My name is Sandy and I am applying to the Duke ABSN for Spring 2011, just wondering if there is anyone else out there applying? Only 2 months till the deadline and I am trying to get my personal statement finished, as well as spiffy up my resume!
I think I am anxious already! This may be a long ride!
Anyway....a little about me...
I have a BS in Environmental Management with a 3.73 GPA, didn't take the GRE, still working on the prerequisites but so far have a 4.0 in those classes.
I spent 10 years in the Navy, working as an aviation electronics technician and supervisor. Also did hazardous material control and other environmental stuff for my command. I also taught CPR for 5 or so years, as well as blood drive coordination. I was able to travel to a lot of neat places, and some that weren't! All-in-all it was a great experience for me. After leaving the military in late 2007, I worked for a semi-conductor company in RTP, doing research and development (not my favorite job). So, I decided to go to school for massage therapy, and I'm now a licensed therapist. So, that makes me something like 34 years young.
So, here I am....wanting to pursue a dream that I have had for long time! Thankfully I have the world's greatest husband! He is my rock and has encouraged me to take this leap! So let's do this!
I'm waiting for you! Hopefully someone will be here soon to go crazy in anticipation with me! :)
So, I've lived in Raleigh for 11 years, and commuted to jobs at Duke for about 4 of those. I wanted to throw out some humble ideas for housing options for those of you who are out of town. I've never lived in Durham, so definitely take all this with a grain of salt, and look into the rent and the property management companies and everything that you'd normally do. Also, any other locals who want to add comments or corrections, go for it :-)
Some general thoughts about the area: You will find good and bad spots in Durham, it just takes some research. It will be very hard to do anything without a car, especially considering clinicals. The bus system will get you places but it might take 2 hours one way to get from A to B. I would recommend avoiding a commute that involves the I-40 corridor if possible. Another problem area during rush hour is the 15-501 stretch between Chapel Hill and Durham.
I think some good ideas about apartments in Durham have been suggested, and I wanted to add some areas that aren't necessarily close to Duke but are good locations in terms of stuff to do and highway access - since it sounds like we'll have a lot of traveling to do for clinicals.
One would be the Brier Creek area. If you google map it, it's at Brier Creek Pkwy and NC Hwy 70. This is convenient to Hwy 70, which is a more consistent commute into Durham during rush hours in terms of the risk of an accident shutting everything down (70 to I-85). It's also convenient to the "outer beltline" I-540, which will take you either southwest to Durham or northeast to Raleigh. Brier Creek has a lot of shopping and restaurants in one place.
Another idea is the Southpoint area. This is in south Durham off of I-40 (google maps: Fayetteville Rd and I-40, Streets at Southpoint). This area is convenient to a couple of roads that run north into Durham, 751 and 147, and being next to I-40 you would also have highway access to Chapel Hill and Raleigh. Southpoint is also an area with a lot of shopping/restaurants. The rush hour traffic up/down 147 can get kind of heavy, but I don't know about 751.
Just as an FYI for those wanting to live near campus... check out University Apartments (I live here, full disclosure!). It's just over one mile from my door to the nursing school, plus I'm on a bus route directly to there and two blocks from a free campus bus that also goes up to school. It's a complex built in 1936 that was just fully remodelled inside and out so while it's still got its historical charm, it's now ridiculously energy efficient (we have a 2 bedroom and our electric bill in a blazing hot July was under $70), rent includes heat & hot/cold water, still has the original hardwood floors refinished, has huge windows and the kitchens... oh the kitchens... gorgeous.
Anyways. Sorry, nice kitchens make me drift off all happy-like. We just moved up from years of Generic Rental Kitchens to granite countertops and new appliances and my inner foodie is still dancing. ANYWAYS.
The point I was going to make was it's reaaaally close to campus but a super nice, QUIET, safe place to live. All the buildings have locked exterior doors if peace of mind is a big issue. Rent seems to be average for the nicer quality places around here. And the apartment manager is actually someone I taught in undergrad four states away (small world!), so I can vouch for her as a fantastic person and a great manager. I spoke with her today and she confirmed they will have a few units available for January, even though she's 100% full right now. So if you don't wanna battle traffic to campus every day and park out in the overflow lot with everyone else, it's somewhere to look. (If you talk to Amy, tell her Kristin sent you, she'd be so entertained that I'm plugging for her online.)
