Duke priority track

[Nfontes93]

Hello,

I just submitted my application for the Duke and I received the priority track invite. I don't know too much about this, but I am interested to hear if this is simply just a fee waiver or if it's a good sign for my prospects of being accepted. I am still working on other applications and I want to be strategic and not set unrealistic goals if this priority track option is basically the same as getting a fee waiver from another t14 schools.

Thanks!

[Nikki Siclunov]

Hi Nfontes93,

According to Duke's website, the priority track invite suggests you have a very strong academic record, allowing them to make a decision on your application within 10 days after your file is completed. It's definitely more than just an application fee waiver: they keep the pool of invited applicants very small. Also, application fee waivers don't come with a promise of such a quick decision turn-around. Here's what Duke Law's Dean of Admissions said about the program:

Each year, we invite a small number of candidates to apply to Duke through this program. We guarantee that the applicants will receive a response from us within ten days after the application becomes complete. The response could be an offer of admission, a waitlist offer, an invitation to interview, a deny decision. Or, in some cases, we have to hold the file for further review. But the applicant will hear something back relatively quickly. We keep the Priority Track pool very small so that we can give each application the same rigorous treatment that every other application receives, but we’re careful to ensure that the evaluation happens within a very tight timeframe. Of course, this can make for some very late nights and previous Priority Track applicants might tell you that they received their email decisions at very odd hours!

Overall, I think this is very good news The even better news is that the Priority Track is non-binding, so it shouldn't affect how you strategize the rest of your applications.

Thanks!