Duke Personal Statement

HLEGC.2003

Hey everyone,

Duke Law's personal statement prompt says to mention your "personal and career ambitions," but in my "Why Law, Why Duke" optional essay, I go into detail about my career ambitions. I don't want to repeat myself (Duke specifically says not to do this), but I also don't want it to seem like I'm not following their directions... Does anyone else who has applied to Duke/gotten accepted have any insight on this? Thanks in advance!!

noonawoon

Hey! I think you will be fine not following the prompt exactly. For the Optional Essay 1 "You may submit an essay providing additional information about why you have chosen to apply to law school in general and Duke in particular." I ignored the "why law in general" part because I addressed that in my personal statement, so I only wrote about Why Duke. I have been accepted! I think they want you to address somewhere in your application why you want to go to law school. If you cover that in the optional essay and not the personal statement, that is probably fine.

HLEGC.2003

@noonawoon said:
Hey! I think you will be fine not following the prompt exactly. For the Optional Essay 1 "You may submit an essay providing additional information about why you have chosen to apply to law school in general and Duke in particular." I ignored the "why law in general" part because I addressed that in my personal statement, so I only wrote about Why Duke. I have been accepted! I think they want you to address somewhere in your application why you want to go to law school. If you cover that in the optional essay and not the personal statement, that is probably fine.

That makes sense, thanks! And congrats on getting accepted!

noonawoon

Thank you! Duke is one of my top choices so super excited. Good luck with your application!

lexxx745

I did the same as @noonawoon!
i ignored the why law in general and just wrote why duke

lexxx745

@lexxx745 said:
I did the same as @noonawoon!
i ignored the why law in general and just wrote why duke

and i was accepted

HLEGC.2003

@lexxx745 said:

@lexxx745 said:
I did the same as @noonawoon!
i ignored the why law in general and just wrote why duke

and i was accepted

Awesome. Congrats!

VerdantZephyr

Thanks for the advice guys. And Congrats on your acceptance. Duke is my favorite target, so if you have any tips @noonawoon @lexxx745 I would love to hear them before I submit in a few weeks. If all goes well we'll all meet up on campus for the admitted students weekend come spring, Covid permitting.