Duke Admission Requirements

How hard is it to get into Duke and can I get accepted? The school has a 10% acceptance rate ranking it #1 in North Carolina for lowest rate of acceptance. Last year, 3,261 out of 33,077 applicants were admitted making Duke an extremely competitive school to get into with a very low chance of acceptance - even for applicants with the highest scores and grades.  Academically, it has exceptionally high requirements for admission test scores, generally admitting students who score in the top 4 percent. Duke University typically accepts and attracts "A-" average high school students. Of those applicants who were admitted, 54% enrolled. With over half of admitted students enrolling, acceptance by Duke University is a prized outcome for many students. Most incoming freshmen graduated in the top ten percent of their high school class.

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SAT Scores you need to get in

What are the SAT requirements for students to be admitted to Duke University?

Duke University typically requires applicants to be in the top 3 percent of SAT test takers. The school consistently takes SAT composite scores down to 1430 on a 1600 scale, below which admission should be considered a reach. We estimate some students could be accepted with SAT's as low as 1360. The estimated average SAT composite for admitted freshman is 1500 out of 1600. The school ranks #1 in North Carolina for highest average SAT composite score. 31 percent of applicants submit SAT scores to the school. Note: SAT scores presented on this page have been adjusted upwards per the College Board's concordance tables for test takers after March 2016.

ACT Scores needed to get accepted

What are the ACT requirements for prospective students to get into Duke?

Admission data indicates that Duke regularly accepts students with ACT's of 31 and above. Successful applicants typically send ACT scores in the top 5 percent nationally. We estimate the school accepting minimum ACT composite scores around 29 in some instances. Prospective students submitting an ACT composite of 33 or higher should be in the upper half of applicants - and students with a 35 and above have very competitive chances. The school ranks #1 in North Carolina for highest average ACT composite score. Scoring well on the ACT is very important as 70 percent of applicants submit ACT scores to Duke University.

You will need exceptionally good grades to get into Duke University. The average high school GPA of the admitted freshman class at Duke University was 3.94 on the 4.0 scale indicating that primarily A- students are accepted and ultimately attend. The school ranks #8 in North Carolina for highest average GPA. Given the school's very highly selective admissions, acceptance at Duke extremely difficult and unlikely even with a 3.94 GPA. The school should be considered a reach even if you have a 3.94 GPA.

 What do these ratings mean?

92% of Duke University freshman were in the top ten percent of their high school graduating class.

What are the requirements for admission to Duke University and what considerations affect admission decisions?