Chance a Duke ED Trinity 2016 Applicant?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Duke University
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Hi everyone! It’s gotten really late in the game and we’re about to find out decisions, but could anyone still chance me? I know I can’t do anything about my application now but I feel like I have to do something to stave off the application anxiety :smiley:

Race: Left this whole section blank on the CommonApp lol (would this hurt me though?), but from a competitive public school in Virginia

Scores/GPA:

SAT: 2230 (CR-800, M-730, W-700)
SAT II: 680 US History, 670 Math II. Didn’t want to send but thought that I had to :frowning:
ACT: 34

Ranked in top 15 out of 350
GPA (weighted): 4.37 end of Junior Year (should be around a 4.55 at the end of Senior Year)

APs Taken 9-11th Grade (Very rigorous schedule) (AP World (4) AP Bio (4) AP Stats (3) AP Calc AB (5) APUSH (5)

6 APs Senior Year (AP Lit, AP Calc BC, AP Physics C, AP US/World Gov, AP Human Geo, AP Spanish

Total AP Courses In High School (Rigorous): 11

1st Quarter Grades: 3 A-s, 2 A+s, 1 A
Kind of bummed about those minuses, but I usually bring them up by the end of the semester

Honors:
Boys State Federalist Party Chairman
Summer Residential Governor’s School
Acceptance to a week long free Leadership Camp in the county
Paid internship with a consulting firm
Picked as part of a 3-person delegation to a Singapore school’s international summit

Extracurriculars:
President of a 501©(3)
Eagle Scout and Senior Patrol Leader for 2 years
Varsity Swim 4 years
JV Cross Country 2 years
Debate 3 years (Team Captain)
2nd Place Regional Improv Tournament
FBLA President
Youth Advisory Council Community Service Chairman
NHS (316 community service hours)
Started a robotics club for elementary schoolers

2 Teacher Recs, both should be very good.
Filled out all three essays, also very good in my opinion

Please let me know what you think are my chances, weaknesses, strengths! Fortunately/(possibly unfortunately) Duke is my number one school and this wait is killing me!

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Congratulations. Your grades and scores look very good. I can’t say for sure if they would be good enough to get you in. It depends on large part on who else from your area is applying. A lot will also depend on your recommendations. I’m sure you already know this.

Your ECs show a lot of standout activities (Boys State, scouts, FBLA), so you should be proud.

However one thing that stood out to me was the fact that you left the race section empty. Why did you do so? Did you also leave this out in your Duke supplement?

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Do you have any hooks?

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@sgopal2 Thanks! I actually didn’t already know that (with all the rumours and smoke and mirrors of college admission its hard to tell!). I did leave the race part empty as I really felt that it didn’t impact me in any extravagant way. I am very culturally connected, but don’t think that my race had much to do with my studiousness or motivation etc., whereas socioeconomic status would be a much more telling factor. I did mention that I come from a Muslim background as a small part of my optional supplement. Do you think the race thing could hurt me?

@Lift35 I don’t have any concrete hooks per se, but I had a supplementary that delved into some things so who knows?

Thanks for the replies guys! Anyone else got the pre-decisions crazies?

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I come from a Muslim background as well! I didn’t mention it in my essays although I think* they do see your religion (if you selected one) on the common app, they just don’t consider it. My religion and culture/ethnicity was a good topic of discussion during my interview though so hopefully it was mentioned.

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@Lift35 what a coincidence! I don’t think putting it down in the CommonApp does anything (wonder why they ask it then), but if it contributed to your interview then good for you! Best of luck to you in applying!

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The race thing can be hard to decipher. For students who leave this blank, this leaves admissions readers to assume the student is hiding something, or doesn’t want them to know about their race. This makes them more curious than if you had simply offered it up to begin with.

Now the fact that you also disclosed your heritage in the essay will probably have them scratching their heads. I honestly don’t know if it will help or hurt. But I wish you the best of luck

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@sgopal2 Ah well. My intention wasn’t to throw them off or anything, but I am a big proponent for the ability to not identify with a race if you don’t want to. You know, a citizen of the world kind of thing. I hope they saw it in that sort of positive light. Of course, I don’t have anything against people who do disclose their race, but in general I feel like its irrelevant to the admissions process unless its a group thats been downtrodden. Thanks for your input!

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I agree with your position. However race is a volatile issue in college admissions as I’m sure you know. However it sounds like you took a responsible position by leaving the response blank, but then disclosing your race/heritage in another section. Because of this, I think it probably won’t make much of a difference either way.

Good luck

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Federalist Party Chairman? Maarten is that you? I was President Pro Tempore of the Senate! I think I got a picture with you too. Anyways for chances the only thing really lacking are SAT 2’s. We actually got the same SAT score haha. EC’s are strong, I like the sports and leadership combo, Eagle scout is awesome. Your grades and scores aren’t going to get you in or keep you out if you know what I mean. Decision wise if you went regular I couldn’t say one way or the other, but because you did ED (like me as well!) I would honestly say your chances are more probable than not. Best of luck, and I hope we both get to be a part of Duke’s class of 2020!

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@hlb1998 hahahaha no I’m not Maarten, there were a bunch of Party Chairmen cuz there was one per each city (I was mine for my city). Glad to see a fellow Boys Stater on here! Best of luck to you and all applicants, T-2 days to go!