Duke University

“Duke, fortunately, is very explicit about its admissions criteria,Apr 01 2008Undecided
Duke, fortunately, is very explicit about its admissions criteria, unlike other schools. My GPA was NOT competitive with the pool--I had a 3.72 unweighted, and a 4.14 weighted. I was fully expecting a rejection letter. However, I had extensive involvement in Debate/Speech, held several leadership roles, and wrote what I thought to be a very well prepared essay that showed who I was without being cliche about it. They really care about your resume, really. It's what you do and what demonstrated talent/ability you have.
ACT: 35 Female

“I made straight A's in honors/AP classes, had goodAug 10 2007PreMed and Medical
I made straight A's in honors/AP classes, had good test scores, and extensive extracurricular involvement in theater.
SAT: 2270 Female

“Duke looks for a good fit so really explainApr 27 2007Engineering Department
Duke looks for a good fit so really explain why you think you are a good for the university and what you hope to contribute to the community. Get good grades, test scores, etc. just like any other competitive university. Also, Duke admissions wants to see that you've really dedicated yourself to something. They are not impressed by a long list of activities, but rather want to see one or two in which you really excelled or contributed a lot of time to. Focus on the depth at which you reached in those activities, as opposed to listing as many things as you did in high school as you possibly can. And, just be yourself and be honest!
ACT: 35 Male

“If you don't mind hanging around the arrogant, morallessApr 08 2006Economics
If you don't mind hanging around the arrogant, moralless people who are one day going to rule America then:
1.) Get really good grades.
2.) Get a really high SAT/ACT score.
3.) Do a bunch of clubs/sports that you care about.
4.) Identify one of your unique passions (ex. kids, website-making, photography, etc) and focus on that in your application.
SAT: 1510 Female

“Have a good GPA and ACT/SAT scoresDec 02 2005Anthropology
Have a good GPA and ACT/SAT scores. Essays and the interview were also helpful. I was dedicated to many extracurricular activities and had a well-rounded application. Visit the school campus to know the students to see if you are a good fit. I loved that Duke wasn't a stuck up school and that freshmen can have single dorms (most require you to have roommates). Duke heavily recruits minority students, so apply if you are a minority and take a chance. The Duke student body is diverse not just in race, but also in every aspect possible. They really do a great job with it, making the atmosphere flexible yet educational. If you are accepted, prepare to be challenged!
Female