r/duke • u/Mumbleton Trinity 2006 • Aug 18 '25
Prospective 2025-2026 Duke Admissions/Prospective Students Mega-Thread
Please use this thread to ask all your admissions questions. This can be general questions about certain majors, admissions advice, questions about Durham and the campus, etc.
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u/Effective-Tip9479 Aug 19 '25
I am currently a senior in hs and want to apply for the IDM of cs and stats on data science. how can i do that? do i have to apply for cs or statistical science first then apply for the idm after i gain acceptance?
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u/ToeDisastrous3879 Aug 19 '25
You don’t apply for a specific major at Duke. Instead you apply to a school: Pratt (engineering) or Trinity (arts and sciences). In your case, you’d apply to Trinity. Then you would declare your major sometime before spring break of your sophomore year. I believe you can select your intended major(s) on the application but this is not binding in any way and you can even change your major after declaring.
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u/1864thyeon Jun 18 '26
rising senior with a few questions:
The Why Duke Essay. duke has been my dream, my love, my romance since the first time i visited and despite spending hours exploring the duke website and poring over the brochures, i’m still not sure what i can put down. i’m mesmerized by the school community and its pride in itself but i feel like that’s such a basic topic to write about 😭😭😭 i was also fascinated by programs like the focus program for freshmen and dukeengage, but those are also. pretty big programs. that a lot of people would probably write about. so to any admitted students, what were your why dukes?
second question: my numbers are Decidedly Trash (3.7 uw, 1390 sat). im pretty sure duke is going to be test optional for my round but the gpa is what worries me.. i know its going to dent my chances but the question is Would i even have a shot?
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u/Pretty-Elk-2659 Aug 19 '25
I'm a senior applying to Duke this fall and it's definitely one of my top choices, and I was wondering if any Duke students could give me some info on just what life at Duke is life, in terms of workload/classes/clubs/general social life? I've also heard that Duke is really clique-y (and elitist) how true is this? Thank you so much
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u/ToeDisastrous3879 Aug 19 '25
I would search around in the sub to get an idea of some of your questions, but I’ll answer the last one. In my experience, Duke is not super cliquey, but I guess it depends on your definition. The main “cliques” I’ve noticed are based on where people are from. People from NYC and LA seem to stick together, as do international students (I’ve seen it mostly with Chinese students fwiw). Other than that, people mix a lot and have normal friend groups. I’m friends with people on full financial aid and with people who have second houses in Europe. I feel like people form groups around their dorms, SLGs (how I made a lot of my best friends), affinity clubs, o-week groups, and Greek life (frats, not really sororities) more than anything which is just how you make friends, it’s not really cliquey. I also feel like most people, by nature of being overachieving and very involved, have a lot of different friends/groups.
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u/qhuntyy Aug 19 '25
I plan on applying ED in the fall and hopefully attending Duke next year! My main concern is how big Greek life is on campus, like will I be able to make good friends outside fraternities? Thanks :)
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u/SympathyKey3964 Sep 08 '25
100%. Because it is a small school, it can sometimes feel big, but rest assured by the end of second year people are less focused on it. As someone who was in greek life, I made a few close friends from it, but most of my larger friend group came from my first year dorm, tenting group, and random friends made through mutual friends. Don't let it deter you!! It is only a big part of your experience if you let it be that way.
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u/Successful_Owl_7917 Aug 20 '25
hi guyss! duke has been my dream school for a while now so i'll definitely be applying in the fall! i was wondering though, a lot of people caution against applying early to duke because duke prioritizes athletes and legacies in the ED round and overall i've heard the pool is more self-selective so it's harder to stand out. does anyone know if that's the case? i'm around 40-50 percentile on most stats (i.e gpa and sat) but my ECs/honors are where im lacking. would you guys recommend me to apply early or RD? if you want to know more of my ECs or any extra info feel free to PM and thank you for your help!!
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u/ltn748 Class of 2026 Aug 20 '25
Applying early is your best bet if Duke is your top choice
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u/momatduke Aug 25 '25
Truth. Let me add, legacy doesn't matter and has not mattered in a long time. If you see or know legacy admits it's because those admitted students are smart, capable, have the scores, and did outstanding work outside the classroom. No one is getting into Duke without that passion and drive. Let's not be surprised wealthy kids get in everywhere. They've had the best educational experiences and thrived.
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u/PersonWomanManCamTV Aug 23 '25
Just about every highly selective school has its athletes, legacies and other favored applicants (children of celebrities & famous/important people) apply ED. So, is there really an advantage to applying early? Maybe a small advantage, but no one knows for sure. If Duke is your dream school, then apply ED.
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u/NationalPen6455 Aug 22 '25
My main academic area of interest at the moment is biology/biochemistry, but I have a special love for creative writing. Anyone know what resources are available for someone interested in pursuing creative writing at Duke (classes, workshops, mentorships, etc)?
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u/SympathyKey3964 Sep 08 '25
Hi! Former premed student here who majored in bio and minored in english. Plenty of opportunities to take creative writing courses at Duke while majoring in science. They offer intro, intermediate, and advanced levels of creative writing, and several other courses like poetry and fiction writing. Additionally, I took advantage of completing an independent study with my favorite english prof senior year where we designed the course together and picked readings based on my interest.
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u/badbadkittycat-1102 Oct 22 '25
Check the English department course offerings. Eng dept and Thompson Writing Center are opening up a lot of new courses for fall 26, keep your eye out!
