Transfer Requirements

Colleges and Universities A-Z Duke University
1

Hi. I’ll be starting college at a top 50 university this fall, and I hope to transfer to Duke for the fall of 2016. I understand that I might be getting ahead of myself (I haven’t even started college yet), but I’ve been looking into Duke a lot these past few weeks, and it definitely seems like the place I want to go. Therefore, I’d definitely appreciate any answers that you guys can provide.

I want to make one thing clear, though. I understand that transferring to Duke is a difficult undertaking. A very difficult undertaking. I understand that top students are turned away from Duke every year when it comes to accepting transfers (and freshmen, in general). I know that Duke’s acceptance rate for transfers has hovered between two and three percent these past few years and that my chances of getting in are low (in fact, slim-to-none). Still, I’m looking for any advice people might have for trying to get in.

For now, I had some questions about how I can make my college coursework demonstrate my commitment to getting into Duke. I understand that earning around a 4.0 (if not an actual 4.0) is key. As an economics major who’s already taken and gotten high scores on the AP Microeconomics and Macroeconomics exams, should I start off with an Intermediate Micro class first semester? And if so, what kinds of classes should I take alongside it? That’s the question I’m most concerned about: what classes should I take my fall and spring semesters so that I can stand out? I don’t want to overburden myself first semester, but I also want to stand out from the pack. Am I supposed to take a variety of classes (like hard sciences with labs and foreign languages) or should I focus on taking economics and math courses? I already have to take two required courses in the fall (one in education, which is for the program I was accepted into; the other in a social studies field in order to fulfill a general education requirement).

STATS:
-Final: 1/290
-Midyear: 2/290 (which is what was used for graduation)
-GPA: 4.8/4.0 W
SAT: 2310 (M: 720, CR: 790, W: 800)
SAT II: 770 in US History, 700 in Math II
ACT: 32
EC’s: Vice President of Debate for two years; member of National Honor Society, National English Honor Society, Math Honor Society, Rho Kappa, Scholastic Bowl; historian of Stamp & History Club; summer volunteer at and member of local library’s teen advisory board; one of 40 students chosen to attend a summer NASA camp

2

It’s not so much the rigor of your classes that would make you stand out. Yes, a high GPA is required and a rigorous course load is highly recommended. But students who are admitted to Duke as transfers usually have very unique and distinct reasons for getting in. Each and every one of them. Simply saying you like Duke and it’s the place you want to be is not enough. We need to know why specifically you would like to be at Duke. A better sports team? Specific professors or academic departments that peaked your interest? Those are generally valid reasons for getting in.

I even think if Duke is only admitting 33 out of 953 transfer applicants then they might as well close their transfer process altogether like Princeton has. But I, as well as the University, realizes that there are special students who could benefit from an education at Duke and as an applicant you need to make a strong case as to why you are one of those special students.

3

Hi, Jwest22. I definitely have a distinct reason for wanting to go to Duke; I just didn’t include it in my original post, because I didn’t want it to be too long. Perhaps I could message you?

4

Bump.