• Pre-College Plan
    • Middle School
    • High School
    • Extracurriculars
    • Testing
  • Admissions
    • The Common App
    • Supplemental Info
    • Early Decision & Early Action
  • Your Application
    • Your Transcript
    • Test Scores
    • Extracurriculars
    • Recommendations
    • Essay/Personal Statement
  • Choosing
    • What to Consider
  • The Visit
    • Preparations
    • What to Ask
    • The Ideal Visit
  • Financial Aid
  • Checklists
    • 8th Grade
    • 9th Grade
    • 10th Grade
    • 11th Grade
    • 12th Grade
  • Resources

Welcome to TIPsterU!

Meet Noelle, Maddie, Paula, and Kevin!

They’re all TIPsters, they all just graduated high school, and they’re all going to be giving us a first-hand look at their first year of college in a video series we’re calling TIPsterU. Noelle is going to Ohio University, Maddie is going to Sarah Lawrence, Paula is going to Wellesley, and Kevin is going to Texas A&M.

You can watch all the upcoming videos here, at Duke TIP’s Alumni site, or on YouTube.

TIPsterU — Noelle reflects on her first year of college

***Sorry about the focus issues!***

In her seventh and final TIPsterU video, Noelle has packed up her dorm room and driven back home. She talks high school v. college, taking advantage of new opportunities, and taking a step back to evaluate your needs.

Follow TIPsterU here, at Duke TIP’s Alumni site, or on YouTube. Watch along as young TIP alums vlog their way through college, lending insight and advice for current TIPsters along the way.

Filed Under: TIPsterU

TIPsterU — Kevin Talks Being a Night Owl

In his fifth TIPsterU video, Kevin leaves the library at 4 a.m. and bemoans his workload.

Kevin is a first-year student at Texas A&M University.

Follow TIPsterU here, at Duke TIP’s Alumni site, or on YouTube. Watch along as young TIP alums vlog their way through college, lending insight and advice for current TIPsters along the way.

Filed Under: TIPsterU

TIPsterU — Noelle Talks Winter “Break”

In her sixth TIPsterU video, Noelle gives a quick update as she wraps up her winter break at home in North Carolina. She had a great first semester, but she also has some advice for other students who may not have fared as well.

Noelle is a first-year student at Ohio University.

Follow TIPsterU here, at Duke TIP’s Alumni site, or on YouTube. Watch along as young TIP alums vlog their way through college, lending insight and advice for current TIPsters along the way.

Filed Under: TIPsterU

TIPsterU — Kevin Talks Final Exam Pain and Packing for Winter Break

In his fourth TIPsterU video, Kevin confirms that he survived FINAL EXAMS, shares a highlight reel from his first semester of college, and makes a pun.

Kevin is a first-year student at Texas A&M University.

Follow TIPsterU here, at Duke TIP’s Alumni site, or on YouTube. Watch along as young TIP alums vlog their way through college, lending insight and advice for current TIPsters along the way.

Filed Under: TIPsterU

TIPsterU — Maddie Talks Long Research Papers and Noh Theater

In her third TIPsterU video, Maddie tells us all about CONFERENCE PROJECTS (Sarah Lawrence’s alternative to traditional finals) on her way to buy sponges at the bookstore.

Maddie is a first-year student at Sarah Lawrence College.

Follow TIPsterU here, at Duke TIP’s Alumni site, or on YouTube. Watch along as young TIP alums vlog their way through college, lending insight and advice for current TIPsters along the way.

Filed Under: TIPsterU

TIPsterU — Noelle Talks Midterms, Studying, and Falling into a Rhythm

In her fifth TIPsterU video, Noelle takes stock of her state of mind two months into her first year at Ohio University.

Follow TIPsterU here, at Duke TIP’s Alumni site, or on YouTube. Watch along as young TIP alums vlog their way through college, lending insight and advice for current TIPsters along the way.

Filed Under: TIPsterU

TIPsterU — Kevin Talks Natural Alarm Clocks and Online Lecture Slides

In his third TIPsterU video, Kevin delivers one of the more stereotypically college lines possible: “I mean, I could just not wash clothing, but then my roommate will get mad at me.”

Kevin is a first-year student at Texas A&M University.

Follow TIPsterU here, at Duke TIP’s Alumni site, or on YouTube. Watch along as young TIP alums vlog their way through college, lending insight and advice for current TIPsters along the way.

Filed Under: TIPsterU

TIPsterU — Noelle Talks Dorm Lobby Ping Pong and Aquatic Center Chlorine

In her fourth TIPsterU video, Noelle leads us through a foggy day at Ohio University. Along the way, she ranks the campus dining halls and describes chem lab with a medieval simile.

Follow TIPsterU here, at Duke TIP’s Alumni site, or on YouTube. Watch along as young TIP alums vlog their way through college, lending insight and advice for current TIPsters along the way.

Filed Under: TIPsterU

TIPsterU — Maddie Talks Housing Assignments and Class Registration

In her second TIPsterU video, Maddie leads us through her last month at home before heading to Sarah Lawrence, where she is starting her first year of college.

Follow TIPsterU here, at Duke TIP’s Alumni site, or on YouTube. Watch along as young TIP alums vlog their way through college, lending insight and advice for current TIPsters along the way.

Filed Under: TIPsterU

TIPsterU — Noelle Talks Upperclassmen Mentors, Dorm Cacti, and Feeling Overwhelmed

In her third TIPsterU video, Noelle survives the 8.5-hour road trip from North Carolina to Ohio with her 15-year-old sister behind the wheel. Once there, she decorates her dorm room, circumvents the “possessed” air conditioner, and counts down the days until classes start.

Noelle is a first-year student at Ohio University.

Follow TIPsterU here, at Duke TIP’s Alumni site, or on YouTube. Watch along as young TIP alums vlog their way through college, lending insight and advice for current TIPsters along the way.

Filed Under: TIPsterU

  • 1
  • 2
  • Next Page »

About Duke TIP



The Duke University Talent Identification Program (Duke TIP) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving academically gifted and talented youth. As a global leader in gifted and talented education, Duke TIP works with students, their families, and educators to identify, recognize, challenge, engage, and help students reach their highest potential. Visit Duke TIP's main website at www.tip.duke.edu.

Student TIPs

Look out for Student TIPs on each page for quick advice about every step of the college-prep process.

Parent TIPs

You'll also see some tips just for parents -- everything from setting realistic expectations to talking about financial aid.

Copyright © 2021 · Duke University Talent Identification Program · About Duke TIP