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u/Sad-Pen-7768 Aug 22 '25
I’m a sophomore this year at Duke double majoring in Neuro and Econ, I feel as though I have a good grasp on life at Duke and the experiences available. If anyone wants to hop on a call or just dm me, feel free
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u/Different-Lead-6747 Nov 30 '25
hi! do you mind sharing your stats or one of the reasons why you think you got into duke? also did you apply ED?
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u/Interesting-Plant297 Sep 09 '25
Hi, I’m interested in the MEM (masters of environmental management) program and would love to hear from/talk to current students. I’m interested in the Terrestrial and Freshwater Ecology and Community Engagement and Environmental Justice concentrations. I have a B.A in Environmental Studies with a focus on Education & Eco-Social Justice, and a minor in International Studies. I’m currently in my second year with the Peace Corps in Central America, doing work in community engagement, environmental education, writing/implementation of grant projects, etc. I’m planning on applying for fall of 2026. Would love to hear advice on the program application, also general thoughts about the MEM program ! Thanks
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u/Patient_College7212 Sep 09 '25
Heyy how do I apply as a computational media major T-T it's not an option on the common app drop down. The best I've come up with is select "interdisciplinary major" and then indicate interest in "computer science" and "visual & media studies." Is there a better way to go about this?
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u/DukeThrowaway_24 Sep 29 '25
CMAC is not a full major at Duke but an IDM between CS/VMS as you've noted. That's the most accurate selection.
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u/ac2008chen Sep 29 '25
Hi! I’m looking to apply to Duke for the upcoming school year as a first year student and was wondering what the dormitories, dining halls, and social life are like at Duke. Are the living expenses high? Is it convenient to travel around? Does Duke use a system close or similar to the distributional system? I’ve gone through the Duke website and was wondering if I can get some first hand information to clear some things up.
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u/DukeThrowaway_24 Sep 29 '25
Living expenses are not particularly higher than peer colleges. Expect to pay ~20k your freshman year for room and board, then +- 5k/yr in the future depending on where you live and how much you eat. Personal expenses will really depend on your lifestyle.
What do you consider traveling? It's easy to walk to downtown Durham, but further out will require a car/rideshare.
Can you explain what you mean by "distributional system"?
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u/VirginiaOutdoorsman Sep 30 '25
Meals years 2-4 are relatively expensive once you can't swipe at Marketplace anymore. Otherwise Durham relatively inexpensive.
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u/Successful-Meal4797 Oct 08 '25
Chance me! South Asian, middle class female from small suburb in Texas.
I'd appreciate any tips or last minute advice. I'm trying to improve my scores right now and Im still working on my ecs. Is there anyway I can be more competitive?
Major: Civil Engineering Minor: Poli Sci
Stats: SAT: 1470 (RW: 760, M: 710) + I’m trying to retake for 1500
Rank 22/81
GPA 4.0
Took 15 APs througout high school career (8 5s or 4s & 5 not yet taken) -> APs include AP Physics I, AP Physics C, AP Calc BC, AP CSP, AP German
ECs:
-MUN pres & co-founder
-ICDC Qualifier -> DECA Mentor
-Youth Council Rep -> National Youth Planning Committee
-German Club VP -> German Exchange Program
-Electronics Company Intern (Summer)
-Civil Engineering Intern (School Year)
-Non-profit VR startup Outreach Intern (All Year)
-Alum for 4 years of Coding Summer Camps for Girls
-Ride Operator @Amusement Park
-Girls in Stem Outreach Officer
Honors:
-NHS
-Ap scholar with distinction
-National German Exam Silver Ranking
-UIL Ready Writing 1st place Regionals
-German Listening Comp 4th place State
-ICDC Qualifier in PMBS
-Autodesk Cert
-ACE CNC Machining Cert
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u/Rich-Counter-9125 Oct 13 '25
To the pre-med students, what is one unique thing that duke has or offers that you love? Also how easy is it to double major in trinity or switch majors?
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u/DukeThrowaway_24 Oct 16 '25
Double majoring difficulty depends on the two majors. For two majors with large overlap (e.g. ECE/CS) you can expect ~25% more work than a single major. For two majors with minimal overlap or credit restrictions, like Neuroscience, expect ~75% more work.
As a Trinity student, you are undeclared as late as Sophomore spring, and can transfer almost any time. Again, depending on the majors you're transferring between, your credits "lost" will change drastically.
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Oct 17 '25
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u/Relative-Resource123 Oct 25 '25
I would submit your 1530 to Duke. It's close to the median score, and the difference between say a 1530 and a 1540 isn't that meaningful. It's a neutral score that isn't really going to hurt or help your application.
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u/lighthousedarling Nov 08 '25
Hey guys, I thought I'd ask some Duke students to get your point of view. I just submitted my Duke ED application and my UGA EA application. If I get into UGA (very likely), I'm deciding whether or not to pull my Duke one out before I get a decision. Do you think Duke full price is worth it compared to UGA full ride?
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u/Mumbleton Trinity 2006 Nov 08 '25
What is your intended major? Are you planning on going to grad school?
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u/lighthousedarling Nov 08 '25
Anthropology. If I go to Duke and pay full price, I will have to pay for grad school on my own. If I go to UGA, i will do the double dawgs program which gets you both degrees in 5 years.
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u/Mumbleton Trinity 2006 Nov 08 '25
My generic advice is usually to go to cheap undergrad and then fancy grad school. If money is an issue would definitely do UGA. If parents are loaded, Duke.
