Applying Themselves

This year, more than 2,000 students applied for early-decision admission to Duke's Class of 2014, an increase of 31 percent over last year's figures. The high number of early-decision applications set a record, eclipsing the prior one—set in 2001—by 423 applications.

In December, 602 students were accepted, compared with 550 last year. They will enroll at the university in the fall, forming 35 percent of the incoming class. The process was more competitive: Only 30 percent of early-decision applicants were accepted, a drop of 6 percent from last year. Some 700 applicants were deferred to the spring regular decision process.

The higher number of early-decision admissions also means a more competitive regular decision process. A total of 26,415 high-school seniors applied to Duke this year, eclipsing last year's record by around 2,500, an 11 percent increase. This is the third year in a row in which the total number of applications has set a record.

Of the total number of applicants, 21,618 applied to the Trinity College of Arts & Sciences (a 9.5 percent increase over last year), while 4,797 applied to the Pratt School of Engineering (a 15.5 percent increase). Admissions decisions will be distributed to applicants in late March.