A dream deferred

So you think you have what it takes to make it at Duke? What if Duke thinks otherwise?

That was the case confronting current Duke junior Doug Rosenberg. He excelled in one of the country's top high schools, never lost a tennis match while playing on the team for more than three years and knew one thing for certain-one day he would call Duke University his school.

"In 11th grade, from the moment I saw the Chapel, I knew this is where I wanted to go 100 percent," Rosenberg says. "I did everything I could just to get into Duke."

Rosenberg's story is far from average. What began as an effort to be accepted to Duke-first as an early decision applicant, then through the regular decision process-quickly evolved into a mission.

Following his junior year and recent visit to Duke, Rosenberg enrolled in the Duke Talent Identification Program. Although applicants are normally selected in January, Rosenberg convinced the TIP admissions to let him enroll three months after the application deadline for the summer, he says.

"I took two courses over the summer and got A's in both to show that I could do the work," Rosenberg says. "I contacted my regional director [of admissions] and told her I was going to apply early and kept calling her every week. I worked really hard senior year."

But following that summer came the beginning of a number of setbacks for Rosenberg. Initially deferred for early admission, Rosenberg was later denied regular admission after his regional director had told him he had a good chance as a "high deferral."

"I was furious," Rosenberg says. "I called my director the next day and gave her a speech that she said was like 'Macbeth's soliloquy.'"

Once settled in Durham, Rosenberg wasted no time in visiting the admissions office. Dressed in a suit and tie, and with 500 Mrs. Field's cookies for the office on his first visit-and doughnuts for the entire staff every week after that-Rosenberg took two more classes at Duke, helped produce video clips for the Duke basketball teams and e-mailed the admissions director each week about all the things he was learning at school.

"For nine weeks I would just work, study and not speak to anyone because I didn't know anyone," Rosenberg says. "Going to the movies was my only escape. I'm not going to lie, I saw Chicago twice. Thank God I had high self-esteem because any other kid would have killed himself."

Harrison Till, then a current student at Duke, met Rosenberg in class. "I couldn't believe he was willing to sacrifice the last few months of high school, show he could do the work, and then they still did not let him in," Till says. "I told him he was going to transfer and then we would have a great time together."

It was only during his final week at Duke that Rosenberg was able to secure a meeting with the Dean of Admissions Christoph Guttentag.

"I believe persistence always wins, so long as you can dream it and work hard you can achieve it," Rosenberg says. "The word 'no' is not in my vocabulary."

After talking with Guttentag, Rosenberg learned that despite his efforts he was still rejected. If he wanted to get into Duke, he would need to do it the old fashioned way-apply as a transfer student the following year.

"I love defeat because I love the challenge of losing," Rosenberg says. "When I left Guttentag's office I looked at the Chapel and said 'I'll be back.'"

Rosenberg enrolled for his freshman year at Emory University, and then was accepted as a transfer student at Duke for his sophomore year. "With the Rudy music on, I opened my admissions letter and saw I got in," Rosenberg says. "It took me a little bit longer, but I did it. It's true in business and true in life-each day you just have to have a positive attitude and then you can achieve."