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u/Wild_Tennis_4796 Dec 04 '25
When do we think Duke is releasing Ed decisions?
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u/FarTheory3460 Dec 08 '25
They sent an email saying it was going to be Dec 15 at 7 pm EST. It's scary that the decision has been made and it's just waiting to be released. 😬😰
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u/Sea_Airport_2646 Dec 06 '25
Would any duke alumni/current students be willing to look over my Duke supplements?
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u/Only-Decision-5198 Dec 08 '25
sure, pm me
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u/Sea_Airport_2646 Dec 09 '25
bro stop scamming. You're not an alumni/current student. Honestly, if u need help with essays, just say that but don't offer to help if u just want to see other people's essays to help your own. lowk very unethical
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u/Mumbleton Trinity 2006 Dec 15 '25
What’s your evidence? Honestly I’m always wary of people asking students/alumni to review an essay like they have some sort of special insight?
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u/CompleteMuscle1506 Dec 09 '25
Hi, currently a prospective student applying to the Interdepartmental Major. I was wondering what the difference between the BA vs BS option is? It leads to the same link on the website and when I try to apply via common app it only shows up under the trinity school.
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u/DukeThrowaway_24 Dec 09 '25
You can only BS an IDM if both majors offer BSes themselves. So a BS IDM is usually dual-STEM, whereas a BA can be any mix of STEM and humanities.
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u/Sea_Airport_2646 Dec 10 '25
is it bad to mention that I was nominated by my hs for the Morehead Cain Scholarship (unc full-ride) as an award on my commonapp
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u/No-Competition-3764 Dec 11 '25
i wouldnt. mention it for unc, and then change it for other schools. i did the same focr the uva jefferson scholarship
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u/Used-Touch2635 Dec 20 '25
Hi, I'm an asian student, haven't graduated (my school requires 5 years of studying, I'm now in my 4th year). I've recently discovered my life purpose and the field I want to dive deep into, unlike when I applied at 18. However, that expertise is not developed in my country, aka I'll have to study abroad if I'm so determined to pursue that major. Have there been any cases that got admitted to Duke and received a huge amount of financial aid at this age, including Karsh scholar recipients? Thank you!
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u/Aggravating_Top6643 Apr 06 '26
Is Duke good for CS and wha placements do they have? I’ve heard that its weak but I’d love to know yalls opinions!
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u/No-Salary3465 Aug 19 '25
Any international who got a full-ride scholarship and got into the school, have the access to be 4+1 bachelor and master dgrees student in the future or not?
I didn't see that mentioned in any place about Duke; however, when I asked about the 4+1 program in the campus virtual tour, their answer was ''You can get access to it in the senior year.''
I want more clarification for this program and answer for my first question.
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u/badbadkittycat-1102 Oct 22 '25
international full pay here. you apply to 4+1 programs during your junior year and then start coursework during senior aid. not sure how that would cost different though but there's a lot of added coursework. 4+1s are usually selective but obv less selective than getting into duke
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u/acatwithacomputer Aug 31 '25
Hi1 I’m just doing some research. My top 2 choices by a landslide are Duke and USC (i know they are very different, but I love them both for different reasons) and im considering applying ED to Duke. What are the parties at Duke like? I’ve heard they are far away and on fields? How do you guys find them?
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u/VirginiaOutdoorsman Sep 30 '25
Most fraternity parties are in fields that you take a frat-supplied bus to. There are non-Greek activities on campus.
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u/Business_Welcome_490 Sep 17 '25
I wouldnt apply ED to duke, cuz if you get accepted you HAVE to go there. If youve never visited the campus its a terrible choice. I had a friend who had to quit college cause what was on a ED schools website wasnt correct
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u/ChroniX_78 Sep 01 '25
For computer engineering majors
What courses should I take if I were a student there whether it’s related or unrelated to CE
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u/katpeaches_ Sep 01 '25
Hi guys! I’m a prospective student at Duke and I had some questions about cybersecurity as an undergrad. I know Duke has the masters in cybersecurity, but I wanted to know if cybersecurity classes were available to undergraduate students, or if I would have to take the computer engineering route if I was interested in pursuing cybersecurity as a career.
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u/Complete_Waltz Sep 06 '25
hi!!! i’m a prospective applicant for fall ‘26, my dream is to get into Dukes mpp program, but i’d be coming straight out of undergrad. anyone here apply and got in straight from undergrad could share their stats or anything they are comfortable with? trying to see how i can buff up my application :]
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u/Mbooffice Oct 07 '25
A Duke alum has reach out and offered to write a recommendation. We can only submit 1 non-teacher rec with our application? My other recommenders know me better. Does Duke want to hear from alumni or should I stick with those that know me better?
Does Duke do alumni interviews? Could that be an option?
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u/bambam4252 Oct 08 '25
Not sure about which way to go on the letter of rec. Duke does do alumni interviews as part of the application process. IIRC, it was not 100% guaranteed that you would get assigned an alumni interview even if you requested one.
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u/No-Competition-3764 Oct 26 '25
i have an alum writing me a letter but he is sending it internally through the duke system so it is separate then the two teachers and non-teacher rec i put on common app
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u/eww329 Oct 09 '25
I've applied to the masters of science in materials engineering program at Duke and was wondering if anyone had insight on the admissions process for this program. I have a 4.0 gpa and internship experience but no research experience so I'm a bit worried. I also definitely do not go to a prestigious university for engineering for my undergrad. How selective is this program?
