We visited Notre Dame and Duke the week of the 9th-15th. Went very well. Both with very impressive campuses and student bodies. Lots and lots of construction going on at ND, with much of it due to be ready by the fall. I must say that the surrounding area offers zippo, as opposed to Duke, which offers plenty.
The shoe was obviously on the other foot now that acceptances have gone out. Before it was the students virtually begging to be let in but now it's the schools turn to beg. They are desperate to get their accepted kids to commit. Got to keep those yield numbers up. Both schools put on very nice "shows" to appeal to the kids and their parents. Duke definitely had more activities and things going on, including holding the closing ceremony on the floor of Cameron.
Notre Dame pushes that it's goal is the education of the entire person, ethically, morally, etc. It was an appeal that struck a chord with my wife, a devout Catholic. She's made her preference clear, even though ND is almost twice as far from us as Duke is. ND requires all students to complete a core of classes as freshmen, which includes 2 philosophy and 2 theology classes. Apparently, though, they are changing that after the entrance of the Class of 2021. Someone said that they've been doing it the same way for over 50 years and they felt it was time for a loosening of the curriculum. That's all well and good but a parent of a student entering this fall might not want to hear that the school feels it's time for a change...NEXT YEAR!
Apparently crime must be very low on ND's campus. A mother asked about the lack of HELP call boxes throughout campus and a women with the school said that the students look out for one another but that there was an app that every kid had that could contact help, if needed. She did admit that there were more call boxes on the perimeter of the campus. While we took a student led tour we saw 2 or 3 bikes thrown up into trees. The guide said that this is what happens if you leave your bike unlocked. It doesn't get stolen but some students will remind you that it could've been.
A couple of neat coincidences: we recently learned that my cousin's oldest daughter is a freshman at Duke and another cousin's son will start at ND in the fall. Daughter hasn't had much contact with these kids over the years but at least she'll have "family" wherever she chooses. By the way, the boy is one of triplets with his siblings going to Boston U and Binghamton. Can't even think about that tuition expense.
She received lots of financial aid. 
