ACT score fail.. DUKE UNIVERSITY

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I recently got my ACT score back and was DEVASTATED to see a 29. I was crushed. I am planning on retaking it and I am confident I can get at least a 30 or 31. I want more than anything to go to Duke, and I plan to apply ED.
This is what you need to know about me:
-4.2 weighted GPA (not sure the unweighted)
-3/110 in class
-2 year varsity track captain
-2 year varsity cross country captain
-Student council VP and 3 year member so far
-Class President in 10th grade
-Class VP junior year
-NHS (voted president for next year)
-Choir (superior rating in state contest multiple times)
-Band (one superior contest rating)
-Another special singing group
- I organize a relay for life event and have personally had a team 4 years. I have personally raised over $10,000
-I actually had cancer when I was younger and I now live with only 1 working eye. The other is a prosthetic.
-I work 2 jobs </p>

<p>Please give me any and all feedback. I really feel confident I can get a 30 or 31 ACT score, and I hope that will help my chances.</p>

2

<p>To be honest, I think the ACT is a little low even with the 30’s but your background is amazing. I honestly think you have a really good chance. Don’t be devastated though, a 29 is really good, it is! I promise you! It is this whole perception we have that our scores are bad for certain colleges when in reality, the score is good objectively. I remember the first time I found out my ACT score, I had a 30 and I sobbed. It was terrible, I was terrible. There were kids who would have killed to have my score and I was being ungrateful. Don’t feel bad at all, I believe you can do tremendously better. Believe in yourself :)</p>

3

<p>Even if you get a 31, Duke is a real long-shot.
You really need at least a 33 to be competative for Duke and most admits have a 34+.</p>

<p>Also, the rigor of your academic program will likely be called into question if someone at the top of the class can only manage a 29.</p>

4

<p>Duke is a reach for anyone. </p>

<p>29 is a great score. Don’t be so hard on yourself. But, after reading the rest of your “app”, I think you can shoot higher.</p>

5

<p>Just get that ACT up and make sure that you write about your problems in your essay. That’s essential if you want to get in.</p>

6

<p>The middle 50% of Duke undergrads’ ACT scores are 30-34. Just test again; you’re so close! I made a 34, but my resume is not NEARLY as padded as yours; I think they would pick you for Duke before me for sure!</p>

7

<p>Very interesting background. Retake and get your ACT up and you have a pretty good shot given all that’s happened to you. Good luck, but do not expect it.</p>

8

<p>I would suggest that you do some tutoring course at your local tutoring club. They may cost some money, but in the long run, it is WORTH IT. I also suggest ACT 36 by Barron’s (I read it for a week and it improved my practice scores by like 4 points). If you get that ACT to like a 33/34 and apply ED, with that background, you have a very good shot. </p>

9

<p>Duke’s admission rate dropped this year and the mid 50 went up a little bit. From the latest stat, the mid 50 ACT for Arts/Sci is 31-34 and for Engineering 33-35. Aim at the admission average for a better chance.
<a href=“http://admissions.duke.edu/images/uploads/process/DukeClass2017Profile.pdf”>http://admissions.duke.edu/images/uploads/process/DukeClass2017Profile.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

10

<p>Do you folks know what “middle 50%” means?
The middle 50% ranges from the 25th to the 75th percentile.
So if the middle 50% range is a 31-34, a 31 would be in the 25th percentle.
Note this includes hooked applicants.
A 34 is a much more typical score for an unhooked applicant.</p>

11

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<p>It also means there are 25% admitted student with 34+. ;)</p>