Duke Admissions Round-up (Class of 2026)
As with many other highly-selective schools, this was a record-breaking admissions cycle for Duke University. Out of the 44,481 applications (a 25% increase from last cycle), just 1,907 students were offered admission for a record-low acceptance rate of 4.3%. This is down from last year’s 5.7%. The university also extended admissions offers to 107 students who were deferred in the Early Decision round.
Dean of Undergraduate Admissions Christoph Guttentag attributed these record numbers to Duke’s extended test-optional policy, as well as the low ED/EA acceptance rates at peer schools. There is no word yet if Duke will re-instate their test-optional policy for the 2022-23 cycle. Only 44% of applicants chose not to submit SAT or ACT scores this year. We of course won’t know what percentage of accepted students chose not to include scores.
The Early Decision round at Duke also had a record-low acceptance rate. Just 840 applicants out of a record-high 5,036, for an acceptance rate 16.7%.
Other Stats
Duke saw a 44% increase in international applicants
The target class size remains at 1,720
Dean Guttentag expects to see fewer gap year students this year, "probably closer to 50 instead of 174," he wrote.
