The number of A.B. Duke's at the University has decreased from 18 in this year's senior class to 15 in the junior and sophomore classes to a mere 10 in this year's freshman class, indicating that the University is having trouble recruiting these top students and enticing them to come to Duke. As a result, the University has made several changes to try to improve its yield in this program, and these changes are good steps for the University to take.
The A.B. Duke Scholarship program is the University's flagship scholarship program, recruiting top students who have the potential to participate in intensive research and study in their chosen field and have already demonstrated an ability to undertake these intellectual pursuits. The benefits these scholars provide to the University is not only a pool of students who can compete for scholarships such as the Rhodes Scholarship and thereby bring prestige to the University, but also a group that serves as part of the intellectual yeast for undergraduates.
Many A.B. Dukes serve as an example of what undergraduates can accomplish both in and out of the classroom, serving as campus leaders and paragons of undergraduate intellectuals. Also, A.B. Dukes show faculty members what students can accomplish and the way in which they impress faculty speaks well of all undergraduates.
As a result of these positive benefits, the University should not only continue the program, but work to ensure that the number of A.B. Duke Scholars that come to the University is higher than it has been. The first change the University made was to make the A.B. Duke Scholar's weekend separate from the weekend when the other scholarship finalists come to the University. By separating out the weekend, the University will be able to shower more attention on the A.B. Dukes and make their experience on campus richer. Another change the University proposes is giving A.B. Duke's more money for Presidential Research Scholarships, which is an additional enticement for students to come here.
Although some students will inevitably choose to attend an institution such as Harvard rather than come to Duke regardless of how much money they are offered, the changes the University has made will hopefully ensure that it can get more of the nation's top students to come to Duke.
The University should all that it can to get these students because of the tremendous benefits they provide.
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