Duke acceptance rate rises to 6% of Regular Decision applicants

Duke accepted 2,170 high school seniors Regular Decision to join the Class of 2024, according to a news release. 

The Class of 2024 had a Regular Decision acceptance rate of 6%, which is a slight increase from last year’s 5.7%. Duke considered 36,252 applications in Regular Decision, which included 35,483 Regular Decision applicants and 769 who were deferred from the Early Decision window. The overall admission rate is 7.7%, the same rate as last year.

"Every year, when we have the opportunity to sit down and read the applications of the students who are considering Duke, we’re consistently impressed and amazed by all that they accomplish even while they’re fulfilling all of their academic requirements," Dean of Undergraduate Admissions Christoph Guttentag said in the release. "We’re fortunate to be able to choose from among such accomplished young women and men, and we wish we were able to admit more of them."

The University saw 39,783 total applications this year—including Early Decision—fewer than last year’s 41,600. 

In the release, Guttentag said he expects more than 1,700 total students to enroll in the Class of 2024. There are 887 students in the class from Early Decision. North Carolina, California, Florida, Texas, New York and Virginia were the states boasting the most prospective Class of 2024 members.

For the first time in three years, Duke’s Early Decision acceptance rate increased, ticking up to 21% from the previous year’s 18%. The rise was driven by a drop in Early Decision applications, which fell more than 500 from the previous acceptance cycle. 

Unlike in past years, admitted students will not be invited to campus for Blue Devil Days, which were canceled as part of Duke’s measures to deal with COVID-19. 

Despite changes at Duke due to COVID-19, Duke chose not to postpone the Regular Decision announcements, which will be released at 7 p.m. March 26. 

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