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Duke and Penn offer both "why x" and diversity as their optional essay topics.
Does it look bad if I don't write why x essay but write only the diversity statement?

Duke is known for rejecting people who were auto admits numbers wise because they either didn't write a Why Duke or wrote a half-assed one. You need to write one.

sparkytrainer wrote:Duke is known for rejecting people who were auto admits numbers wise because they either didn't write a Why Duke or wrote a half-assed one. You need to write one.

As a counterpoint, I didn't write a "Why [X}" for Duke and had no trouble. I've never heard of Duke doing a lot of YP waitlisting.

cavalier1138 wrote:

sparkytrainer wrote:Duke is known for rejecting people who were auto admits numbers wise because they either didn't write a Why Duke or wrote a half-assed one. You need to write one.

As a counterpoint, I didn't write a "Why [X}" for Duke and had no trouble. I've never heard of Duke doing a lot of YP waitlisting.

If you go look at the past couple of years, it seems much more apparent Duke is doing YP based on whether you wrote a why Duke. Times might have changed since your app.

cavalier1138 wrote:

sparkytrainer wrote:Duke is known for rejecting people who were auto admits numbers wise because they either didn't write a Why Duke or wrote a half-assed one. You need to write one.

As a counterpoint, I didn't write a "Why [X}" for Duke and had no trouble. I've never heard of Duke doing a lot of YP waitlisting.

That's an anecdote, which isn't particularly useful here.

Both YP to a degree, Penn more than Duke. If they're high on your list and you very much want them to be options, write Why Xs. If you're meh about them and don't think you can write a strong Why X, then don't bother.

dan9257 wrote:Duke and Penn offer both "why x" and diversity as their optional essay topics.
Does it look bad if I don't write why x essay but write only the diversity statement?

Where on the app are you seeing a why x for Penn?

hotdog96 wrote:

dan9257 wrote:Duke and Penn offer both "why x" and diversity as their optional essay topics.
Does it look bad if I don't write why x essay but write only the diversity statement?

Where on the app are you seeing a why x for Penn?

It's stated as one of the several optional topics listed in the app.

can someone please define what YP means.

so far I keep thinking "why pee"?

YinFireHare wrote:can someone please define what YP means.

so far I keep thinking "why pee"?

"Yield Protection". It's when a school waitlists an applicant who would otherwise look like an auto-admit because the applicant didn't show enough interest in the school. It's been observed at a number of lower-T13 schools with applicants who likely have the numbers to get admitted to HYS/decent money at CCN. Waitlisting those applicants protects the school's application numbers, which in turn protects their USNWR ranking.

cavalier1138 wrote:

YinFireHare wrote:can someone please define what YP means.

so far I keep thinking "why pee"?

"Yield Protection". It's when a school waitlists an applicant who would otherwise look like an auto-admit because the applicant didn't show enough interest in the school. It's been observed at a number of lower-T13 schools with applicants who likely have the numbers to get admitted to HYS/decent money at CCN. Waitlisting those applicants protects the school's application numbers, which in turn protects their USNWR ranking.

Thanks!

I was accepted with $$$ at both schools and did not write a why x essay and did write a diversity statement. 3.9, 168 K-JD non URM

Edit: Anecdotally, my only why x essay I wrote was for UVA and was waitlisted