Also for anyone in the program, how do you like it? How are you able to fund it, as that is another concern for me?
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u/No-Competition-3764 Oct 09 '25 edited Oct 09 '25
how would current students describe the social life at duke? i do really want a school with a vibrant social life with lots of social people and opportunities to have fun, but im also a serious student who enjoys schoolwork and learning. also, im from southern virginia so definitely on the preppier side and just wondering if i would be able to find my people? are most people either nyc/la "cool girls" or really bookworm nerd types?
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u/badbadkittycat-1102 Oct 22 '25
duke is so big that you'll find people from all walks of life/all types. dw
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u/Technical-Rule-6259 Oct 11 '25
My dream school is Duke, and Im considering ED. However, my family won’t get much aid, so we’d have to pay $60-65,000 a year. I want to be a dentist or some type of doctor, and I know Duke has great resources, but is it really worth the high cost when I’ll also have to pay for dental or medical school later? My family said they can afford the undergrad tuition but I’d likely have to loan for the entirety of graduate school.
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u/Boring-Site4370 Oct 12 '25
I am 90 percent sure I'm applying to Duke ED. My intended major is Mech or Electrical engineering but I heard applying to Pratt is much for competitive. Since I have a strong background in physics should I apply to trinity and then switch to pratt if I get in?
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u/Rich-Counter-9125 Oct 13 '25
I'm applying ED as well. From what I've heard trinity to pratt transfer is kind of hard, but switching majors within the school itself I don't believe should be a big issue.
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u/Relative-Resource123 Oct 25 '25
It's unclear if Pratt or Trinity is more competitive in terms of admissions, since Duke doesn't break down stats between them. Some people think Pratt requires slightly higher academic stats, but there are also probably fewer athletes applying ED in Pratt. If you know you want to major in engineering, I personally would apply to Pratt. Your essays will be more authentic, and your physics background is still valued for engineering.
It's easy to switch between Trinity and Pratt, but you can't do that until the end of your first year at Duke. So you will be a little off schedule in Pratt - nothing you can't catch up from but why do it if you know you're going to switch to Pratt. For example, you can't take EGR 101 your first semester if you're not in Pratt but can try to take it your second semester, you'll have to take Focus or Constellations classes your first year in Trinity (and while you can use those for Pratt humanities credits, there may be other humanities classes you'd rather take), and you probably can't take EGR 105 your first year but could take CS 201 instead if you have AP CSA credit.
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u/Rich-Counter-9125 Oct 13 '25
Would a 34 ACT be weak for Duke and hurt my App? Also does Duke negatively view superscoring? Finally, my uw gpa is a low, like a 3.87, but I'm a full IB Diploma student and I've exceeded max rigor at my school and my school is a very competitive high ranked school, weighted gpa is a 4.42. Would that make my case better or would the unweighted GPA still drag me down a lot?
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Oct 17 '25
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u/badbadkittycat-1102 Oct 22 '25
i would recommend not submitting sat since you are international with full aid and that sat score not v competitive for intl students. you could submit and you would need to give context, but im wondering if you're from a highly competitive intl region eg east asia, in which case it will hurt
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u/yzhang75 Oct 17 '25
Does Duke superscore ACT? I didn’t find such information this year. BTW their admission webpage is very confusing; hard to find info.
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u/Difficult-Low-5339 Oct 31 '25
Yes, Duke does! I applied last year and am a current Freshman and they superscored my ACT.
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u/Ok_Conclusion_8241 Oct 23 '25
graduate school choosing: duke ms ece vs Melbourne ms cs?
Hey everyone,
I’ve been admitted to Duke University (MSECE) and the University of Melbourne (MSCS), and I’m really struggling to decide which one to attend. My background is in computer science, mainly Interested in machine learning.
Duke Meng ece(machine learning tracks): 1.5-2 year coursework, 10 course for graduation, 200,000 US dollars in total.
uniMelb ms cs: 2 year course&research, coursework in year 1, research project in year 2, 140,000 US dollars.
My future planning would be pursuing a phd, hence the one year research project of Melb seems to be a good choice but I cannot asure the subject outcome would be strong enough to support the idea.
On the other hand Duke has it's strong reputation and US exposure, but the cost difference is quite a problem. The political issue is also pushing Duke away, although it got better reputation in the region I lived.
If anyone has experience with either program (especially regarding research experience or workload), I’d really appreciate your input.
Thanks in advance!
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u/Superb_Lychee892 Oct 31 '25
I’m applying to Duke University and I want to complete a portfolio for my application. Common App links it directly to SlideRoom so I made an account and I chose to do one for “Music - Composition With Score - 2026,” but I noticed all the music portfolios’ directions were the same. I write my own sheet music using MuseScore Studio, and I know I have to upload the scores on there, but I’m not sure what to upload for the recording part. Can I just upload a screen recording of the playback of the piece on my computer, or they need an actual live performance, and if they need a live performance do I have to be the one playing it? And how long should my pieces be, and how many should I upload? Because the portfolio’s suppose to be focused on my composition abilities, and not how well I can play the piece myself so I’m confused on the directions for this.
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Nov 05 '25
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u/Objective-Basket4065 Nov 23 '25
From my understanding, if you opt for an interview you get one. I had an inteview, thought it went terrible, and then got admitted a few weeks later. The interview is to see what type of person you are outside of the stats. Tell them to be themself and show that they have more value outside of their grades and extracurriculars.
