How to Write the Duke University Essays 2025-2026
Duke is consistently ranked within the top 10 colleges in the country, making it an incredibly selective school. With tens of thousands of applicants vying for a spot to be a Blue Devil, every aspect of your application will have to be unique and impressive—especially your essays.
For this application cycle, Duke is requiring all prospective students to answer one standard prompt and offering up four prompts to choose from for an optional second essay. Each of the options for the second prompt names a specific theme it is targeting, making it easier to select between them if you choose to. In this post, we will go over all of Duke’s prompts and break down how to write the essays so that you can maximize your chances of admission.
Read these Duke essay examples to inspire your writing.
Duke University Supplemental Essay Prompts
All Applicants
Prompt 1: What is your impression of Duke as a university and a community, and why do you believe it is a good match for your goals, values, and interests? If there is something specific that attracts you to our academic offerings in Trinity College of Arts and Sciences or the Pratt School of Engineering, or to our co-curricular opportunities, feel free to include that, too. (250 words)
Prompt 2 (optional): We want to emphasize that the following questions are optional. We invite you to answer one of the four if you believe that doing so will add something meaningful that is not already addressed elsewhere in your application. (250 words)
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Option 1 – Viewpoints and experiences: We believe a wide range of viewpoints and experiences is essential to maintaining Duke’s vibrant living and learning community. Please share anything in this context that might help us better understand you and your potential contributions to Duke.
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Option 2 – Difference of opinion: Meaningful dialogue often involves respectful disagreement. Provide an example of a difference of opinion you’ve had with someone you care about. What did you learn from it?
- Option 3 – Something you are excited about: What’s the last thing that you’ve been really excited about?
- Option 4 – Ethics and AI: Duke recently launched an initiative “to bring together Duke experts across all disciplines who are advancing AI research, addressing the most pressing ethical challenges posed by AI, and shaping the future of AI in the classroom” (https://ai.duke.edu/). Tell us about a situation when you would or would not choose to use AI (when possible and permitted). What shapes your thinking?
Duke Kunshan Applicants
Why do you think Duke Kunshan University is a good match for you? And what special qualities do you feel you could bring to Duke Kunshan University? (200 words)
Gap Year Prompt
Please describe your gap year plans as you currently are considering them. By responding to this prompt, you are not committing to taking a gap year. (250 words)
All Applicants, Prompt 1
What is your impression of Duke as a university and a community, and why do you believe it is a good match for your goals, values, and interests? If there is something specific that attracts you to our academic offerings in Trinity College of Arts and Sciences or the Pratt School of Engineering, or to our co-curricular opportunities, feel free to include that, too. (250 words)
Every student applying to Duke will be submitting this “Why This College?” essay, so you need to make yours stand out. Before we talk about what you should do, let’s cover common mistakes to avoid so your essay isn’t generic.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Avoid discussing factors outside of the school’s control, such as location, weather, or the surrounding city. You might be attracted to Duke because you want to go to a school in the South, but there are hundreds of other schools nearby. This doesn’t tell us anything about Duke in particular.
You should also avoid making emotional appeals like “It feels like home” or “The campus is so beautiful.” Contrary to popular belief, statements like these don’t flatter admissions officers because they read them so frequently. Saying something like this is too vague, and your limited space would be better served by describing resources that make you feel connected to the school.
Don’t regurgitate fun facts and statistics from a campus tour, brochure, or website. Duke doesn’t need to be told how many Nobel prize winners or cabinet secretaries attended, nor do they need to be told about the infamous Duke vs UNC game. Admissions officers especially don’t care about the student-to-faculty ratio or class sizes. Listing these as reasons for attending signals to the admissions committee that you didn’t research specific offerings at the school, and you might not be as dedicated.
This one should be pretty self-explanatory, but don’t talk badly about the school. When they ask about your sense of Duke, don’t call it stuffy and pretentious! You are trying to prove your love and devotion to the school, so if you have a negative impression, maybe reconsider why you are applying.
