Here is the prompt:
(Optional) Duke University seeks a talented, engaged student body that embodies the wide range of human experience; we believe that the diversity of our students makes our community stronger. If you’d like to share a perspective you bring or experiences you’ve had to help us understand you better-perhaps related to a community you belong to, your sexual orientation or gender identity, or your family or cultural background-we encourage you to do so. Real people are reading your application, and we want to do our best to understand and appreciate the real people applying to Duke. (250 word limit)
Any thoughts? It says it is optional, but is it truly optional? Does not writing it hurt your chances of getting in? It is one of 2 essays that Duke has, the other is about why Duke is a good match for you/why you chose Duke.
You should write the essay if you have something to write about. If you belong to a community that would bring diversity to Duke, then write about it. It should add to your application, not just reiterate stuff already known.
I disagree with happy1 and agree with QMusic. This essay is a new one Duke added recently in an effort to appeal to those of differing sexual orientations/gender identities. They then added the “cultural” background part to make it a bit broader. This is truly optional, and trying to write something meaningful if your culture/sexual orientation doesn’t tell a unique story will just make your application sound more forced. Only write something if you think it will enhance you candidacy and gives the ad coms a better picture of who you are and what you’d contribute to the Duke community. On the other hand, I would highly encourage you to write the “Why Duke?” “optional” essay. That one should apply to everybody although I have known people who did not write that who did still get into Duke.
On the admissions website, Duke describes the optional essay as “truly optional.” My son was admitted ED 2020 and did not do the optional essay. It’s my understanding that the “Why Duke” essay is a supplemental essay and is not optional.