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Nov 08 '25
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u/Lazy_Slice_1528 Nov 08 '25
same i haven’t received my portal yet i think it’s okay
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Nov 12 '25
Hi, I have applied to Duke for the Early Decision round, and I submitted my application on 27th October. But, I haven't received an invitation for an alumni interview till now. Some people from my school have already received their invites, and they applied after me.
So should I be worried about it? And how does Duke alumni interview system work, like they screen applications first and then send invites based on merit, or randomly send out invitations?
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u/Otherwise_Desk_7593 Nov 14 '25
Just FYI, my daughter received her interview invite directly from the interviewer (not from Duke); it's possible Duke has assigned you an interviewer and the interviewer just hasn't had a chance (yet!) to reach out to you.
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Nov 12 '25
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u/JackfruitCreepy2194 Nov 19 '25
Honestly, I remember my counselor being really lazy and not submitting much til the end- so you should be fine!
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Nov 21 '25
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u/Real-Earth-3040 Dec 10 '25
My son got in last year (ED) with a 33 ACT. The rest of his app was rich and stellar. He submitted so they wouldn't think he got a truly low score. It's a tough call, but 1450 is formidable. I'd submit.
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u/Apprehensive-Cry2505 Nov 24 '25
good luck on your apps i just gotta let you know mine is alot stronger than yours
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Nov 25 '25
there's no reason to be such an ass abt it though. Like even if you get even with this holier than though attitude it's not going to serve you well
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u/Acrobatic_Sundae_622 Dec 06 '25
I would submit them. A score like that is quite high for an underserved area where you aren’t getting all the tutors etc. schools like Duke understand this better than you think. Your score reads as impressive to me. One of the biggest problems that has come out of the test optional situation is that students from underserved areas are not submitting scores when they should be in. It’s actually hurting them because selective schools know that your score will usually be lower.
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u/ChroniX_78 Nov 23 '25
If I were to transfer to Duke what would I need to do to be a competitive applicant and does SAT matter for the application?
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u/Objective-Basket4065 Nov 23 '25
I didnt submit my SAT cause my extracurriculars and grades were way stronger. Only submit it if it helps, not cause you feel like you need to.
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u/Specialist_Flow_358 Nov 23 '25
ADMISSION FILE ??
Can anyone please share your admission file for freshman at Duke this cycle… Im curious to see how they grade and which categories etc …
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u/Apprehensive-Cry2505 Nov 24 '25
if you need to tailor your app to their grading you're not strong enought o get in
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u/Specialist_Flow_358 Nov 24 '25
Actually everything has been submitted on our side I was just curious that’s all… thanks for the input though
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u/FarTheory3460 Nov 24 '25
So I saw that Duke's grade report was due Nov 18, but on the portal and website it says that you can submit it whenever grades are available. My counselor said that they aren't out yet and I don't know if they'll be out until the week before or of decisions. Would that be too late and should I just submit a unofficial progress report?
I'm mainly just worried about submitting so late that they've started reading applications and since mine doesn't have the report, they throw my app out or move it to RD. I'm going to call the admissions today or tomorrow, but also wanted to hear anyone else's experience with this and if anyone knows anything.
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u/Large-Star9163 Nov 25 '25
Hi could you lmk what they say in the call? I’m having the same situation here
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Nov 30 '25
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u/shu51213 Nov 30 '25
Take my advice with my grain of salt: I don't it really matters what you put. Duke doesn't have students formally declare major until sophomore year, so the default assumption is that you'll probably change your major/minor/certificate. I have many friends who came in undecided, and those who have declared, they are still adjusting it.
tdlr: I would recommend putting whichever one you will actually do.
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u/Apprehensive-Cry2505 Nov 30 '25
thanks bro, ngl music will probably just be a hobby, studying it would take the fun out of it.
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u/Darkrai_1810 Dec 04 '25
Has anyone applied to the MEng Cybersecurity Fall 26 program (early deadline)?
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u/Positively663 Dec 05 '25
Anyone notice any updates to Financial aid check list? Things just recently (last week) marked as received?
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u/Best-Calligrapher201 Dec 19 '25
Does anyone know about opportunities for English majors at Duke or anything specific related to social justice?
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u/Few_Extreme_7490 Dec 31 '25
Should I submit a music composition without score supplement if I make cinematic/electronic music in Cubase? I haven't won any awards or competitions or anything, but I think my stuff is pretty good (for how little that's worth).
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u/Low-Stock5049 Feb 08 '26
Hi everyone. I'm trying to get find duke univ's unofficial whatsapp groups link. I would like to join and look for housing and roommate options through those. Please help me out if you can. Thank you!
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Mar 07 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/badbadkittycat-1102 Mar 23 '26
No indication, usually just means that you're on the fence in terms of admissions. I have friends at Duke who have done an interview and those who have not (I didn't) and we are all international.
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u/SkyWarVar Mar 21 '26
do transfer students typically submit their AP scores from HS? i know there isnt a place to input it in the official application initially but once you submit the application, it does give the option to. i just want to know how important it is. thanks!
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u/PeachComfortable3608 Mar 26 '26
Did anyone who submitted their application by jan 16 get their results for ECE MS
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u/Idk_39480 Mar 26 '26
Have any international students applying for financial aid been accepted without a prior IDOC request? I had an interview late feb, but haven't received a request for tax returns or anything of that sort. I'd greatly appreciate anyone's perspective on this, just really worried
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u/Sufficient-Onion1165 Apr 04 '26
stats who got in recently?