Finally, don’t list out a dozen reasons why you want to go to Duke. We recommend including specific offerings and resources at Duke that excite you, but it’s all about quality over quantity. Spend time explaining why each reason resonates with you or what you hope to get out of the resource or experience. If that means you only have space to include three or four, then that’s okay!
What Makes a Good Essay
Now that you know what not to do, here are some tips on what you should do in your essay to make it stand out.
Make it personal. Like any other college essay, you need to share information about yourself and your interests to demonstrate to the admissions committee why you belong at Duke. Include anecdotes or details about your experiences to highlight your connection to the offerings at Duke.
Include specific resources and opportunities you want to take advantage of. The prompt makes it seem like it’s optional to include offerings that speak to you, but we strongly urge you to include them! Not only does including specific offerings demonstrate you’ve done your research, but it also allows you to talk more about your interests and goals through the resources you are attracted to.
Another thing you’ll want to do is balance academic and extracurricular reasons for wanting to attend. To show the admissions committee you are well-rounded, you’ll need to discuss both academic and extracurricular offerings that excite you. Your extracurriculars could be related to the academic topic you’re studying, but make sure to include clubs or communities you want to join so Duke knows you will be active both in class and out.
Don’t forget to draw parallels between yourself and Duke to emphasize why it’s a good fit for you. This might be a little harder to conceptualize and implement in your essay, but you could go about this by finding a club on campus that aligns with one of your extracurriculars, a professor who conducts research on a topic you want to learn more about, or values the school exemplifies that you prioritize.
Having a strong narrative that still reads like a story is important as well. Just because this essay might not be as creative or story-based as other college essays doesn’t mean it can’t have a narrative style. Make sure you have an exciting hook at the beginning and a conclusion that ties everything together.
Have some fun! Your essay should still have a voice that is uniquely yours, so if that means you like to use humor, go for it. Also, you can mention fun aspects of the college experience at Duke—basketball is a huge part of the Duke experience. Just be sure that you frame it as an additional bonus of attending Duke and not the primary reason for choosing the school.
Example Essay
Putting all of that together, take a look at what a sample student might write:
“You’d be surprised by the power 1080px by 1920px can wield. Within those 3×6 inches, violence has been incited, hate crimes have been encouraged, and a democracy was nearly toppled. Behold, the 21st century’s mega-weapon: Instagram stories.
Media and politics are intrinsically linked, especially in the USA. My generation is faced with the burden of freeing democracy from the tight grip of the Instagram story, Twitter thread, and Facebook group. Luckily, with Duke’s commitment to forging positive change, I won’t have to go at it alone. At the Sanford School of Public Policy, I’ll join a community of people dedicated to saving our democracy.
Through the Dewitt Wallace Center for Media and Democracy, I’ll delve into the complicated relationship between media and politics to better equip myself to one day shape federal policy surrounding media practices. Courses like Can Journalism Save Democracy? and Intro to Digital Culture: Media Theory, Politics, and Aesthetics signal that I’ll find a community of students and faculty equally passionate about this field. By my junior year, I’ll take the knowledge I’ve gathered in class and apply it on the Hill with Duke in DC.
Duke is a place where I’ll learn how to fight most effectively for a media that promotes healthy political discourse. In between my Instagram stories of the blue devils crushing UNC and the picturesque Chapel, expect many posts on the latest article from the Sanford Journal of Public Policy, announcements for upcoming guest speakers, and information on how to protect American democracy.”
All Applicants, Prompt 2 (optional)
We want to emphasize that the following questions are optional. We invite you to answer one of the four if you believe that doing so will add something meaningful that is not already addressed elsewhere in your application. (250 words)
Before getting started with the optional prompts, be sure to carefully read the instructions. You can respond to none of these or one of the four prompts.
While it may be tempting to only complete the one required essay, we always recommend completing all the prompts available to you, as it gives you another chance to make a lasting impression on your application. It also shows admissions counselors that you are truly invested in Duke, and may even be the deciding factor in your application.
Since these prompts are optional, though, you want to take special care not to repeat anything in your application, especially since Duke said so themselves. For example, if you already talked about Model UN in your Common App essay, there’s no need to write another essay about it.
