Duke University Guide

Admissions Criteria: 

The factors Duke considers important for admissions are: course rigor, GPA, test scores, essays, extracurriculars, recommendations, talent, and character. In terms of academic preparation, high grades in challenging classes are key, as are high standardized test scores.

Other factors Duke considers in an application are: legacy status, first generation status, interviews, geographic origin, race/ethnicity, religious affiliation, demonstrated interest, and volunteer or work experience.

The way factors are weighted varies between Trinity College and the Pratt School. As these schools handle admissions separately, each has their own priorities. Trinity considers course rigor, GPA, test scores, extracurriculars, essays, and recommendations; each weighted the same. Pratt considers test scores, GPA, course rigor, extracurriculars, essays, and recommendations, with two-thirds of the overall weighting focused on academic preparation.

Interviews are not a guaranteed part of the admissions process, and students who are not granted one are invited to submit an additional letter of recommendation.

Recruited athletes are given a boost to their admissions chances, though they are still expected to be highly achieving academically. Around 5% of Duke’s students are recruited athletes.

What is Duke Looking For?

Duke, especially Trinity, is looking for passionate and dedicated students, who seek to make a genuine difference in the world. They read essays and extracurricular lists before examining grades and test scores and have a holistic approach to applications as a whole. Pratt is more focused on numbers when weighing the overall strength of an application, and stellar achievement there can make up for a lack elsewhere.

Both schools want specialists in terms of extracurricular involvement. Specializing shows a dedication and passion that Duke, much like all other top programs, looks for. Students should be the best at whatever they’re focusing on, or at least have high achievement. This will make their applications stand out more, and give them a stronger narrative to weave throughout.

For character, Duke wants students who are not just talented, but who want to apply their talents. They want students who enjoy learning for its own sake, not merely as a means to an end. Finally, they want to see authenticity, especially in the essays, rather than just bland statements that students believe they want to hear.

Duke has recently been promoting programs in the quantitative sciences, in both the Trinity and Pratt schools, and has hired a number of new faculty to support this venture. Students wishing to study quantitative sciences, especially in an interdisciplinary fashion, should make a note of this in their application essays.

Duke Strategy:

The easiest way to improve your chances of admission to Duke is to apply ED. Close to a third of Duke’s class is admitted early, and the pool is far smaller, and the admission rate much higher, than applying Regular Decision. If you know that Duke is your first-choice school, you should definitely apply early.

Next, you should determine the strengths of your application, and see which of Duke’s two schools would suit you better. If you have incredibly strong academics and a weaker “hook” through extracurriculars or essays, the Pratt School is likely a better choice. If you have some weaknesses academically but have very strong extracurriculars and a compelling narrative you should focus on Trinity College instead.

Duke’s yield rate is middling, and their appreciation for certainty is clear from their ED admit rates. While demonstrating interest will not guarantee admittance, it will give you a slight edge against comparable candidates. Here too the essays are important, especially the first, mandatory, prompt; which asks why Duke is a good fit for you. Take time and care answering this, and explain why you are a good fit for Duke, and how you specifically would benefit from the programs and opportunities they offer.