Duke University
Durham, NC
A private research university in Durham, North Carolina known for elite basketball — Cameron Crazies camping out in tents for tickets (Krzyzewskiville) is a defining campus ritual — a strong pre-med and biomedical engineering pipeline through its medical center, and a public policy program (Sanford) with real Washington ties. A prominent Greek and selective-living-group scene rounds out social life in Durham's Research Triangle, alongside access to a dense biotech and tech job market.
6%
Acceptance rate
1500–1570
SAT range
34–35
ACT range
6,600
Undergrads
$63,450/yr
In-state tuition
$63,450/yr
Out-of-state tuition
What are your chances at Duke University?
Collegator estimates your admission chances from your GPA and test scores, builds your college list, and tracks every deadline — free to start.
See my chancesEssays you'd write for Duke University
Applies via Common App. Plan for the personal statement (650 words) plus whatever is below. Our standing advice: optional essays are optional in name only — write them.
Supplemental essays: 1 required · 4 optional
- Required250 words · What is your sense of Duke as a university and a community, and why do you consider it a good match for you?
- Optional (do it anyway)250 words · We believe a wide range of viewpoints and lived experiences strengthens our community. Tell us about a perspective or experience you'd bring to Duke.
- Optional (do it anyway)250 words · Tell us about a time you had a disagreement with someone and how you handled it with respect.
- Optional (do it anyway)250 words · What excites you? Tell us about something you love and why.
- Optional (do it anyway)250 words · How do you think about using tools like artificial intelligence in your learning, and where do you draw your own lines?
Scholarships: Duke's flagship merit programs are extremely selective. The Robertson is the one you can actively apply to — treat its essays like a second Common App.
Spot an essay we're missing? Add it yourself in Essays → "create a custom essay" — it files under this school on your list.
Data is approximate and changes yearly — confirm on the college's official site.