All Applicants, Prompt 2 – Option 1
We believe a wide range of viewpoints and experiences is essential to maintaining Duke’s vibrant living and learning community. Please share anything in this context that might help us better understand you and your potential contributions to Duke. (250 words)
This is one instance of the very common diversity prompt. When colleges have a diversity prompt, they want to know about your background and how it has influenced your worldview and perspectives.
A quick note if you intend to write about your racial background: In June 2023, the United States Supreme Court struck down the use of affirmative action in college admissions. The ruling, however, still allows colleges to consider race on an individual basis, which is one reason many schools now include diversity prompts as one of their supplemental essay prompts. If you feel that your racial background has impacted you significantly, this is the place to discuss that.
In general, such a common prompt can be approached with a traditional answer. You might consider answering this prompt with what you think is the most important part of your identity, then a small discussion about how that aspect of diversity is relevant to you and your general life experiences.
Such a response might be written about one of the following scenarios:
- Using your fluency in another language to help members of a specific community.
- Interpreting a text in class differently from your classmates because of your ethnic culture.
- Having a friend of a different background who has changed your perspective on something important.
- Having an illness or disability helps you view accessibility through a different lens than your peers.
- Being part of a niche interest group/fandom and trying to represent the group faithfully when talking to people who aren’t members of it.
Simply listing things that generate diversity should be avoided. Sure, diversity includes different ethnicities/races, gender identities, sexual orientations, countries of origin, and languages, but writing that laundry list out doesn’t contribute much to your application.
Also, bear in mind that the traditional markers of diversity aren’t the only ones you can discuss. Other aspects of identity contribute to a diverse campus, including socioeconomic classes, hometowns, illnesses/disabilities, and even interests or hobbies.
Example Essay
Keeping the above in mind, let’s look at a potential example response:
“Growing up as the daughter of Mexican immigrants, I often found myself translating for my parents at parent-teacher conferences, doctor’s appointments, and even grocery stores. These early experiences made me acutely aware of the barriers faced by non-English speaking communities. This awareness fueled my passion for educational equity, leading me to start a tutoring program for ESL students at my high school. Every Saturday, I helped students navigate their schoolwork while also bridging cultural gaps through shared stories and experiences.
At Duke, I hope to continue advocating for underrepresented communities by joining the Center for Multicultural Affairs and collaborating with organizations like Duke LIFE (Low-Income, First-Generation Engagement). I am excited to contribute my unique perspective and learn from a community that values diverse experiences as much as I do. By sharing my background and listening to others, I aim to foster a more inclusive environment where everyone feels heard and valued.”
Diversity encompasses all the aforementioned attributes, but you should strive for individuality and specificity in your response. This prompt, like all the others, is an opportunity to showcase your unique life perspective. You don’t want to waste this opportunity by regurgitating bland dictionary definitions. Think of what diversity means to you and what you consider to be a particularly significant aspect of diversity. From there, think of personal anecdotes or stories about how that aspect of diversity has contributed to your growth or development as a person.
All Applicants, Prompt 2 – Option 2
Meaningful dialogue often involves respectful disagreement. Provide an example of a difference of opinion you’ve had with someone you care about. What did you learn from it? (250 words)
This prompt is asking for a specific instance when you disagreed with someone you care about — not just a generic “we sometimes fight.” It should focus on respect and dialogue, not drama or winning the argument. Address your personal growth, what you learned about yourself, communication, and maybe the other person’s perspective.
The admissions readers aren’t looking for the juiciest conflict of your life. They want to see that you can handle differences without shutting down or attacking others. Be sure to reflect on your experiences thoughtfully. You need to show that you value relationships even when opinions diverge. Think of this as a “character under pressure” story — how you think, react, and grow when you’re challenged.
What Makes a Good Response
A strong essay will tell a vivid, specific story. The admissions committee isn’t looking for a summary of your disagreement. They want to be transported to the moment and experience it real time with you. Include elements like dialogue, internal monologue, and descriptive imagery to bring your conversation to life.
