<p>Duke's applicant pool increased to 32,453 this year, up by over 600 from last year's Class of 2017 total. </p>
<p>About what I expected - always nice to see so many people interested in Duke. The thing most interesting to me, though, is that Pratt had an increase of 20% (!) in its applicants, while Trinity was actually down 2.5%. Pratt is on a major upswing!</p>
<p>Any guesses on the admit rate for RD at Pratt?</p>
<p>Pair the applicant increase with the amount they accepted ED, and I’ll bet the % is Harvardesque…</p>
<p>I thought applications would hit the 33k mark but this still reflects well on the University!</p>
<p>bluedog: I had the same thoughts re Pratt. It truly is “past due,” but I’m glad to see the momentum of the upswing appears to be rapidly accelerating.</p>
<p>immasenior: Pure speculation, but I’d guess 8.5 percent +/- 1 percent. However, yield (rather than RD acceptance percentage alone) is likely be very illuminating.</p>
<p>alicejohnson: You’re absolutely correct, in my opinion. With ED applications increasing by 25 percent and well over 40 percent of '18 already selected through the ED process, many potential RD applicants may have “placed their bets” elsewhere. This is also likely why total 2018 undergraduate applicants only increased by 600+, instead of a thousand or more.</p>
<p>Yes, there is a ceiling on how many students believe they have a chance to be admitted but I think most students hedge their bets by applying to more schools not fewer. This includes reach, match and safety schools. It’s now common for RD students seeking elite universities to apply to 12-20+. </p>
<p>My predictions:
RD Overall acceptance rate will be 7.4% this year assuming a 42% yield rate (consistent with recent years I believe). Duke will accept 2167 applicants for RD across both schools.</p>
<p>That’s not quite right. It is my understanding that the RD-only yield rate at Duke is fairly predictably 33-34%. The overall (blended) yield rate went up last year due to more ED acceptances and will probably go up a bit again this year for the same reason. But I would expect Duke to admit about 2,700 students in RD to fill the remaining 910 spots on the class. I guess we will see how off I am later in the spring. </p>
<p>@bud123 I believe you’re right. I’m a current applicant (originally ED, deferred to RD) and I’ve applied to 14 schools.</p>
<p>nm</p>
<p>@alicejohnson: If one were confronted by a Class of '18 Duke or Penn choice, I would first advise him to be everlastingly grateful for such splendid opportunities. I’d then suggest that he diligently ascertain where he feels most comfortable, where the cultural fit is best. Surging applicant numbers are important – they indicate MANY individuals strongly approve of what that university has recently accomplished and will likely achieve in the future – BUT if an undergraduate simply does not fit well with the institution’s ethos, he could be faced with some unhappy years during a period that is supposed to be among life’s best.</p>
<p>Of course – being a smart person – I would then select Duke.
</p>
<p>Or one could read the data to suggest that the surge in applications suggests that applicants felt Duke was an easier admit and Penn is actually the more prestigious choice. Ultimately, TopTier’s first point is the most important. When you are choosing between two great programs it really comes down to your personal preference and ‘fit’ rather than who else applied.</p>
<p>Torveaux’s comment compels me to add a few obvious, but important, facts:
- Penn and Duke are both GREAT, highly prestigious universities; no one doubts that, and many of us have friends and relatives who attend both institutions and had wonderful, life-enhancing experiences.
- For probably 99 percent of undergraduates, both universities offer SO MUCH MORE than an individual can capitalize upon in four years.
- But there are differences, including:
- The spirit of the two institutions differ (I spent decades in Philadelphia, and Duke athletics generates an intense affiliation that is not as common at UP);
- One is absolutely urban – city living doesn’t get much more “concentrated” than it does in West Philly – while the other is on a spacious campus (8,400+ acres) adjacent to a modestly sized small city;
- Philadelphia’s winters tend to be considerably colder and snowier than Durham’s (however, the summers do not appreciably differ).</p>
<p>I do not suggest that any of these differences, or others, are critical, but the kid who is fortunate enough to be admitted to both universities MAY wish to consider them as part of the “fit” Torveaux and I emphasize. </p>
<p>Personally, I don’t think applicants really consider the competitiveness of the ED round when apply to colleges. Sure, some may, but I don’t think that is the norm at all. I think most students have already decided where they are going to apply (and have probably already started their applications) before the stats for the ED round come out.</p>