Duke Enrolls 50 New Students 2 Weeks Before Orientation Class of 2029

[Anonymous]

The Duke Chronicle reported that Duke University enrolled 50 additional undergraduate students two weeks before orientation for the class of 2029.

https://dukechronicle.com/article/2025/08/duke-university-reopens-waitlist-enrolls-50-new-students-two-weeks-before-orientation-class-of-2029

[Anonymous]

Sounds like a bunch of kids bailed on Duke when they got in off of waitlists elsewhere.

[Anonymous]

Openings due to two primary reasons: Difficulty getting student visas for international students and planned expansion of each class to generate more revenue.

Agree that some spaces may have opened up due to some getting offers off wait-lists from other schools.

[Anonymous]

Interesting that the new kid quoted in the article got generous financial aid. So this wasn't solely for money, or they would have taken all full pay kids.

The former Dean of Admissions who had been there for 30+ years just retired. The transition clearly did not go well (and it is a lousy year to be starting new given all of the chaos).

I wonder where these kids were supposed to be going and what the trickle down effect will be. At this point, how much do they owe the schools they were leaving?

[Anonymous]

Duke is great school. Good for those who got off the wait list.

That's a LLOOONGG time to wait for an admissions slot.

[Anonymous]

I went to Duke and I'm a very loyal alum. I know a few kids in the entering class. This is embarrassing. They could have figured most of this out a long time ago.

I know this year is a bit wonky with the international students but 50 students at the 11th hour is a lot, and it seems to show incompetence and desperation. And the mass layoffs they just had also were not a good look for a school with an $8Bn endowment.

[Anonymous]

Poorly run admissions office this year is what CCO said.
Chaos.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Poorly run admissions office this year is what CCO said.
Chaos.

I believe Guttentag's replacement was given an interim title. Given this mess, not sure if they will keep the job.

[Anonymous]

Waitlists have been busy at many top schools this year. I don't think it's just a Duke thing and would not be quick to blame the admissions staff. If anyone, I'd blame the enrollment management consultant, though the entire point of a waitlist is to deal with unexpected vacancy, which is exactly what they're using it for. I don't think this means anything negative about the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I went to Duke and I'm a very loyal alum. I know a few kids in the entering class. This is embarrassing. They could have figured most of this out a long time ago.

I know this year is a bit wonky with the international students but 50 students at the 11th hour is a lot, and it seems to show incompetence and desperation. And the mass layoffs they just had also were not a good look for a school with an $8Bn endowment.

Nobody really cares that much though.

[Anonymous]

Read the article. Goal was 1720 now they have 1750 seems its purposeful to bring in more tuition$. 20 lost due to summer melt then 50 added. It is a maxed out frosh campus. Plus they took 100 more transfers on purpose

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I went to Duke and I'm a very loyal alum. I know a few kids in the entering class. This is embarrassing. They could have figured most of this out a long time ago.

I know this year is a bit wonky with the international students but 50 students at the 11th hour is a lot, and it seems to show incompetence and desperation. And the mass layoffs they just had also were not a good look for a school with an $8Bn endowment.

Looks like they need to spend more money on academics and less money on sports.

[Anonymous]

Interesting... Vandy and Emory are full

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to Duke and I'm a very loyal alum. I know a few kids in the entering class. This is embarrassing. They could have figured most of this out a long time ago.

I know this year is a bit wonky with the international students but 50 students at the 11th hour is a lot, and it seems to show incompetence and desperation. And the mass layoffs they just had also were not a good look for a school with an $8Bn endowment.

Looks like they need to spend more money on academics and less money on sports.

Sports generates a fortune for the university.

[Anonymous]

It sounds like some schools like Duke decided they wanted to overenroll another 30-ish students to increase tuition dollars. At least that's what the article says.

And then some Duke commits also bailed so the number went up to 50.