As you approach this essay, remember that despite the fact you are writing about a disagreement, you should still show respect for the other person. An important part of this essay is revealing that you can find common ground and co-exist with people who are different than you—after all, that’s a big part of the college experience,
It’s important that you highlight your listening and reflection skills. Don’t just explain why you were right; show that you appreciate the other side of the argument and you saw reason in it (or flaws in your perspective). Showing how you came to understand nuance in your position, you changed your mind, or at least developed an appreciation for the other side shows that you have intellectual humility, which is a desirable trait in college students.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Although there’s no “right” or “wrong” conversation to pick, you should avoid picking a trivial disagreement. For example, a disagreement like “We couldn’t decide what to eat for dinner” probably won’t make as good an essay as a disagreement like “My parents didn’t want me to spend my salary investing in a drop-shipping business.” The one exception to this rule is if you take a trivial disagreement and use it to delve into a surprising, deeper discovery. For example, disagreeing about a movie leads you to understand how different people find comfort during difficult times of their life.
You should also avoid putting down the other person as it can make you look arrogant or dismissive, which are qualities you don’t want to feature in your essay. Also, don’t use the essay to prove you were right and they were wrong. This isn’t a lecture; the essay should be a discovery into how you approach conflict and different perspectives.
Another mistake is not including any dialogue or internal monologue. If you summarize what the disagreement was and don’t bring the reader into it, the whole essay will feel flat.
Finally, if you are going to choose a politically charged disagreement, make sure you acknowledge the nuance of the issue. Especially since you can’t be sure of the political views of the admissions officer reading your essay, you need to show empathy and a basic level of understanding for the other side.
Example Essays
Good Example
“The steam from my grandmother’s tea curled upward as she shook her head. “In my day, a woman’s place was in the home,” she said, placing a floral saucer between us. My instinct was to launch into statistics about women in the workforce, but instead, I asked, “Why?”
She spoke about her own mother, whose dreams ended when she married young. I realized she wasn’t against ambition—she was afraid I’d lose my family life to it. For the next hour, we swapped visions: hers of tradition, mine of career, until we found an overlap in wanting stability and purpose. I didn’t change her mind, but I learned that beneath every opinion is a story—and that listening opens more doors than facts alone.”
Bad Example
“I once disagreed with my friend about whether school uniforms should be mandatory. I explained that they improve equality, but she thought they restrict individuality. We talked for a while, and in the end, we agreed to disagree. I learned that everyone has their own perspective and you should respect it.”
All Applicants, Prompt 2, Option 3
What’s the last thing that you’ve been really excited about? (250 words)
This fits under the Extracurricular archetype if you’re writing about a hobby, activity, or passion, but it could also be a Why This Major-type essay if your excitement is academic. The key here is energy, storytelling, and showing your authentic personality through what gets you fired up.
This is not just “tell us a hobby.” It’s a snapshot of you in motion — admissions wants to feel your excitement, not just read about it. It is an opportunity to show how you think and feel when you’re deeply engaged with something. This is a chance to connect your enthusiasm to broader qualities (curiosity, persistence, creativity) that you’ll bring to campus.
Lastly, it is not about choosing the most impressive-sounding topic. It’s about picking something that’s genuinely exciting to you and letting that excitement be contagious.
Brainstorming Your Essay
Ask yourself the following questions to get the juices flowing:
- What’s the last thing I dove into so much that I lost track of time?
- When was the last time I couldn’t stop talking about something to friends/family?
- Was it an event, a discovery, a piece of news, a personal project?
- How did my excitement look in real life — did I stay up late researching, start building something, drag others into it?
- What emotions came with it — anticipation, joy, awe, determination?
- Did this excitement lead me to create something, meet someone, or change my perspective?
- Is there a specific moment that captures my excitement in action?
What Makes a Good Response
A strong response to this prompt drops the reader right into the middle of your excitement, as if they’ve just walked into the scene. Skip the long setup and begin where your enthusiasm is already in motion—soldering wires at 2 a.m., standing knee-deep in tidepools, or scribbling in a notebook during math class because an idea just can’t wait. This immediacy pulls your reader in faster than a simple statement like “I’m passionate about…” ever could. Once you’ve hooked them, make the experience tangible by layering in sensory details—the faint hum of machinery, the sharp scent of lemon zest, the blur of colors from a mural in progress.
