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How to Write Duke’s Optional Human Experience Essay

This article was written based on the information and opinions presented by Robert Crystal in a CollegeVine livestream. You can watch the full livestream for more info. 

What’s Covered:

What does diversity mean, why is duke asking this, relate your response to duke.

Duke has optional essays for this year’s application. Students can choose to respond to, at most, two of the four prompts. One option asks:

“We seek a diverse student body that embodies the wide range of human experience. In that context, we are interested in what you’d like to share about your lived experiences and how they’ve influenced how you think of yourself.” (250 words)

In this article, we break down what exactly this prompt is asking and how to approach it. If you are interested in learning more about Duke’s other supplemental prompts, you can read our article on how to write the Duke University essays . 

In this option, Duke is asking for you to share a unique perspective or experience you’ve had that would help Duke understand you better. You could talk about a community that you are part of, your family, or your cultural background. Don’t be intimidated by the word “diversity.” This word holds a great deal of power, and it can be intimidating because it covers such a huge spectrum of identities and experiences. 

Diversity could be related to your demographics, such as your socioeconomic status, health, culture, or ethnicity, which are often the areas that come to mind when you think about diversity. However, your own diversity can come from other areas of your life. It could be related to your interests, hobbies, values, and opinions. You can draw on anything that makes you different from others or something that makes you similar to a particular group of people. 

All these different elements of your demographic information are elements that are probably already indicated somewhere in your college applications. This essay is a great way for you to draw on an experience that has made you the person you are today but is not quite visible on your application.

This prompt enables students to discuss the diverse perspectives and experiences that they would bring to Duke. The university wants to accept students from unique backgrounds because it believes that this makes its community strong. You have 250 words to tell Duke how you will bring a different perspective to the school, so focus on the aspects of your life that make you stand out from other applicants. 

When considering your response, ask yourself this question: “What kind of communities will I seek out at Duke?” This is important to reflect on because it gets to the heart of the prompt. Admissions officers want to have an overall picture of what the incoming class will look like. They want to know what communities you will be part of or which areas of campus life you will contribute to if you attend the university. 

In a broader sense, Duke wants to discover who you are through these essays. It wants to know your unique perspectives and how you think about ideas and the world around you. Learning these aspects of your personality helps the admissions officers understand how you will function in the classroom and the community, so it is important that you are true to yourself in all senses. 

There is a common misconception around this prompt that your essay should be extremely profound and emotional. Your goal isn’t to make the reader cry. Your goal should be to give them an accurate representation of your life. Then, you want to connect that to your possible life at Duke .

Duke has an extremely unique culture because it is a large research university with a great athletics program and a lively social scene with a variety of opportunities for civic engagement and activities. The school particularly emphasizes the importance of students pursuing their academic and professional interests not only as a means for personal development but also as a way to contribute to the communities around them. 

In short, Duke has a collaborative environment that focuses on connecting each individual to their community. It wants to know what resources and communities you will seek out at Duke and more importantly, how you will give back to them.

While your essay doesn’t necessarily need to address characteristics like socioeconomic status, ethnicity, or disability, your essay should reflect the spirit of Duke’s unique campus community. It should demonstrate the unique perspective and experiences that you as an individual will bring to the school, and you should imply that you are eager to share your opinion with others and learn from those around you.

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, low act scores and college admissions.

Hey everyone, I'm feeling a bit stressed about my ACT scores. They're on the lower side compared to what most colleges expect. Can I still have a chance to get into a good college? Does anyone have success stories or suggestions on what I can do to boost my application despite my scores?

It's completely understandable to feel stressed about your test scores, but don't worry, there are still plenty of opportunities to get into a good college with lower ACT scores. Here are a few suggestions on what you can do to boost your application:

1. Focus on your grades: Make sure your high school GPA is strong, as this can help offset lower ACT scores. Colleges value consistent academic performance throughout high school, so prioritize maintaining or improving your grades.

2. Emphasize your extracurriculars: Colleges value well-rounded applicants, so make your extracurricular involvement shine. Strive for leadership positions, meaningful impact, and in-depth engagement in a few areas of interest. Highlight any exceptional achievements, like awards, volunteering, or special projects.

3. Write a compelling essay: Your personal essay can be one of the most influential components of your application. Craft a thoughtful, genuine, and well-written essay that shows insight into who you are as a person. Use this as a chance to showcase your unique personality, growth, and the value you can bring to the college community.

4. Obtain strong letters of recommendation: Ask teachers, counselors, or mentors who know you well and can write about your strengths and accomplishments in detail. These letters can provide admissions officers with a broader perspective on your abilities and potential, beyond just test scores.

5. Apply to test-optional schools: Given the recent trend towards test-optional admissions, many colleges no longer require standardized test scores for admission. Research and consider applying to these schools, as they will likely focus more on your overall achievements and experiences.

6. Consider retaking the ACT: If you have the time and resources, consider retaking the ACT to improve your score. Create a study plan, use targeted resources, and focus on your weaknesses to maximize your chances of improvement.

Remember, ACT scores are just one piece of the puzzle. By strengthening other areas of your application, you can still have a great shot at admissions success. Good luck!

About CollegeVine’s Expert FAQ

CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.

• Constitutional Law / LENS Essay Series / Presidential Power
• LENS Essay Series: “Curtailing the Executive Emergency Powers: Congress’s Job, the Judiciary’s Headache”

by Charlie Dunlap, J.D. · 11 April 2024

Today Duke Law 3L Anighya Crocker takes on a very  timely topic: the scope of the President’s emergency powers and the role Congress can–and should–have in scoping these authorities while not hampering the Executive’s need to take quick action when necessary. Anighya makes a very convincing argument that it is best if the legislative branch, not the courts, addresses the necessary reforms.

Here’s the abstract of the article :

This paper examines the expansive nature of the Executive’s emergency powers and argues that Congress should act to reform these powers. The Covid-19 pandemic brought scholarly attention to this issue, but certain academics have advocated for the Judiciary to intervene in reforming Executive powers. Specifically, certain academics have asserted that the Federal Judiciary should abandon its practice of deference to the Political Branches during times of National emergency.

Throughout this era, Congress pawned away many of its emergency powers, placing them within the grasp of the Executive. Simultaneously, the Judiciary developed and maintained its practice of emergency deference.

Part II discusses the modern justifications for judicial deference and criticizes the current push for abandoning deference. Part III briefly outlines steps for Congressional intervention, suggesting reforms to the National Emergencies Act and other relevant laws. Reforms like those listed below do not disrupt the Federal balance but instead reclaim powers that Congress has previously delegated to the Executive.

Altogether, this work stresses the importance of Congressional action in addressing the unchecked growth of the Executive’s emergency powers. Lasting reforms must come from Congress and not the Judiciary.

Again, you can find Anighya’s superb essay here .

About the Author:

At Duke, Anighya serves as a Lead Editor for the Alaska Law Review and is an active member of the Federalist Society. Upon graduating from Duke, Anighya will clerk for the Honorable Judge James C. Dever III of the Eastern District of North Carolina and the Honorable Justice Sarah K. Campbell of the Tennessee Supreme Court before returning to Bass, Berry, & Sims.

Remember what we like to say on   Lawfire ® : gather the facts, examine the law, evaluate the arguments – and then decide for yourself !

Tags: Anighya H.D. Crocker Congress Emergency authorities

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