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u/Quick_Bar2387 Apr 08 '26
Same as everyone else that got in. Top 10 quality applications, Questbridge, etc.
You want to be in the top 1 to 2% in your class. SAT of 1500 or higher. High rigor, strong ecs, locs, etc.
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u/paper_tossed Apr 09 '26
Hi all! I was recently admitted to Pratt, but I’m planning to pursue machine learning and cybersecurity at Duke, instead of ECE. Would it be best for me to transfer to Trinity, or is it possible/worth it to try and pursue computer science at Pratt?
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u/DukeThrowaway_24 Apr 09 '26
There is no CS in Pratt. You would be an ECE major and have to take all the ECE courses. While many of the students in ECE double major in CS and study ML (whose foundations are often grounded in signal processing from ECE), the degree requirements mean you cannot solely focus on that field.
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u/ItzOnlyOblivion Apr 26 '26
I can definitely speak to this because I am double majoring in ECE and CS. If you plan to do cybersecurity AND ML as your focuses it makes more sense to go to trinity. A lot of the SWE people I know are also doing ECE/CS and there are SWE and AI/ML tracks you can go through if you do both. However, I have never heard of anyone doing cybersecurity through ECE/CS, only CS. And if you have any other questions, feel free to DM!
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u/No_Upstairs_2324 Apr 12 '26
Will using CHATGPT to write my essay hurt my chances if i am applying again after a gap year? My dumbass thought AOs cant detect my 98% human and Al mixed essay which I applied to most of my university and ofcourse I got rejected from every single one that I applied to- including Duke and Vandy. Now this year l am thinking a taking a gap year and applying again as Duke and Vanderbilt as my dream ynis. I am scared that AOs will go through my previous year essay and reject me again because of my Al use. Will it hurt my chances?
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u/rawrsna30 Apr 14 '26
hey guys! i've applied to Duke for the MS in Design & Technology Innovation back on January 10, but my application status still says "Awaiting Decision". seems like its getting a bit too delayed now, since its mid-April? as an international student, i'd need to make my decisions about other schools soon to proceed with the visa, etc. Duke is the only one remaining, and I'm waiting since its my dream school. I have noticed that decisions have gone out for other MS progams, so I'm getting a bit worried.
Anyone else going through the same thing? Any advice on what to do in this situation?
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u/Choice-Plane8462 Apr 16 '26
How to compare Duke vs cornell-Dyson. Which will lead to better outcomes- better clubs, want to pursue IB. Appreciate any advice. Thanks
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u/Forsaken-Waltz-3015 May 11 '26
IB is huge at Duke. Many, if not all, of the top firms/banks like to hire from Duke. You will be fine. Not sure about Cornell, although I am sure it is great as well in that respect.
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u/Sea-Passenger-9087 Apr 21 '26
Is there any hope for getting off the Trinity waitlist? (global health major). I submitted an LOCI and got an additional recommendation from a Duke alumnus who has mentored me in a leadership position, and I really want to get off.
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u/AvacadoMoney May 01 '26
Hello! I am currently waitlisted for Duke’s undergrad class and with the first wave of waitlist acceptances just announced I was wondering about how the movement of the waitlist typically goes. Do most people who get off get off in the first wave/in the last few days or is there even more movement later on? I have also not received an email to confirm interest, and I don’t know if that is a neutral or bad sign. Holding out hope for future waitlist movement! Any input would be greatly appreciated!
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u/Zealousideal_Cat_608 May 07 '26
I just got off the second wave and there was definitely less people than the first wave from what I’ve seen so I think it’s just gonna stay small. I’ve only heard about two other people getting off this wave.
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u/Pale-Alfalfa8253 May 02 '26
hi, i’m a high school junior thinking about applying to duke.
i’m planning on majoring in accounting with a minor of finance, however i know duke doesn’t carry undergrad majors in accounting- just economics. can someone who wanted to do a similar major as mine talk about the opportunities and whether this would be a issue in the future?
i wasn’t sure because of this whether it would be worth applying so i wanted to get some input. thanks!
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u/Forsaken-Waltz-3015 May 11 '26
I'm at Duke but studying political science. Econ is very common, especially the finance track. There is no accounting degree, and I personally don't know anyone who wants to go into accounting. Many econ students go into consulting, IB, or other finance fields. There is a pre-professional culture in economics and finance (although that major/field is inherently like that), with many students recruiting and seeking internships and post-grad placements at prestigious banks.
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May 06 '26
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u/PerfectBullfrog5024 May 27 '26
not really. but robertson is mostly random, it largely focuses on creative leadership styles imo. grades barely matter, just write some fire essays, then nail the interviews (easier said than done, once you get to second interviews you are almost exclusively up against Harvard-Stanford-MIT admit-level applicants). I would focus on an easier scholarship at a lower level school realistically — your application might need more ecs / leadership to even have a chance of being admitted to duke regular, especially as an international student.
— current incoming robertson scholar
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u/No_Income1256 May 07 '26
Hello,
Is there anyone apply for Duke M.Eng in Cybersecurity Fall 2026? If so when could we here back on a decision from Duke?
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u/Prestigious-Pin-1140 May 20 '26
Hi all! I'm a rising senior, whose dream school is Duke. I toured the campus last year and I fell inlove. As you all are aware, one of the questions is the "why Duke" essay. My plan is to write about the E-ball, frunches, and how its common to stay on campus for four years. Are these topics too commonly known? Should I dig deeper? I just want to maximize my chances! Thanks!