Hyper-specifics make your excitement believable. Vague enthusiasm (“I love helping people”) feels distant, but a sharply drawn image (“I balance on a wobbly step stool to hand Mr. Lee his grocery bag, still warm from the bread I baked that morning”) makes the reader feel like they’re there with you. Your details should show, not tell, your emotional investment.
From there, reveal the ripple effect. What does this excitement push you to do beyond the immediate moment? Maybe it’s sparked a research project, led you to mentor others, or changed the way you see the world. This is where the passion moves from being a snapshot to a story, one that shows curiosity, creativity, empathy, grit, or another quality you want to highlight. Even a small action, if it’s authentic, can be powerful when connected to a larger mindset.
Above all, your essay should feel genuine. Readers can sense when a topic is chosen to sound “impressive” rather than heartfelt. The best answers often come from unexpected corners of your life: an obsession with local bird species, a fascination with antique maps, or the art of perfecting a single sourdough loaf. If it lights you up, it’s worth writing about. The goal is for the admissions officer to finish reading and think, “This is someone who will bring energy and depth to our campus—because they can’t help but dive in when something matters to them.”
Good and Bad Examples
Good Example
“The cardboard box was bigger than I expected. I sliced the tape, pulled out a nest of wires, and felt my pulse race—my first 3D printer. For weeks, I’d been sketching a design for a chess set modeled after famous architectural landmarks. Now, I could bring the Eiffel Tower rook to life.
Hours disappeared in a hum of motors and the scent of heated filament. I hovered by the printer, watching the tiny layers stack into a miniature tower, tweaking the CAD file between prints. By midnight, I had half a board’s worth of mismatched, slightly wobbly pieces—and the giddy certainty that I’d keep printing until every one matched my vision. I wasn’t just making chess pieces; I was learning how ideas take shape, one layer at a time.”
Bad Example
“I got really excited when I joined the robotics club. I had always liked building things, so being on the team was very fun. We worked on a robot for a competition, and I helped with programming. I was happy when we won first place. I learned that working together is important.”
All Applicants, Prompt 2, Option 4
Duke recently launched an initiative “to bring together Duke experts across all disciplines who are advancing AI research, addressing the most pressing ethical challenges posed by AI, and shaping the future of AI in the classroom” (https://ai.duke.edu/). Tell us about a situation when you would or would not choose to use AI (when possible and permitted). What shapes your thinking? (250 words)
This falls under the Political/Global Issues archetype because it asks you to engage with a current, high-stakes topic and connect it to your personal values and reasoning. The key here is self-awareness, ethical reasoning, and real-world application—Duke isn’t looking for a generic “AI is good/bad” take, but rather a nuanced, personal stance.
When sharing your personal connection, this shouldn’t be a purely theoretical essay. It should reveal something about you. Thoughtfully consider the benefits and risks of using AI. They’re also hinting that Duke values interdisciplinary thinking—AI impacts not just computer science, but law, medicine, art, journalism, education, and more.
Brainstorming Your Essay
Think about these questions to help focus your brainstorming process:
- Have I ever been tempted to use AI in a situation where it might feel questionable? Why did I choose to use or not use it?
- What role does AI currently play in my life — in schoolwork, hobbies, creativity, or problem-solving?
- Where do I draw the line between “AI as a tool” and “AI doing the work for me”?
- Which of my personal values (integrity, fairness, originality, privacy) guide my thinking about AI use?
- Is there a moment when using AI would have been easy but wrong in my eyes? Or a time when AI helped me achieve something valuable without compromising ethics?
- How does my field of interest (engineering, medicine, arts, etc.) influence my stance on AI use?
What Makes a Good Response
A strong response will ground itself in a concrete moment rather than discussing abstract theory. Instead of broadly declaring “AI can be harmful,” place the reader inside a real scenario you’ve faced. Perhaps you’re coding a school project, editing a short film, or tutoring a friend who asks you to “just have ChatGPT write it.” By showing us one specific moment, you give your stance weight and context. Your readers will remember your description of the smell of coffee in the robotics lab at midnight or the flashing cursor in a half-finished essay far more than they’ll remember generalized statements.
