<p>it is indeed holistic. somewhere on the website the dean of admissions has a video he made which has GREAT info on what duke is looking for in its applicants. i recommend looking for it. i found it very insightful. at the info session, they were explaining the six factors that the admissions committee RATE when viewing your application. they are:
courseload rigor
grades
standardized test scores
extracurricular activities
essays
recommendations</p>