Chance an Asian!

Colleges and Universities A-Z Duke University
1

<p>Junior right now. Chances ED and RD. Stats incomplete, I selected the main things.</p>

<p>Asian Male in NJ (best race/demographic combination you could have huh?)
Competitive Public</p>

<p>GPA: UW – 3.88, W – 4.38 (the school’s grading system was changed at the beginning of my junior year, grading went from A = >=95% to A = >=93% and AP/honors weighting was doubled from .25/.50 to .50/1.0 respectively; so my W GPA is a useless indicator :()</p>

<p>Rank: School doesn’t release it. But, I’m in top 5% in a class of about 600.</p>

<p>Letter Grades: Only one B+ as a freshman. Rest were A’s and A-‘s </p>

<p>APs: Physics B (frosh, 4 on test); rest were junior: Chem, Calc BC, Comp Sci A (took AB test), English
(expected (in order): 5, 5, 5, 4)</p>

<p>Senior Yr: All APs: Bio, Stat, English, Art History, Euro Hist, Latin</p>

<p>SAT I: M-800, CR – 730 (ugh…), W-740, Total – 2270 (retook recently, expecting better CR/W scores)</p>

<p>SAT IIs: MathII – 800 (2nd try, first time was low), Bio – 710 (done w/ H. Bio, I probably won’t submit this), Chem and Latin – awaiting scores</p>

<p>ECs:</p>

<p>Clubs/Programs/Etc.</p>

<ul>
<li>Medical Futures Club for 3 yrs (officer 12th) – heavy involvement this year.</li>
<li>Science Competitor’s Club for 3 yrs (officer 11th and 12th) – competed in Science Bowl, Toshiba Exploravision, and other minor contests </li>
<li>Central Jersey Math League (11th) </li>
<li>JSA for 4 yrs (officer 11th and 12th), position with regional cabinet this year + probably senior. Did a lot with JSA, tons of involvement. Possibly supplemental from advisor.</li>
<li>NJ Science Olympiad (10th and 11th) – competed for school in Chem I and Chem II</li>
<li>Chemistry Olympics (11th) – Research Competition, took 2nd, school came in first :)</li>
<li>Latin Club (9th and 11th) – no positions but lots of involvement, competition at Princeton U all three yrs with 2nd, 4th, and 2nd place standing each successive year in the region.</li>
<li>Columbia Science Honors Program (hoping to get in this year)</li>
<li>Attended Medical Program at UMDNJ - RWJ </li>
</ul>

<p>Community Service </p>

<ul>
<li> Local hospital (250+ hrs)</li>
<li> Local senior center (100+ hrs)</li>
<li> March of Dimes Local Youth Council, plenty of recognition here as well, lots of involvement (officer position 12th, 100+ hrs)</li>
</ul>

<p>Awards</p>

<ul>
<li> Chem Olympics Silver</li>
<li> National Latin Exam (in order by year): Silver, Gold, Gold</li>
<li> AIME Qualifier (does it mean anything anymore?)</li>
<li> USNCO Semifinalist </li>
<li> Competed USABO (no placing)</li>
<li> NJ Science Olympiad – Chem II top 10% ranking (I like Chem? Love Bio too. Looking forward to AP)</li>
<li> Competed in Science Bowl</li>
<li> Other Competitions Planned: Seed Magazine, Intel STS, Siemens, Science and Humanities Symposium</li>
</ul>

<p>*I’m pretty sure I’m forgetting stuff here and there… </p>

<p>Summer (this is the big one)</p>

<ul>
<li> Researched summer before sophomore year for over 300 hrs at a microbiology lab at a local university. Wrote a report and submitted to regional science fair for practice. No results of course. Performed small-scale labs. Will return this summer to work on my Intel Project to be submitted next year. Will be receiving a supplemental rec from professor and submitting research with my application. Expected total of over 600 hrs once done this summer. I only wish I had started sooner (freshman year perhaps). </li>
</ul>

<p>Misc. – Played piano for 6 yrs (I still hate the bloody thing, if that’s any indication of my proficiency). Play tennis, take lessons at a local racquet club (again, I suck, it’s just a hobby).</p>

<p>Well that’s it. I don’t know how much I might have left out, but I pretty much summed up the big stuff. Gimme chances ED and RD. Thx.</p>

2

<p>Why do you play the most beautiful instrument ever created if you hate it?</p>

3

<p>agreed with lville</p>

<p>i'm so sick of these threads.. I'm asian, I just did whatever pleases me for all the years of hs, and what do you know..i'll be spending my next four years @ the greatest college of all the universe.</p>

<p>decent shot, like everyone else</p>

4

<p>oh gosh- you got a B+ = the world is gonna fall apart and you wont get into duke
and ooh my god- your grade went down from a 95 to a 93- how terrible ! shud be ashamed of yourself...</p>

<p>(just kidding)
its ok- relax- if duke is a good match for you, then you will get in.</p>

5

<p>qualified but not a shoo-in. depends on the subjective stuff (your essays and recs). this applies for most applicants.</p>

6

<p>Haha, ditto high on life 76. I'm Asian too, pretty much f***ed around all high school, got bad grades (3 Cs), none of my community service, clubs or anything were medicine/science related and I still got in fine. I'd say you have everything to get in, but demographics will definitely hurt you. Your ranking might not be too hot either, though if you apply early that shouldn't be a problem.</p>

7

<p>about your SAT II, you dont choose what to submit, you submit everything.</p>

8

<p>ok, I'm liking some of the honest criticism...:)</p>

<p>Yeah, piano was forced on me; my parents are Nazis. Anyone who's asian can probably relate. </p>

<p>Even though it didn't sound like it, JSA is a big EC for me. I won several awards for speaking and genuinely enjoy it. I'll be writing one essay on that and another on my hospital volunteering, probably. </p>

<p>Oh, I didn't mention recs, but they'll probably be pretty awesome. Also, my counselor loves me, so that should be a plus too? Thx for all the responses.</p>

9

<p>If your recs are good, I think you'll definitely get in. (With +++ on chemistry stuff). But from my visit there, I saw way more Asian girls than guys. And while I know like 5 Asian girls who got in this year, I only know 2 guys. But then, I don't think either of them had as great of EC as yours. I don't know how the admissions process works, but I've seen a people with far worse accomplishments get in to Duke (ex. Me). I think you will be a top competitive applicant (I don't know how top). But since you're Asian, I think it'll be extremely good if your recs don't depict you as a typical Asian. I guess you shouldn't apply Duke ED unless it's your top at least first 3 (because you could have good chance at some Ivys, etc.). If you decide to apply either ED or RD good luck anyway.</p>