Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina. Duke offers its 6,500 undergrads great research opportunities, challenging academics, and a fun social experience. Duke is a favorite for students looking for a work-hard/play-hard college experience. So whether you are looking for so-called “Southern Ivies,” North Carolina Research Triangle schools, or even just really great basketball opportunities, Duke is a great choice.
There is a lot to love about Duke, but that has also made it hard to get into. Last year, their acceptance rate fell to just 6.3%. If you are hoping to get into Duke, you need to be a competitive candidate, and we want to help you do that. So, let’s break down what you need to do to get into Duke.
What is Duke looking for?
Duke uses a holistic review process, which means they look at a lot of different factors when assessing your application. They break down these factors in two places. One is in a blog called “What We Look For?” In it, they say:
“We’re guided initially by our assessment of five primary factors:
The rigor of a candidate’s academic program
Academic performance as measured by grades in academic courses
Letters of recommendation from two teachers and a counselor
Extracurricular activities
The quality of thought and expression in the application essay.”
They break down the importance of each factor in an annual document called the Common Data Set. We are sorry their chart has such small lettering, but pay close attention to the factors they consider, and especially those marked “very important.”
Rigor and Academic Performance
The first thing that Duke is going to look at is your transcript. They want to see that you are taking challenging courses. This could mean IB, AP, Honors, Accelerated, or Dual Enrollment. You should be taking whatever “hard” classes your high school offers. This is how you show academic rigor. But just taking the most challenging courses you can isn’t enough. You also need to do well in them. Last year, the average GPA for admitted students was 3.94 unweighted. Duke is looking for students who both challenge themselves and excel academically.
They also track this by class rank when applicable. Not all high schools rank their students. But if yours does, you should be trying for a top rank. 95% of admitted students from high schools that rank were in the top 10% of their class.
Even if your school doesn’t rank, this data can be helpful. Ask yourself: does your transcript look like a top 10% transcript, whether it is officially ranked or not? You can look like a top student by challenging yourself and maintaining a competitive GPA.
Test Scores
Duke is currently test optional. However, this is what they say about testing:
“Take the SAT or ACT. Investigate the standardized tests some colleges and universities require for admission. Buy a study guide and begin taking practice SAT and ACT tests. We recommend that students take an official SAT or ACT in the springtime of their junior year. Duke will be test-optional for students applying for admission in 2023-2024.”
They also consider testing “very important.” So, while they are test-optional, we recommend submitting scores. All of our students who successfully applied to Duke took and submitted test scores. This comes with one big asterisk, though. You need your scores to be high. Check out the admitted scores from last year:
Note that some of the numbers in the 75th percentile are perfect scores. This means at least 25% of admitted students (who sent scores) submitted perfected scores. If you are sending scores, they should be at least above the 25th percentile and, ideally, even higher.
Extracurriculars
Obviously not everyone with good grades and scores gets into Duke. They want to see students who have identified a passion and pursued that passion at the highest possible level. This is what Duke says about extracurriculars:
“Seeking Passion-Drive Students: Not only are extracurricular activities a great way for you to balance your academic life, but they are also a means by which you can identify your passions and interests. At Duke, we appreciate well-rounded and well-lopsided students that will make impact on our campus and in our community.”
But what does that mean? Duke values having an active student body and they are looking for applicants that fit that. Additionally, they want to see what you are passionate about. Ideally, your extracurriculars show commitment and leadership, and at least one of your passions connects to what you hope to study in college. For example, if you are hoping to major in Math, a great extracurricular resume might include:
Being captain of the Mathletes and taking your team to regionals
Founding a peer tutoring program and tutoring in STEM
Taking a summer course at a local college in mathematical theory
A summer job as a lifeguard and returning for multiple years
Playing varsity water polo
Volunteering at the local Y to teach kids how to swim
Not everything has to be connected to what you want to study. In this example, the student was also passionate about swimming. However, it really could have been anything. The important thing about this resume is that it is easy to see what this student is passionate about (in this case, swimming and math), and they have also shown commitment and leadership. See how far you can take your passions and get involved.
Letters of Recommendation
Duke mentions letters of recommendation several times in what they are looking for. However, there is really no trick here. You can’t control what your teachers say in their letters of recommendation. Hopefully, you have teachers who know you well and like you. Try to choose the teachers you ask based on the academic classes you especially shine in or those connected to what you hope to study at Duke.
You should ask your teachers early. They will appreciate you valuing their time. You should also take the time to fill out any brag of cheat sheets that your recommenders ask you for.
Essays
While you can’t control what your teachers write about, you can control what you write about yourself. Remember, they are looking for “quality of thought and expression” here. This means your Common App Essay needs to be not only well thought out but also well written.
A great Common App Essay does a couple of things:
It tells a good story.
It showcases a couple of the writer's positive characteristics or personal qualities.
It is well-written and creative.
We have a ton of blogs if you don’t know where to start (and we think this one is especially helpful), or we would be happy to help: reach out.
Duke also has a supplement. Technically, it's optional… but come on. They have a 6% acceptance rate. If you want to get in, you need to do the supplement and do it well. We have a blog that breaks it down here.
Finally, Consider Applying Early
If Duke is a top choice, you should consider applying Early Decision. You still need to be a great candidate, but it can help your odds. We said earlier that the acceptance rate is 6.3%, but that’s not the whole picture. That rate comes from two different rates. The Early Decision acceptance rate was 21.6% last year, while the Regular Decision rate was 5.2%
The bottom line is that getting into Duke is hard. You have to be a top student and a competitive candidate. You should be pushing yourself both in and outside of the classroom. We know it’s a lot to ask for, but it’s what it takes to get into a top college like Duke.
Need help applying? We have you covered. Contact us here!