Duke experiences large drop in RD applicants

[Anonymous]

Early decision, test optional, and cost are causing everyone to recalibrate everything.

Duke is roughly $90,000 a year. Their regular decision acceptance rate is below 5 percent.

Why bother?

People that can afford it, shoot their shot ED. If that doesn't work out, they figure out other options.

For an unhooked white or asian kid from the burbs, it makes zero sense to apply to Duke RD. Save the 80 bucks and have a decent meal at an interesting restaurant instead. Much better experience.

[Anonymous]

My unhooked white kid got into Duke RD last year. Most of their other students then--and I assume now-- were getting in RD. It is worth applying if you have high stats and significant extracurricular achievement. Same odds as any other highly competitive uni. Are people just supposed to throw up their hands and go out and blow their app money on a pizza and beer binge?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most parents I know feel like no one ever gets in w/o being a recruit, so it's not worth the time to do the application.

Yale just announced a record high applicant pool at nearly 50,000 RD apps, and Duke and Yale have about the same acceptance rate. Wonder why Yale wouldn't have experienced a drop in applicants too.

Because nobody goes to Yale to watch champion basketball

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most parents I know feel like no one ever gets in w/o being a recruit, so it's not worth the time to do the application.

Yale just announced a record high applicant pool at nearly 50,000 RD apps, and Duke and Yale have about the same acceptance rate. Wonder why Yale wouldn't have experienced a drop in applicants too.

Because apparently cold, slightly depressing New England towns are the new Southern school!

Hey! First of all, it’s a cold, slightly depressing CITY. And we have great pizza!

[Anonymous]

Well my kid applied and would really love to get in…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Too expensive for the degree at a non IVY

But Duke is better than half the ivies...

+1, that's why seeing their RD numbers drop is very perplexing. Harvard has also seen their numbers drop... are people beginning to give up on the RD lottery?

[Anonymous]

Have you looked at the social media posts from current students? It's a grinder school - all work and very little fun. Kids don't want that vibe, no matter how great the basketball team performs (or doesn't).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Too expensive for the degree at a non IVY

But Duke is better than half the ivies...

+1, that's why seeing their RD numbers drop is very perplexing. Harvard has also seen their numbers drop... are people beginning to give up on the RD lottery?

Is it down from pre-pandemic numbers though? Or are things just returning to the norm? I would think many of those suburban sub-1450 scoring TO kids may now realize they don’t have the same chances they did in 2021 and it’s just not worth their time. That seems healthy.

[Anonymous]

$90K per year. And if you need it the aid is ok, not overly generous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:$90K per year. And if you need it the aid is ok, not overly generous.

They just announced a generous free tuition plan for North Carolina students, I think their financial aid is some of the best in the country. It seems more likely that people are getting told by there guidance counselors that Duke is a moonshot

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:$90K per year. And if you need it the aid is ok, not overly generous.

They just announced a generous free tuition plan for North Carolina students, I think their financial aid is some of the best in the country. It seems more likely that people are getting told by there guidance counselors that Duke is a moonshot

Duke is actively trying to recruit NC students as their student body is overwhelmingly OOS (I think it’s around 10% of undergrads are from NC). Local kids just don’t want to go there, probably for a variety of reasons.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most parents I know feel like no one ever gets in w/o being a recruit, so it's not worth the time to do the application.

Yale just announced a record high applicant pool at nearly 50,000 RD apps, and Duke and Yale have about the same acceptance rate. Wonder why Yale wouldn't have experienced a drop in applicants too.

Because apparently cold, slightly depressing New England towns are the new Southern school!

Climate change, baby!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Too expensive for the degree at a non IVY

But Duke is better than half the ivies...

+1, that's why seeing their RD numbers drop is very perplexing. Harvard has also seen their numbers drop... are people beginning to give up on the RD lottery?

Clearly, it's NOT better than half the ivies...

[Anonymous]

Anyone who visits is turned off by the zombie like self absorbed students.

[Anonymous]

For better or worse, Duke no longer has the preppy, country club, lax bro image. Some students now see Duke more like UChicago, WUSTL, Emory, MIT - all great schools, but not fun like other expensive, popular, private schools such as UMiami, Tulane, BC, Wake Forest and Vandy.