My Background

I was born and raised in India, attended a private school in New Delhi, and moved to the United States after my acceptance to Duke University. For me, the US was an option that offered security, flexibility, and a plethora of options that genuinely aligned with my interests and extracurriculars. The multitude of pathways to explore within the university ensured that my original major choice was not my final one, which was deeply reassuring.

Choice of Major

I chose to pursue an Economics and Public Policy major at Duke after meticulously researching the balance of extracurriculars, school spirit, and academic rigour. Growing up with an avidity for sport and community events, I was absolutely delighted to discover Duke’s infectious school spirit, so much so that people line up in tents in the middle of winter just to get basketball tickets for ‘K-Ville’. The school also offers high-performing programs and clubs for basketball, baseball, soccer, and more, which attracted me. After spending three years here, I can vouch for the fact that the extracurriculars are balanced by deep academic rigour and challenging courses, especially in Economics and Business. There are no undergraduate business degrees offered, so most students opt for Economics, making it one of the most popular degrees here despite its difficulty. The competitive atmosphere is a given, but I believe that it is worth it as the university’s prestigious name offers a competitive edge for future career and internship pathways.

Application process

On the topic of rigour, I admit that Duke’s application process was thorough and more meticulous than some other universities that I applied to. I started the process in February of the year I was applying by shortlisting my top choices. By May, I had also begun the Common App process and UCAS for universities in the United Kingdom. After applying to Oxford and other UK universities, I began drafting my supplemental essays in mid-September, which took about a month. Personally, I found the interview process the hardest, where one of the questions was even how I thought the interview would go. One piece of advice that I strongly recommend is not to go into the interview with an extremely formal demeanour and strictly prepared answers. Though your responses should be structured, the point of the interview is to understand your passions and motivations, activities you have done and how others have gained from them, and what you aim to achieve at university. 

My application was supported by my history of debate and public speaking extracurriculars, which are definitely my prioritised passions. I was ranked as a top 30 debater in India within the World Schools’ sphere, and regularly engaged in local competitions as well. I further brought those opportunities to underprivileged communities in Mauritius with the World Schools’ style, which I believe displayed my commitment to making a tangible social impact with my actions and my words. Apart from these, I was engaged in sports and charity events throughout high school. 

Additionally, in terms of academics, I submitted a test-optional ACT score of 34, which I believe strengthened my application in a competitive sphere, as well as my predicted IB score of 44. However, the university does have a large emphasis on extracurriculars, and I would highly recommend a well-rounded application in terms of volunteering, skills, and academics. I am currently attending without a scholarship, but there are many opportunities available through ‘Merit’ scholarships, especially for first-years.

Duke Experience

No matter how stunning the campus and how diverse the foodie culture of local areas, moving across continents alone to study is a daunting experience. The university does offer a special orientation program for international students to get acquainted with the city and community before the general orientation, which I found extremely helpful. But apart from freshman events, networking panels, clubs, classes, and communities allow most students to naturally build a social circle. 

All in all, if I returned to Year 12, I am confident that I would choose Duke University again. Considering the festering doubts I had regarding my major in my last few years of high school, and fears regarding the academic demands of the Economics course, I know that the flexibility to change offered at this university is perfect for a student like me. It's as if excellence isn’t just expected here, it sometimes feels contagious.