive consensus from current students.

And if this is the reason, then hell ; I am one of them.
http://abovethelaw.com/2009/09/atl-douc ... aw-school/

[Brady199]

I know that the Financial Aid office has put the COA - Tuition and Fees at $22k for 15-16.

If paying $525 as rent, what is the realistic average figure for those expenses? Coming from someone who lives on the thrifty side.

[Serett]

I know that the Financial Aid office has put the COA - Tuition and Fees at $22k for 15-16.

If paying $525 as rent, what is the realistic average figure for those expenses? Coming from someone who lives on the thrifty side.

I can't be certain what your particular situation will come out to, but I can say that my bank account tells me I've spent $20-22k total since August 1, 2014 with rent of $600/month + utilities and not living at all thriftily (like eating out for every meal). Since the $22k figure is specifically for the ~9 month school year, I actually spent even less than that. IMO, you'd really have to try to exceed, or even come close to, the $22k figure.

[: )]

Hellooo Dukies! Is a suit necessary at any point during the first semester? I wanted to hold buying a new one until maybe around Christmas time. Do I need one for orientation maybe?

Are we going to get more information about sending photos for the Duke Card? Or do we take pictures or submit them once we get to Duke?

Lastly, if DATA is not that reliable, how reliable are the Duke shuttles that run through all the campuses? TYIA!

[Serett]

Hellooo Dukies! Is a suit necessary at any point during the first semester? I wanted to hold buying a new one until maybe around Christmas time. Do I need one for orientation maybe?

I think there were one or two optional things first semester to which I wore a suit, but nothing mandatory required one.

Are we going to get more information about sending photos for the Duke Card? Or do we take pictures or submit them once we get to Duke?

http://dco3.auxserv.duke.edu/myfirstdukecard/

But yes, you either should have gotten or will get emails.

Lastly, if DATA is not that reliable, how reliable are the Duke shuttles that run through all the campuses? TYIA!

Can't help with this one.

[SplitMyPants]

Certainly don't need a suit for orientation. But it is worth having one for things like, for example, the Transactional Law Competition, should you choose to participate. If the choice is between getting a better fitting suit and not, then sure--wait. But if you are currently without a suit, it is probably worth it to buy one.

[SplitMyPants]

Accidentally posted this in the wrong thread before:

For rising 2Ls, what are some must-haves in our first registration window if we want a shot at getting them?
For example, will IP likely fill up? Ethics?