"It’s not a race," Robert warned, noticing the mischievous glint in my eye as we mounted our bikes.  "What? We’re just biking back to yours," I shot back, feigning innocence as my heartbeat quickened from the lie.  We cycled a few hundred meters down the road before we made a noticeable increase in speed. And then another. Finally, I couldn’t hold back anymore and broke into a wide grin while shifting into top gear.  We streaked down...

Something particular about Duke that attracts you: After a morning spent exploring West Campus and sitting in on Professor Curtis Taylor’s Econ 205 class, I treated myself to a delicious plate of barbecue beef from Ginger & Soy. As I wolfed down my food, I noticed something unusual: nearly every student lining up for food was proudly wearing Duke gear. I have a deep appreciation for the value of teamwork, and at Duke I see the pride and collaboration that I...

Share a Perspective Response: Growing up in the melting pot that is Beijing’s expat community, I’ve been exposed to countless different cultures, religions and perspectives. I’ve travelled with my school's teams to play basketball in Japan and Korea and to run track in the Philippines. My middle school group of friends come from four continents: Sandy from Australia, Tadi from Zimbabwe, Valentine from Mexico and Roman from the United States. Sandy was the first to leave, followed...

We are a community with quirks, both in language and in traditions. Describe one of your quirks and why it is part of who you are. Please provide your response here: If one of my neighbors were to look out the window as I roll home each day on my bike, they would be treated to the peculiar sight of me gliding along at a snail’s pace, unwilling to pedal. This is because each time I bike home, I...

We are looking for passionate students to join our diverse community of scholars, researchers, and artists. Answer this question, which corresponds to the school/program you selected above, in a half page or roughly 250 words. College of Arts and Sciences - What work of art, music, science, mathematics, or literature has surprised, unsettled, or challenged you, and in what way? The Great Gatsby taught me to beware the trappings of wealth and privilege. But as I observe the world around...

Academic Interest (for econ & math) Big numbers have always excited me - thousands of people in a sports arena, billions of emails sent daily across the globe, seven octillion atoms in my body. The economics course I took last year taught me to harness the power of numbers and apply them to help understand the world around me. USC's Economics Mathematics major at the Dornsife School of Letters, Arts and Sciences uniquely compliments my interests. Classes like "Probability Theory" and ...

All UCs - What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time? My ankle had the hue of a beet as I gingerly stood to high-five my teammates during the last timeout of regulation. I had rolled it about half an hour earlier and spent most of the second half cheering from the bench. As I sat back down, my coach handed me his clipboard with the play. "Win...

UCs - Describe your favorite academic subject and explain how it has influenced you (Econ/math) Big numbers excite me. The speed of light is three hundred million meters per second. Alternatively, it can be expressed as three hundred quadrillion nanometers per second or nine and a half septillion nanometers per year. To me, the limitless nature of numbers represents the vast universe and the infinite possibilities that come with it. My love of numbers makes calculus class a personal...

UCs - What have you done to make your school or your community a better place? "Roses are red, violets are blue, buy a flower for your special boo." Each time I approached a table to recite my poem, the bright red, oversized petals of my flower suit felt a little more ridiculous. The heat trapped by the inner lining of the suit made for a stuffy lunchtime, and the disproportionately large anatomy of the flower weighed on my neck,...