What should a hopeful applicant do throughout high school to increase their chances of getting into Duke specifically? What things does Duke place value in when looking at an applicant? What can one do do strengthen their possibility of getting in? Any admissions experience or advice would be much appreciated! Thanks!!
Maintain excellent grades/test scores and just be yourself. What Duke looks for changes every year. One year they may want more violinist. The next year they may want more Intel finalist or hours of volunteer commitment or excellence in a sport. The only one-size fits all recommendation is to maintain top grades. As far as character, the best thing to do is to identify something you’re passionate about and excel in it. Whether you’re meant for Duke during that admissions cycle is out of your control after grades have been accounted for.
http://admissions.duke.edu/application/overview
Passion and making an impact are big things Duke looks for in its applicant pool. They ask, “how would this person contribute to the Duke community and enrich the experience?”