Duke University Essay Prompts

Are you in the process of applying to college and are looking at applying to Duke University? This post is here to give you their essay prompts so you can start planning and writing your essays. There are two types of essays that you can submit for applying to Duke University - one mandatory essay question and up to 2 optional essay questions out of a choice of 5 prompts. 

Duke University Essay Prompts

What is your sense of Duke as a university and a community, and why do you consider it a good match for you?  If there’s something in particular about our offerings that attracts you, feel free to share that as well. (250 words)*

• Research Duke University and explain why you want to attend.

• Summarize aspects of the Duke experience that appeal to you and explain your personal connection to the school.

• Reflect on any campus visits and what drew you to Duke, such as specific campus areas or facilities.

• Avoid generic praise but instead focus on how Duke aligns with your goals and aspirations.

• Show how an education at Duke will prepare you for success, both academically and personally.

Optional questions (answer a maximum of 2)

We believe a wide range of personal perspectives, beliefs, and lived experiences are essential to making Duke a vibrant and meaningful living and learning community. Feel free to share with us anything in this context that might help us better understand you and what you might bring to our community. (250 words)

• This prompt asks how you will contribute to the Duke community and what makes your perspective unique.

• Share what has shaped you as a person and the lessons you've learned and applied.

• Consider what you can teach others about your hometown, culture, religion, identity, race, or ethnicity.

• Duke is interested in how your personal perspectives, beliefs, and experiences will impact conversations and engagement with the community.

• Tell a story that helps admissions imagine the type of student you'll be at Duke, emphasizing your potential contributions to campus life.

Tell us about an intellectual experience in the past two years that you found absolutely fascinating. (250 words)

• Duke is looking for students excited about learning, so share an awesome learning experience you've had recently.

• Demonstrate your passion for intellectual pursuits and your eagerness to learn.

• For example, you could talk about a seminar or workshop you attended where you learned new skills, or any research papers you read that piqued your interest. 

We believe there is benefit in sharing and sometimes questioning our beliefs or values; who do you agree with on the big important things, or who do you have your most interesting disagreements with? What are you agreeing or disagreeing about? (250 words)

• This prompt asks about how you communicate with others about difficult topics and issues.

• Duke seeks to foster an environment for respectful discussions about beliefs and values.

• Share about someone you speak with about issues dear to your heart, such as a mentor or family member.

• Explain how you approach complex conversations and how these interactions have shaped you.

• Discuss if you've ever questioned your beliefs or gained new perspectives through these discussions.

• Mention the topic or issue that is important to you to give admissions insight into your values and interests.

We recognize that “fitting in” in all the contexts we live in can sometimes be difficult. Duke values all kinds of differences and believes they make our community better. Feel free to tell us any ways in which you’re different, and how that has affected you or what it means to you. (250 words)

• This prompt invites you to discuss your lived experiences and what makes you different from those around you.

• Admissions recognizes that differences make communities stronger and wants to learn about your unique perspective and experiences.

• Share what it's like to be you and how the world looks through your eyes.

Duke’s commitment to inclusion and belonging includes sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. Feel free to share with us more about how your identity in this context has meaning for you as an individual or as a member of a community. (250 words)

• Duke includes questions about sexual orientation and gender identity to recruit a diverse pool of applicants.

• They embrace all sexual orientations and gender expressions.

• If you have a relevant story to share about your identity, feel free to do so.

• If this question doesn't apply to you, you can choose to respond to two of the other prompts instead.

We hope that this helps you get started on writing your supplemental essays. Good luck with your college applications!