Key differences on Getting in
- 1
Brown's yield is 6 pts higher than Duke's
Yield rate - 2
Duke admits 4.7% vs. 5.4% at Brown
Acceptance rate - 3
Brown's SAT midpoint is 5 points higher than Duke's
SAT midpoint
Admissions
Getting in, fall 2024
Acceptance and yield, test score ranges, test policy, and what each college weighs.
The funnel
Quad's selectivity
- BrownUltra selective
- DukeUltra selective
Men and women
Acceptance rate for men and women who applied, where a college reports admissions by sex.
Test scores
SAT total,
Axis runs 1400–1600. The dark tick marks the national median midpoint.
ACT composite,
Axis runs 30–36. The dark tick marks the national median midpoint.
Test policy
- BrownTest-optional
- DukeTest-optional
How they read a record
Brown
The high school record and a college-prep program are required; GPA and class rank are considered.
Duke
GPA, the high school record, and a college-prep program are required.
What they look at
| Factor | Brown | Duke |
|---|---|---|
| High school GPA | Considered | Required |
| High school record | Required | Required |
| Class rank | Considered | Not considered |
| College-prep program | Required | Required |
| Recommendations | Required | Required |
| Essay | Required | Required |
| Legacy status | Considered | Considered |
| Work experience | Considered | Considered |
| Demonstration of competencies | Not considered | Not considered |
| English proficiency test | Considered | Not considered |
| Other tests | Not considered | Not considered |
Sources:IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;College Scorecard, Entered fall 2023;College Scorecard, most recent release;Duke University (Fall 2026), Fall 2026;Duke University Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2025;Duke University Common Data Set 2025–26, Entered fall 2024About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)
Figures are the newest each college has published; years can differ between colleges. Each value's ⓘ shows its source and year. Why

