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Duke Announces First Members of the Class of 2026

855 acceptances sent to Early Decision candidates and QuestBridge National College Match program

early admissions graphic for class of 2026

Starting at 7 p.m. Thursday, 855 students will learn that they are the first members of Duke University’s Class of 2026.

The students applied as Early Decision applicants, indicating that Duke is their first choice and committing to enroll at the university if admitted.

Of these, 695 plan to enroll in the Trinity School of Arts & Sciences, and 160 in the Pratt School of Engineering, said Christoph Guttentag, dean of admissions.

He added that 813 applied as Early Decision applicants, indicating that Duke is their first choice and committing to enroll at the university if admitted; 42 identified as QuestBridge scholars, and were admitted through the QuestBridge National College Match program.

Duke received 4,015 early decision applications. The new students represent a 21 percent admit rate, compared to 17 percent last year and 21 percent in 2019, Guttentag said.

The states most represented by the early decision admits are New York, North Carolina, California, Florida, and Texas.

“We believe this will be one of the most influential classes to attend Duke, and the group we’ve admitted through the Early Decision and QuestBridge program will very much set the tone,” Guttentag said.

“They have demonstrated great resilience in challenging times, and they managed to maintain their commitment to academic excellence, extracurricular accomplishment, and -- most importantly -- caring for each other and their community. They are particularly ready and inclined to take advantage of all Duke has to offer them.”