Once you’ve set the stage, reveal your ethical reasoning process—don’t just jump to your conclusion. What factors ran through your mind? Did you weigh efficiency against authenticity? Accuracy against bias? Privacy against innovation? Duke isn’t looking for the “right” answer; they’re looking for evidence that you can wrestle with nuanced trade-offs. Maybe you see tremendous potential for AI in medical diagnostics, but you draw a firm line at using it to fabricate sources for research.
Your scenario should matter to you in a personal way, whether it’s something that affected your work, relationships, or integrity in the real world. These personal stakes make your reasoning feel urgent, not hypothetical. When possible, show how your decision affected others or shifted your perspective. Did refusing to use AI force you to develop a new skill? Did selectively using AI in one context open your eyes to risks in another?
Finally, connect your thinking to Duke’s values like curiosity, interdisciplinary problem-solving, and confronting complex ethical questions head-on. Maybe your interest in AI ethics comes from combining your love of literature with your fascination for computer science. Maybe a biology research project taught you to think critically about algorithmic bias in medical data. Show Duke that you’re the kind of student who won’t shy away from tangled moral questions, but instead will cross disciplinary boundaries to address them thoughtfully—the exact kind of voice they want in their AI initiative.
Hypothetical Student Examples
The student journalist: When covering a controversial school board decision for his student newspaper, this student decided not to use AI to draft quotes or summaries, even though it could have saved time. He believed journalism requires human verification and emotional nuance, and feared AI could misrepresent people’s words. His decision came from a deep respect for truth and accountability.
A biology researcher: During a summer research internship, this student used AI to help analyze large sets of genetic data, but she refused to use it to write her lab report. She sees AI as powerful for pattern detection but believes in doing the interpretive and explanatory work herself to ensure accuracy and originality.
An aspiring game designer: This student experimented with AI image generators to create concept art for a video game, but only for placeholder images during brainstorming. For final assets, he chose to commission artists, valuing human creativity and avoiding the risk of using AI-trained work without proper attribution.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
When writing this essay, one of the biggest pitfalls is speaking in broad generalities. Statements like “AI is the future” or “AI is dangerous” sound like headlines, not personal reflections, and they won’t help an admissions officer understand you.
Similarly, swinging to either extreme—an overly dystopian “AI will destroy humanity” stance or a utopian “AI will solve all our problems” vision—can make your response feel one-dimensional. Duke is looking for thoughtfulness and nuance, not fear-mongering or tech evangelism. Without concrete examples, your essay risks coming across as hollow, even if your opinion is strong.
Another common mistake is failing to make the essay personal. If your scenario could apply to any applicant, it won’t leave a lasting impression. The question specifically asks what shapes your thinking, so be sure to trace your stance back to personal experiences, values, or academic interests. Avoid picking a scenario where the ethics are obvious because there’s no real moral tension to explore. Gray-area situations are more compelling, as they give you space to unpack competing priorities and show how you navigate complexity.
Remember: the admissions reader should walk away understanding not just what you think, but the unique reasoning process that gets you there.
Duke Kunshan Applicants
Why do you think Duke Kunshan University is a good match for you? And what special qualities do you feel you could bring to Duke Kunshan University? (200 words)
Duke Kunshan is a partnership between Duke and Wuhan University in China that allows students to receive an education that marries two exceptional universities.
You are asked to submit a pretty straightforward “Why This College?” essay for Duke Kunshan, and we would refer you to Prompt 1 in this post to learn more about the tips and common pitfalls to avoid when writing this type of essay.
A key factor to keep in mind when submitting this essay is that although Duke will be reading it, it will also be sent to Duke Kunshan, who will review it. For that reason, you want to make sure the college you are discussing is specifically Duke Kunshan and not regular Duke. Along those lines, you need to speak highly of Kunshan as its entity—don’t say you want to attend because you think it will be an easier way to achieve a Duke degree.
