Less socially adept admitted students at Duke?

[Anonymous]

Found this article and it shows a TON about the institutional priorities of the school:

https://dukechronicle.com/article/duke-chronicle-admissions-officers-discuss-enrollment-targets-challenges-in-arts-and-sciences-council-diversity-artificial-intelligence-transfers-academics-20260410

"Phillips described the recent classes of admitted students as steadily more credentialed and outcome-focused but less socially adept."

"On the outcome-focused point, David Malone, professor of the practice of education, observed that students are now coming into his “The University: Why Are We Here?” FOCUS course with a set idea of roughly six professions that will provide a “return on investment” of attending university, which mostly revolved around STEM- and economics-based fields.

Phillips explained in response that many students, especially those with low-income, first-generation or international backgrounds, may consider studies in the arts and humanities as “luxury goods” that they or their family may not want to prioritize ahead of a financially safer career path. She described the emphasis on more technical fields as a problem commonly faced by research universities, rather than an issue unique to Duke.

While economics and STEM degrees consistently rank among Duke’s most popular majors, Phillips said admitting students with a genuine, demonstrated interest in arts and the humanities remains a priority. She also noted that students with interests in climate and sustainability, as well as civic and environmental engineering, have become a point of focus for the admissions office."

[Anonymous]

Don't you think parents are fueling this? The obsession with STEM and high-paying jobs, regardless of what a student's genuine interests are?

Lucky students have parents who are encouraging following their skills and not trying to fit a round peg in a square hole.

[Anonymous]

Interesting! The recent duke admits of non legacy/non connected kids that I know are bright, 'quirky', and deep into climate/environmental sustainability. Not typical duke admits. Our school/area sends a lot of kids to duke. My observation is very anecdotal, but makes sense given what OP shared. On a related note, most kids at our school have strong humanities narratives on their app but switch to econ or other oversubscribed majors when they get there...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Interesting! The recent duke admits of non legacy/non connected kids that I know are bright, 'quirky', and deep into climate/environmental sustainability. Not typical duke admits. Our school/area sends a lot of kids to duke. My observation is very anecdotal, but makes sense given what OP shared. On a related note, most kids at our school have strong humanities narratives on their app but switch to econ or other oversubscribed majors when they get there...

This is an issue every college is attempting to deal with. They admit large proportions of the class as humanities and interdisciplinary soft majors, but by junior year, most of those kids are Econ majors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Interesting! The recent duke admits of non legacy/non connected kids that I know are bright, 'quirky', and deep into climate/environmental sustainability. Not typical duke admits. Our school/area sends a lot of kids to duke. My observation is very anecdotal, but makes sense given what OP shared. On a related note, most kids at our school have strong humanities narratives on their app but switch to econ or other oversubscribed majors when they get there...

You read it wrong, they want community oriented kids in humanities or social sciences who AREN’T quirky to balance out the uptight STEM kids.

[Anonymous]

These schools don't want to be graduating 99% Econ majors. It's all anyone is studying
in 2026.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Interesting! The recent duke admits of non legacy/non connected kids that I know are bright, 'quirky', and deep into climate/environmental sustainability. Not typical duke admits. Our school/area sends a lot of kids to duke. My observation is very anecdotal, but makes sense given what OP shared. On a related note, most kids at our school have strong humanities narratives on their app but switch to econ or other oversubscribed majors when they get there...

You read it wrong, they want community oriented kids in humanities or social sciences who AREN’T quirky to balance out the uptight STEM kids.

Dp but nowhere does it say that. Or, at minimum, you’re using quirky entirely inappropriately here.

[Anonymous]

Can we stop shaming the Aspies already?

Because essentially that's what they're saying. Technically-focused neurodivergent students who may or may not be diagnosed are very valuable. Our global economy depends on innovation, and this is the cohort that drives it. The emotionally and socially connected are the glue that holds our society together, and they will always tend to be more successful in their lives, due to their superior social skills... so I don't know why we're attacking the ones that contribute to progress and are less social. On the contrary, we should be supporting them!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can we stop shaming the Aspies already?