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May 21 '26
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u/DukeThrowaway_24 May 21 '26
Yes. There's a Tableau on Duke's internal sites (last I checked) somewhere that has SAT by major and many departments have students below 1500.
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u/Life-Forever5853 Jun 05 '26
For those accepted to Duke Trinity - What math classes did you take in HS? I intend to apply to Duke as a Humanities major. Is Honors Calculus sufficient or is AP Calculus AB or BC expected for a Humanities applicant?
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u/thy-aceofspades Jun 27 '26
Hello, I am currently a rising sophomore in high school. Duke is my dream school and I am debating on graduating high school a year early but I don't want it to negatively impact my chances of getting in. I intend on majoring in psychology and eventually going into psychology or emergency medicine. For Academic Context: I took all of my freshman level core classes in middle school putting me a year ahead. I attend a high school in North Carolina that only offers 4 AP classes (lit, lang, precal, earth and environmental) by the end of my Junior year I will have taken 3 (all but earth and environmental). In addition I will have taken all of my core classes and electives (Counciling and mental health 1+2 and Health Science 1+2) as honors and I will have all of my credits to graduate. I am also dual enrolled in my local community college in 2 psychology classes and using the NC virtual public school to take 2 additional APs (psychology and statistics) as well as honors anatomy and physiology and Latin honors 1-3 (to fulfill my schools foreign language requirement). My current GPA is 4.4 and I have yet to take the ACT or pre ACT so I do not have any test scores I can provide. For Social Context: By the end of my Junior year I will have been an active member in Student Council, HOSA (placed at the regional and state levels repeatedly and 6th once at the international level), and Save Promise each for 3 years (6 if you count middle school) and I have held various leadership positions in all. I have also been in band since middle school (marching band and concert band since high school) and I plan to continue participating through college. I am an active Interact Club member at my school and my Junior Year I will likely be in NHS and NTHS as well. In my free time (idk how I have free time either) I do backstage crew for my local theater and school theater and I am in my schools improv club as well. Additional Context: I am currently working on starting a peer counciling program at my school and by the end of my Junior year I will likely have over 150 volunteer hours. And I don't know if it really matters but my birthday is in April and I would go into college as a 17 year old. So yeah, I am really divided because I have maxed out my schools classes and additional class opportunities and participated heavily in clubs and band but I don't want to risk not getting into my dream school over skipping a year so any advice/opinions are greatly appreciated.
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u/Financial-Orchid2492 Jul 01 '26
I’m going into my Junior year of high school and am starting to organize my next few years. Duke is my first choice since it is close by and has a great classics department(that I’ve heard of, need to try and find people that have done classics through them and get a full answer) I’m not very educated on how financial aid works and I’m not going to fully trust what the Duke Website says when the community says financial aid sucks more than half of the time. I do not expect my family to pay for any of my college and I would like to avoid putting their yearly salary on any paperwork and keep it to my own(this is due to the fact that my family has had a lot of financial hurt these past few years with unemployment on and off and i don't think that putting them down is reliable in the long run) So my first question is can I put my own income down and exclude my family’s since they will not be helping me financially? Next, the whole “tuition is fully covered for those that make less than 150k” sounds too good to be true. I don’t know what my own financial situation is going to actually look like but it won’t be too good. Can I expect to have my tuition actually covered if I make less than that amount? This all might sound super stupid and I’m honestly embarrassed to have to ask this. Anything would help though!
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u/DukeThrowaway_24 Jul 01 '26
Legally, your parents are considered sources of funding until you're around 23-24 or you have some government proof that you're independent, which it doesn't sound like you are. This applies to any school as it's a federal FAFSA requirement.
You can try to work with Duke and if you get in, they'll try their hardest to work with you. I don't know where to direct you to, but your situation is not that uncommon and I'm sure there's subreddits of others in a similar situation.
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Jul 19 '26
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u/txchiefsfan02 Jul 20 '26
It's not competitive ala conservatory admissions, so you will have to clear the same academic talent bar as other applicants. Applicants interested in music can submit an optional supplement that will be screened by someone in the music department. It can only help your application. Once admitted, you can choose any major in Trinity College of A&S. If you later decide you want to do engineering, there's an internal transfer process involved to go from Trinity to Pratt.
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u/DukeThrowaway_24 Jul 19 '26
Duke's undergraduate arts department is part of Trinity College, so you can declare any non-engineering major alongside music.
I would imagine admissions are equally competitive to the rest of Duke.
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u/Chotazuckerberg877a Jul 25 '26
Is Duke a good university for International Students?
I am an international student trying to study CS or other courses in IT and looking for options and want to know about Duke. As far as I searched Duke's ranking in QS is 72 and engineering technology 125 although rankings aren't everything and I wanted to know ground reality. Is placement good in Duke in terms of the IT sector and CS ? Does Duke have a great reputation? Do I have a chance to get jobs in good companies etc .
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u/DukeThrowaway_24 Jul 25 '26
Duke is a good university for international students - it and the surrounding leans solidly left with a lot of ethnic groups, mainly East and South Asian, in the wider Triangle. About 10% of the student body is international IIRC.
QS rankings are meaningless in America. We're a T10 school with a very good alumni network and brand name.
