Duke strives for big- Why Duke

If you are applying to the Trinity College of Arts and Sciences as a first year applicant, please discuss why you consider Duke a good match for you. Is there something particular about Duke that attracts you? (Please limit your response to no more than 150 words.)

More than anything, Duke seems to strive for big: the Blue Devils are the top in the nation in everything from basketball to golf; the campus size is one of the largest in the country; and it once even set the record for the world's largest cardboard box fort. Furthermore, Duke sets a standard for academic brilliance like almost no other school; their Department of Political Science is only one of the dozens of top-ranked national programs to which Duke is home. Like a kid in a candy store, I want a taste of everything, learning from as many different fields as I can; it's part of the reason why I want to join the Philosophy, Politics and Economics program. To me, Duke does the same; from the basketball court to the classroom, Duke gives a different taste of college to everybody, and in every quarter, Duke strives for big.

You have listed a number of things that Duke offers. However, you have not tied in those things with your interests. Since this is a short essay, you should look at a few things and relate them to yourself to show how the university is a right fit for you. Then, you should show what you can do for the University. Remember, try to make the essay as personal as possible since this is a way of showing colleges your personality.

Even then, you have listed some of the more generic things Duke has to offer. Think of the 30,000 kids that apply every year to Duke -- it's very likely that a couple other thousand kids have written about these generic things because, well, they're the most well-known traits about Duke!

You are better off researching some specific programs that Duke uniquely offers.