Duke University

Essay prompts (5)

1. why us2026-27250 words

   Applies to: Obrigatório para todos os first-year applicants

   What is your impression of Duke as a university and 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.

   This is the 2025-26 wording, carried over: Duke University has not republished this prompt for 2026-27 yet. Schools usually post updates around the Common App opening on August 1; we re-check after that and change this text only against an official source.

   source

2. community2026-27250 words

   Applies to: Opcional: responder no máximo uma das quatro perguntas opcionais

   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.

   This is the 2025-26 wording, carried over: Duke University has not republished this prompt for 2026-27 yet. Schools usually post updates around the Common App opening on August 1; we re-check after that and change this text only against an official source.

   source

3. short answer2026-27250 words

   Applies to: Opcional: responder no máximo uma das quatro perguntas opcionais

   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?

   This is the 2025-26 wording, carried over: Duke University has not republished this prompt for 2026-27 yet. Schools usually post updates around the Common App opening on August 1; we re-check after that and change this text only against an official source.

   source

4. short answer2026-27250 words

   Applies to: Opcional: responder no máximo uma das quatro perguntas opcionais

   What's the last thing that you've been really excited about?

   This is the 2025-26 wording, carried over: Duke University has not republished this prompt for 2026-27 yet. Schools usually post updates around the Common App opening on August 1; we re-check after that and change this text only against an official source.

   source

5. short answer2026-27250 words

   Applies to: Opcional: responder no máximo uma das quatro perguntas opcionais

   Duke recently launched an initiative "to bring together Duke experts across all disciplines who are advancing artificial intelligence (AI) research, addressing the most pressing ethical challenges posed by AI, and shaping the future of AI in the classroom" (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?

   This is the 2025-26 wording, carried over: Duke University has not republished this prompt for 2026-27 yet. Schools usually post updates around the Common App opening on August 1; we re-check after that and change this text only against an official source.

   source

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When you request a review for a Duke University supplement, the feedback is grounded in exactly what you see here: the prompt itself, its word limit, and what the school publishes about its values and programs. That's the whole claim — calibrated to the prompt and the school's own published guidance, scored against a consistent rubric. Not insider knowledge, and never a rewrite: Second Read is a coach, not a ghostwriter. It flags weaknesses and tells you what to fix and why; it never writes a sentence of your essay.

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