11 Duke Essay Examples That Worked

Prompt: Why Duke?

Throughout high school, I attempted to create pockets of fellowship where they were lacking.

Founding a space for student creatives via Ceramics Club, recruiting peer buddies when our school received an influx of students with disabilities, and mentoring a Lego robotics team are a

few examples.

       I know Duke is the place for me because it too places a strong emphasis on creating

community. Walking through West Campus, I felt an overwhelming sense of school spirit. Traditions like tenting, midnight breakfast in the Marketplace, and flunching help facilitate the

tight-knit student body I want to contribute to. In [Place Redacted], I served as a volunteer camp counselor and soccer coach. In Durham, I will find a similar place among my service-minded peers through programs like DukeEngage. In high school, I blended my passions for engineering and combating

social isolation through projects like [Redacted Content]. In college, I will continue this trend through organizations like DEID. In the classroom, I am drawn to Duke’s

nanoelectronic materials & devices research. I hope to join other Duke ECE engineers exploring novel materials to enable the future of renewable energy.

       Finally, I am excited to join Duke’s Air Force ROTC Detachment 585. As a scholarship recipient, they have been incredibly welcoming and supportive. [Name Redacted] put it best when he told me

Duke believes, “a rising tide lifts all ships.” I can’t wait to join the Duke community to do my part in raising the seas.

Essay by Olivia

Pickleball fanatic studying electrical engineering at Stanford :)

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Prompt: We seek a diverse student body that embodies the wide range of human experience. In that context, we are interested in what you’d like to share about your lived experiences and how they’ve influenced how you think of yourself.

My whole life, I’ve attended the same small, Pre-K-12 school. Playing make-believe, the awkwardness of adolescence, finding my passions – it all happened at the same place. The [School Redacted] community, then, has been definitive to who I am.

Growing up at [School Redacted] has changed how I connect with others. My grade consists of only forty people, diverse in interests and backgrounds. I’ve never had any option but to be friends with everyone, and I’m better for it. Whether we have different intellectual interests or political beliefs, befriending a variety of people has strengthened my academic understanding and personal worldview. 

Attending a small, relatively young school has also given me a unique opportunity to have an impact. The lack of established clubs and customs empowered me to be a go-getter and found an organization of my own. As an avid reader, I became interested in starting a literary magazine. The administration supported the creation of the club, but it was up to me to step up and lead. The opportunity to start something inspired me to take action: to recruit editors, form a brand, create a publication schedule, and more. 

As I now look to college and beyond, I know my time at [School Redacted] will continue to define who I am. Surrounding myself with people of all perspectives and being unafraid to lead – these lessons will stick with me.

Essay by Abby

English major interested in creative writing, theater, & film

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