Because essentially that's what they're saying. Technically-focused neurodivergent students who may or may not be diagnosed are very valuable. Our global economy depends on innovation, and this is the cohort that drives it. The emotionally and socially connected are the glue that holds our society together, and they will always tend to be more successful in their lives, due to their superior social skills... so I don't know why we're attacking the ones that contribute to progress and are less social. On the contrary, we should be supporting them!

A school filled with them is a nightmare.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can we stop shaming the Aspies already?

Because essentially that's what they're saying. Technically-focused neurodivergent students who may or may not be diagnosed are very valuable. Our global economy depends on innovation, and this is the cohort that drives it. The emotionally and socially connected are the glue that holds our society together, and they will always tend to be more successful in their lives, due to their superior social skills... so I don't know why we're attacking the ones that contribute to progress and are less social. On the contrary, we should be supporting them!

A school filled with them is a nightmare.

Does anyone seriously believe that duke is filled with neurodivergent students. Its reputation alone is enough to drive many away.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can we stop shaming the Aspies already?

Because essentially that's what they're saying. Technically-focused neurodivergent students who may or may not be diagnosed are very valuable. Our global economy depends on innovation, and this is the cohort that drives it. The emotionally and socially connected are the glue that holds our society together, and they will always tend to be more successful in their lives, due to their superior social skills... so I don't know why we're attacking the ones that contribute to progress and are less social. On the contrary, we should be supporting them!

A school filled with them is a nightmare.

Does anyone seriously believe that duke is filled with neurodivergent students. Its reputation alone is enough to drive many away.

Its definitely gotten nerdy, which its clear they don't necessarily like. Read a bunch of the interim AO interviews in various Duke publications. Or listen to her speak. They've identified some issues to appease other constituent groups inside the university.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can we stop shaming the Aspies already?

Because essentially that's what they're saying. Technically-focused neurodivergent students who may or may not be diagnosed are very valuable. Our global economy depends on innovation, and this is the cohort that drives it. The emotionally and socially connected are the glue that holds our society together, and they will always tend to be more successful in their lives, due to their superior social skills... so I don't know why we're attacking the ones that contribute to progress and are less social. On the contrary, we should be supporting them!

A school filled with them is a nightmare.

Does anyone seriously believe that duke is filled with neurodivergent students. Its reputation alone is enough to drive many away.

These are the 1st year students: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DQW8QQTAADb/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can we stop shaming the Aspies already?

Because essentially that's what they're saying. Technically-focused neurodivergent students who may or may not be diagnosed are very valuable. Our global economy depends on innovation, and this is the cohort that drives it. The emotionally and socially connected are the glue that holds our society together, and they will always tend to be more successful in their lives, due to their superior social skills... so I don't know why we're attacking the ones that contribute to progress and are less social. On the contrary, we should be supporting them!

A school filled with them is a nightmare.

Does anyone seriously believe that duke is filled with neurodivergent students. Its reputation alone is enough to drive many away.

A big majority of non-athletes are very nerdy. It is not the Duke of 1995.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Interesting! The recent duke admits of non legacy/non connected kids that I know are bright, 'quirky', and deep into climate/environmental sustainability. Not typical duke admits. Our school/area sends a lot of kids to duke. My observation is very anecdotal, but makes sense given what OP shared. On a related note, most kids at our school have strong humanities narratives on their app but switch to econ or other oversubscribed majors when they get there...

This is an issue every college is attempting to deal with. They admit large proportions of the class as humanities and interdisciplinary soft majors, but by junior year, most of those kids are Econ majors.

Every IEC tells kids to target majoring in "institutional priorities" at schools that freely allows students to change majors and to switch their major in English literature into a minor and to major in econ or whatever.

The simple answer would be to require application and acceptance into the oversubscribed major to change majors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't you think parents are fueling this? The obsession with STEM and high-paying jobs, regardless of what a student's genuine interests are?

Lucky students have parents who are encouraging following their skills and not trying to fit a round peg in a square hole.

Yes, though everyone cannot be placed at mom's art gallery or look forward to paying their rent on a barista's salary.