Early decision? Easy decision.
Share This
I’m always the last one at the table to decide what I want to order from a restaurant; I can spend hours reading book jackets before buying anything at Barnes and Noble; and while I introduce myself now as a prospective Public Policy Studies major, I applied to Duke less than a year ago eager to study Computer Science and its applications to coral reef restoration.
You might say that I’m indecisive (and you might be right!) but I prefer the term “exploratory;” I love to try new things, and see how each experience brings me closer and closer to discovering my deepest passions and fulfilling my craziest dreams.
One decision that wasn’t difficult for me? Applying early decision to Duke last fall. I knew that it would take a special kind of university to support the “explorer” in me, and only Duke fit the bill.
Take last Friday. Along with two other students in Professor Tony Brown’s “Enterprising Leadership and Civic Engagement” course, I decided earlier in the semester that I wanted to do something to improve the experience of Duke students on medical leaves of absence (which are fairly rare); it was time to begin my next adventure. We fleshed out our idea, sent out some emails, and before we knew it, we were being met with tremendous enthusiasm everywhere we turned. It all culminated in a meeting last Friday with two of the University’s deans, who not only took time out of their busy days to meet with three first-years, but also helped us map out a plan for transforming our vision into a reality.
I think it really says something about Duke that even the most powerful of administrators are dedicated to supporting the adventures of the University’s undergraduates! So while I can’t choose between the soup and the salad or pick one novel over another, I had no trouble hitting the submit button on my early decision application to Duke. Indecisive? Not me!
If you’re interested in applying early decision to Duke, and have any questions for someone who has been in your shoes before, I would love to chat! Leave a comment on this post, or @reply me on twitter at @NadineBGoldberg – I can’t wait to hear from you!
About the author
My name’s Nadine Goldberg, and I’m a freshman from Miami Beach, Florida. I’m excited to take you along for the ride as I get my feet wet in all that Duke has to offer, from student government and Jewish life to the Freshman FOCUS program and the Duke University Union.
7 Comments
Hi Tiffany,
Thanks for your comment! You’re right – applying early decision can be a great option for students who are sure that Duke is the right fit for them!
Best,
Nadine
Hi Nadine! I’m finding myself in the same shoes, I can totally relate to your “indecisiveness” although I justify it by saying it’s because I’m a Libra 
Anywho, I’m a Duke Early Decision hopeful and I just wanted to ask what you wrote for your “Why Duke?” essay, any advice on how to stand out? Also, did you do an interview and if you did, any tips? Thanks in advance!
Hi Keerthana,
Thanks for the comment! You’re actually in luck – we’re actually going to be publishing blog posts on both of those topics (interview skills and tips for the application) in the next few weeks. If there’s anything else that I can help you out with, let me know!
Best,
Nadine
P.S. Would you guess? I’m a libra too!
Here’s the interview post: http://blogs.admissions.duke.edu/blog/2012/11/02/nailing-the-interview/
Hi Nadine
I am a new zealand student in my last year of school, interested in applying to Duke this fall. However I am not sure if I should apply early decision yet. I know that most schools have a higher acceptance rate for ED but I have heard that this does not necessarily mean that its an easier environment for admission as students are more competitive in the ED. do you have any advice/info for ED??
thank you
Hi Shirin,
I’m so glad you hear that you’re interested in applying ED to Duke! Here’s a link to information about ED at Duke: http://admissions.duke.edu/application/instructions#general-instructions-early-decision. I wouldn’t really be able to say whether ED applicants are more competitive, but hopefully this helps!
Let me know if you have any other questions!
-Nadine
Subscribe to this blog
Greatly written! I love Early Decision, lessens the stress of waiting until the end of Senior year to finalize plans for college and who wouldn’t want to commit to one of the best universities in the country!