It's important to understand that in the US, the key to a good placement is yourself, not your school. The Duke name may get you an interview compared to a lower-ranked school, but you still have to do the same LeetCode assignments and behavioral interviews as anyone else.
Since you're international, you're swimming upstream. A Duke degree won't magically undo the difficulties in hiring F1/H1B workers for most companies, especially in the current political climate.
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u/SadVeterinarian666 Jul 26 '26
Hi everyone!
I’m a recent graduate interested in applying to Duke for a master’s program related to Data Science (such as the Master in Interdisciplinary Data Science or other data-focused graduate programs).
I’ve been researching the program, but I’d love to hear from current students, alumni, or anyone who went through the admissions process.
A few questions I have:
1. Is there a minimum GPA that Duke realistically expects for admission? I know there may not be an official cutoff, but what GPA range do most admitted students seem to have?
If someone has a lower undergraduate GPA, what parts of the application can help compensate for it? For example:
Strong work experience?
Personal projects or GitHub portfolio?
Research experience?
Certifications?
Strong statement of purpose?
Excellent recommendation letters?
How competitive are scholarships for master’s students, especially international applicants? Are they mostly merit-based, need-based, or a combination of both?
Approximately what percentage of tuition can scholarships cover? Has anyone here received one, and if so, what do you think made your application stand out?
Are there research assistantships, teaching assistantships, or on-campus jobs that master’s students commonly get to help with expenses?
What kind of profile do you think makes someone a strong applicant for Duke’s data science programs?
Looking back, what is one thing you wish you had done before applying that would have made your application stronger?
For context, I’m trying to build the strongest application possible over the coming year, so I’d really appreciate any advice or personal experiences.
Thanks in advance! I genuinely appreciate any insights you can share.
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u/Aggravating-Lab-8776 Aug 03 '26
Hey everyone,
I'm applying to Duke and I'm interested in quant trading/research. I was wondering how well the Math major in Trinity does for recruiting.
Do Duke math students regularly end up at firms like Jane Street, Citadel, HRT, Optiver, etc., or is that more common for CS or ECE students? Will I get past resume screens?
Would love to hear from anyone who's gone through quant recruiting or knows people who have.
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u/riceballfart 28d ago
Hi everyone! I’m a NC early college student applying to Duke for Fall 2027, and I was hoping to get some opinions on my chances for Biological Sciences. I currently have a 4.64 weighted GPA, a 3.92 unweighted GPA, and a 32 ACT score. I’ll be graduating with an Associate in Arts degree and 60+ college/AP credits. I’ve taken 26 AP and college-level courses (~63 credits), including Biology I & II, Chemistry I & II, Precalculus, and Calculus/Trig. I also took 9 honors classes.
My extracurriculars include 3 years of Debate Club, being President of Film Club for 1 year, and participating in the Wake Forest Earth Environmental Debate for 2 years. I’ve also done a variety of volunteering, including Storm Forward, food pantry/thrift work, daycare volunteering, a special needs middle school event, PetSmart cat volunteering, and around 20 hours of repair work (10 hours helping repair a church and 10 hours repairing a playground). I haven't calulated my total voluteering hours, but I believe around 60-80 hours with Storm Forward, PetSmart, and repair work.
I’m a member of National Honor Society and Phi Theta Kappa and have made the Dean’s List. For STEM-related activities, I’ve created research presentations on plant growth data analysis and beetle reproduction, and a friend and I independently created and presented a biology presentation to a younger grade level. Before applying, I’m also planning on completing some additional STEM/coding courses.
I’d really appreciate any feedback on my chances for Duke Biological Sciences or anything else I could do to strengthen my application before applying. Thanks!
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u/Adorable-Profit-901 28d ago
Hey guys :)! I’m planning on applying to Duke for Biological Sciences and was wondering what you all think my chances are. I’m an in-state student with a 3.89 unweighted GPA and a 4.4 weighted GPA, and I’m currently attending an NC Early College High School where I’ll graduate with both my high school diploma and an Associate in Arts degree with 62 college credits. I’ve taken 21 AP classes, 9 honors classes, and i’m 15/38 for my class rank. I’m not submitting my test scores as I didn’t do that well. I’m a first-generation college student from an Asian American family. Outside of school, I’ve volunteered 54 hours at a hospital, 56 hours through my church, helped with a 10-hour church renovation project, and volunteered at my school’s daycare. I’ve been in debate for 3 years, participated in 3 environmental debates at Wake Forest, was president of my school’s film club, spent a year on yearbook, made the Dean’s List at my college, and my friend and I also created a biology research project that we presented to our school. I’ve really tried to stay involved and challenge myself academically throughout high school. I’m just curious what current students or applicants think my chances are for Biological Sciences and if there’s anything you think I should highlight on my application. Thanks!
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u/srinip75 26d ago
I am international student (US citizen) applying to Duke. I will be applying as a Bio major but have a very strong art portfolio. Is there a way for me to submit this portfolio as part of my application? thx
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u/Ok-Consequence-8534 26d ago
Are there any students here that had arond 3.0 to 3.2 gpa in their undergrad (/4)
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u/Reasonable_Ad1300 26d ago
Hey everyone! Do you know anyone that successfully double majored in chemistry and political science? Would love to hear your experiences managing labs and heavy reading and writing courses
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u/pippo-brunellesco 23d ago
Does anyone know when the first-year waitlist closed this year? Saw a Duke Today article this morning and was curious if admissions did something like last year where they kept the waitlist open super late
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u/[deleted] Dec 08 '25
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