Duke University Application Essays

A devoted technologist, a drama lover, a HAM freak and a Research scholar – for me, the Pratt School of Engineering would fulfill it all… Duke’s Multi-disciplinary Engineering Program encompassing options from Materials to Fluid Mechanics is my dream. Imagine studying under Professor Chen, researching…

My mother was born and raised in Vietnam. My father is a fifth-generation Californian whose family journeyed across Death Valley in the 19th century. My aunts are Taiwanese and Singaporean, and my cousin is Italian. I was well on my way through elementary school before…

September 15, 2002 4:35 P.M. “Star 94 FM Real-time Traffic…those heading northwest on Peachtree Industrial should expect major delays due to a gas leak….” I abruptly change the radio station. What luck! I have moved exactly one mile in ten minutes. My first car, the…

Although I had assumed that my extensive knowledge of sailing as a sport would allow me to fulfill my role as coach without much difficulty, I learned immediately that I was much more than an instructor: everything I did had an impact on the kids….

“Please rise for the national anthem and the presentation of the colors.” Immediately, the thousands of people attending this Memorial Day program rise in reverent silence. It’s 9:30 in morning, the sun illuminates the Star-Spangled Banner, and the wind lifts Her gently for all to…

I eat ten apples a day, cores and all. My love for apples is an integral part of my identity, just like my passion for living, learning, and laughing. My teachers and peers have always recognized my drive; one math teacher even remarked in his…

I feel that I have had many advantages as a result of being raised in North Carolina. The weather is moderate, there are beautiful coastal areas, but most importantly, being in North Carolina means being close to Duke. As a born and bred North Carolinian,…

There are many things in life I could do without: mosquitoes, watermelon seeds, telemarketers, bad weather, cars that won’t start, cold swimming pools, traffic lights, stuffy noses, people who disagree with me, and movies that look good until fifteen minutes after I’ve handed over my…

Nothing better epitomizes today’s motto of learning than Aristotle’s analysis of education, “The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet.” It seems that the fruits of education have bloomed even greater and sweeter than ever before. The fruits are the incentives behind…

Things are not looking good for the Griffins. They have just lost the slight lead they had over their opponent and they seem extremely fatigued. To make matters worse, there are only a few minutes left in the game. My legs feel weak and tell…