Also - the Duke Community Housing page is where everyone around here rents out rooms if you're the type to house-share. One of our classmates has the entire top floor of this great little house about 2 miles from campus, fully furnished, all utilities included, gorgeous huge garden in the back... and pays what I think is criminally low rent for it, too. :)
It's RAD. I'm coming from FL, so I'm used to $200-300 in the summer and when it gets cold (like it did this January) we hit $450 in a townhouse because all anyone has down there are the heat pumps that work down 'till about 50 degrees then start running off heat coils. I think we ran the coils 24/7 that month. That was a *painful* bill. I can't wait until winter here when literally the only things we're paying for are the fridge, lightbulbs, TV, dishwasher, and laundry.
Oh Pammy! I totally know the boat you're in, since I'm in it, too! This afternoon I emailed M to find out if they have the rankings yet-- have you heard anything? Do you happen to know how many are on the waitlist, or how many they accepted compared to how many spots there are? It sounds like future UNCers won't be declining Duke's offer for a few months... such a long time to wait! And making plans without knowing what's going to happen is completely crazy!. My fingers are absolutely crossed.
Hey all. i will be heading down in two weeks to look at apartments and if anyone is interested in meet up let me know. Also if your not working right now i think i have a way to help you out.. That 500 deposit is a lot for some of us.
Has anyone received their FIn Aid Package yet? How did it pan out? just trying to get an idea.
B. Salomon - She said the waitlist rankings will be available late Aug/early September. I figure I'll email her after Labor Day if I don't hear anything this week. Have you heard anything? 66 people were offered admission and 23 are on the waitlist.
Pammy!-- I just heard this afternoon-- hopefully you'll hear your spot soon! "We have pulled everyone from the waitlist for the past two terms, but we just can't predict how it will be this time around. We do anticipate going to the waitlist, however." Fingers STILL crossed! Good luck!
Just wanted to check in and see how the first week has been! I'm waiting in anticipation for school to begin in January, and so would love to hear any details!
So is anyone else just working crappy part-time jobs until school starts? I'm used to having career jobs, crappy though they were. I'm not used to getting paid poverty wages for really dumb work that probably doesn't even really need to be done. Anyone else in this boat?
We just moved up from years of Generic Rental Kitchens to granite countertops and new appliances and my inner foodie is still dancing. ANYWAYS. 
chickenlake
15 Posts
Hey y'all!
So, I've lived in Raleigh for 11 years, and commuted to jobs at Duke for about 4 of those. I wanted to throw out some humble ideas for housing options for those of you who are out of town. I've never lived in Durham, so definitely take all this with a grain of salt, and look into the rent and the property management companies and everything that you'd normally do. Also, any other locals who want to add comments or corrections, go for it :-)
Some general thoughts about the area: You will find good and bad spots in Durham, it just takes some research. It will be very hard to do anything without a car, especially considering clinicals. The bus system will get you places but it might take 2 hours one way to get from A to B. I would recommend avoiding a commute that involves the I-40 corridor if possible. Another problem area during rush hour is the 15-501 stretch between Chapel Hill and Durham.
I think some good ideas about apartments in Durham have been suggested, and I wanted to add some areas that aren't necessarily close to Duke but are good locations in terms of stuff to do and highway access - since it sounds like we'll have a lot of traveling to do for clinicals.
One would be the Brier Creek area. If you google map it, it's at Brier Creek Pkwy and NC Hwy 70. This is convenient to Hwy 70, which is a more consistent commute into Durham during rush hours in terms of the risk of an accident shutting everything down (70 to I-85). It's also convenient to the "outer beltline" I-540, which will take you either southwest to Durham or northeast to Raleigh. Brier Creek has a lot of shopping and restaurants in one place.
Another idea is the Southpoint area. This is in south Durham off of I-40 (google maps: Fayetteville Rd and I-40, Streets at Southpoint). This area is convenient to a couple of roads that run north into Durham, 751 and 147, and being next to I-40 you would also have highway access to Chapel Hill and Raleigh. Southpoint is also an area with a lot of shopping/restaurants. The rush hour traffic up/down 147 can get kind of heavy, but I don't know about 751.
Hope this helps a bit, and good luck!