Elissar Haidar, Duke University

Elissar has wholeheartedly jumped into her first semester at Duke University, her first-choice school. But it wasn’t a sure thing: she was initially deferred when she applied Early Decision. The Lebanese-American, who has lived most of her life in Dubai, shares her first impressions of the North Carolina campus and how she stayed positive during the exhausting application process.

IO: Congratulations on starting your first semester at Duke University! How was your summer as you prepared to go to North Carolina? What was on your to-do list?   

Elissar: I spent the majority of the summer relaxing! It was my first summer in a few years when I wasn’t constantly stressed out and inundated with work, so I made sure to spend time with my family and friends and catch up on a lot of sleep! I was able to travel with my best friends to Greece for our senior trip, which was the highlight of my summer. 

IO: What are your first impressions of campus? What are you most excited about?

Elissar: Duke’s campus is absolutely beautiful, and I was lucky enough to get a really new and spacious dorm. At Duke, all the freshmen live on East Campus, which creates a really special sense of community—and I got a really great roommate through the random process! 

Coming from Dubai, I love how green everything is. I also love the Gothic architecture, which gives the university so much character. I think I’m most excited about meeting people from completely different backgrounds and getting to explore all the opportunities Duke has outside of just academics. I’m planning on joining the Arab Student Organization, as well as some pre-professional clubs and labs, but I’m not entirely sure yet.

IO: What is your major, and was that a factor in applying Early Decision to Duke? 

Elissar: I’m planning to major in neuroscience, although I’m still keeping an open mind because Duke makes it easy to explore different subjects and pursue an interdisciplinary education. I grew up interested in science and taking AP Psychology, as well as other psychology/neuroscience related courses between 8th-11th grade, really solidified my interest in the subject. 

Neuroscience was a factor in why I applied Early Decision. I’ve always been really interested in the connection between the brain, stomach, behavior, and the rest of the body and Duke has so many opportunities to explore that through both classes and research. Beyond academics, though, Duke stood out to me because it seemed to have the balance I wanted: a really strong academic environment, but also a lot of school spirit, traditions, athletics, and community. I wanted a school where people were passionate about what they were studying, but still had a life outside the classroom. 

IO: You were initially deferred from Duke? How did you pivot and stay positive?

Elissar: Getting deferred was disappointing because Duke had been my first choice for so long. However, I tried not to take it as a rejection. I focused on the things I could control, like keeping my grades up, continuing the activities I cared about, and making sure my other applications were strong.

I also worked hard on my “Letter of Continued Interest”, which I think played a big role in my acceptance later. I talked about my AP Research project on fiber, working memory, and stress; my continued work with Mount Sinai on healthcare innovation and patient education; and some academic and MUN updates. I also connected everything back to my growing interest in neuroscience and Duke’s gut-brain research. Besides that, I didn’t really think about Duke that much until decisions came out. I tried to remind myself that there were so many schools where I could be happy. I stayed hopeful, but I didn’t want my entire senior year to revolve around one decision.

IO: You were valedictorian at the American School of Dubai! How did you stay so focused and excel? 

Elissar: I think a big part of it is that my family has always encouraged me to push myself, and when I set my mind to a goal, I do everything I can to accomplish it. I won’t sit here and pretend that I’m “naturally driven” or “naturally motivated.” I remember countless times when I’d have to force myself to wake up and study, and there was no part of me that naturally wanted to do it. There were way too many late nights and stressful weeks, especially when exams, extracurriculars, and college applications all overlapped. As corny as it sounds, I genuinely believe that discipline beats motivation every time. 

IO: What extracurricular activities do you think helped contribute to your admissions success? I know you were heavily involved in research.

Elissar: I think my applications showed that I was genuinely interested in my extracurriculars, not just completing a checklist. I’ve met a lot of people who follow the “cookie-cutter outline” of a “perfect” college student. But the reality is, top universities don’t want a thousand of the exact same people.

Research was a major part of my interests because I was able to explore topics in psychology, neuroscience, and mental health outside of school. I was also really involved in Model United Nations, which was completely different, but gave me a whole other skill set. Volunteering and mentoring were also important to me. My most impactful extracurricular was an internship with Mount Sinai in the summer before my senior year, when I authored a cookbook that incorporated my interest in neuroscience and the gut-brain axis. Looking back, I think the common thread was that I liked understanding people, whether through research, debate, leadership, or service.

IO: When did you start on your Common App and other college essays?

Elissar: I started thinking about my Common App essay during the summer before my senior year, but it took me until October–and multiple drafts–to land on a version I liked. For my supplemental essays, I had finished around four sets before the start of 12th grade. I did my Duke ones first and spent the longest amount of time on them. I highly recommend starting early because you need months to physically write the essays, and good ideas usually need time to come to fruition. 

IO: Based on your recent experience, what advice do you have for high schoolers who are starting to apply to college this fall?

Elissar: Do not build your entire application around what you think colleges want. It becomes very obvious when every activity or essay has been chosen just to look impressive. Spend time figuring out what actually matters to you, and then make sure your application communicates that clearly. Being at Duke has shown me that these universities really value individuality, because, genuinely, every person I speak to has such a unique and special background. 

Also, start your essays earlier than you think you need to, ask for help without letting too many people rewrite your voice, try not to compare yourself constantly to other students, trust your judgment, and ignore feedback that doesn’t feel right. College admissions can make you feel inadequate, but eventually you have to trust the work you’ve already done. And most importantly, have fun during your senior year. At the end of the year, I wished that I hadn’t wasted so much time stressing out about tests that didn’t really matter and spent more time with my friends. You don’t realize how privileged you are to have your community until you have to leave it.