While we normally advise against listing a school’s location as a reason for wanting to attend, in the case of an international university, it is okay to discuss your interest in Duke Kunshan because it’s in another country. However, frame it within the context of an interest in experiencing new cultures or an appreciation for Chinese history, culture, or society. Make sure your motivation for attending an international institution is clear in your essay.
The second part of the prompt asks you to consider what you can bring to the school. Just as you would for any other “Why This College?” essay, highlight ways your interests and experiences align with resources and offerings at the university. Your contribution to the campus community can also lie outside of academics. Perhaps you will bring your favorite comfort food recipe with you to support your fellow homesick American students, or maybe you will share your adventurous spirit with your more reserved classmates to encourage them to explore a new environment with you.
Gap Year Applicants
Please describe your gap year plans as you currently are considering them. You are not making a commitment to these plans. (250 words)
If you indicate on the Common App that you are considering taking a gap year before enrolling at Duke, you will be required to answer this question. It’s important to note that this isn’t an official declaration of your plans; Duke is using this question to gauge what type of individual you are and how you will use your time productively.
But at the same time, don’t make up fanciful gap year plans like traveling to all seven continents if, realistically, you know you will spend the majority of your time working at home. You aren’t being judged on how exciting your gap year plans may sound, so be genuine about the plans you are considering.
There are many reasons you might be considering a gap year—from wanting to gain more real-world experience, to financial reasons, to unique opportunities you don’t want to miss, to family commitments—and there are an infinite number of ways to spend your year, whether it’s traveling, getting an internship, working on a campaign, supporting your family, etc.
When it comes to this essay, though, there are two primary things you want to convey:
- What do you consider to be valuable?
- How will you grow and be enriched from the gap year?
Starting with the first point, the way you choose to spend your gap year is a reflection of the values you find important. Students who want to travel value broadening their perspectives and embracing new experiences, while students who are staying home to help out their parents value family, loyalty, and devotion. Unless you are spending your time in the basement playing video games all day long, you will be doing something that, in your mind, is considered a productive use of time.
When you are discussing your plans, your values should come through. For example, if you are planning to spend the first semester backpacking South America, you wouldn’t just say, “I will spend the first four months backpacking in China.” You would instead show the admissions committee why you are driven to take that action: “During my four months exploring the mountains, valleys, cities, and ancient civilizations of China, I will immerse myself in the culture I’ve felt so distant from as a Chinese adoptee.”
The second thing your essay needs to discuss is how this experience will enrich you. Or, from Duke’s perspective, how will taking a gap year make you a more valuable member of the campus community? To answer this question, you’ll need to place yourself in a year-from-now you’s shoes and ask how you’ve changed and grown.
Are you more independent? Are you confident? Did you learn a new skill? Have you become a stronger leader? Do you have a new appreciation for learning?
However, you think you will grow from this experience, make sure to convey that in your essay. You might also want to explicitly mention what you will bring back to the Duke community, just to reiterate your commitment to attending Duke after your gap year.
Some Final Thoughts
If you choose to respond to the optional Duke supplement, you’ll need to keep a few key strategies in mind. As you draft and revise your response, remember the following tips, which will help you to optimize your application for Duke as well as any other schools to which you might apply.
Give yourself time. Writing a short essay can often seem like a straightforward and deceptively quick process. Remember, however, that even though the Duke only wants 250 words, you’ll need to achieve the same level of impact in this response as you would with a 650-word essay. Clumsily jumbling together broad and lofty ideas won’t get you far with a 250-word prompt, so leave yourself enough time to plan, draft, and redraft your response until it’s ready for submission.
Be specific. Specificity is the not-so-secret ingredient when it comes to writing a successful response. Include anecdotes and examples that tie directly to what you know and value about the Duke campus community. Don’t simply say that you love research or that you want to change the world. Think about the specific experiences you have that exemplify your interests and your academic and professional aspirations.
Be true to yourself. It’s counterproductive to spend hours and hours writing about things that don’t truly matter to you. Be honest! Highlight the things that you care about most and reflect on why they matter to you.
Ultimately, the purpose of any supplemental essay is to allow you to present yourself, your experiences, and achievements from your perspective using your own words. So have fun with this process. After all, no one could ever be better equipped to showcase you than you.
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