<p>I'm an African-American female with parents that make less than $30,000/yr. I applied for Duke with hopes of majoring in Computer Science. </p>
<p>Stats:
3.81 GPA UW
ACT: 27 (E:31 M:23 R:27 S:26).
Class rank: 20/468; Top 5% of class</p>
<p>Activites:
- Design and Assistant Editor; CD Editor; Webmaster for Yearbook - 3 years
- Webmaster for National Honor Society - 2 years
- Tech. Manager and Webmaster for Asian Culture Club - 2 years
- HOSA - 3 years
- Medical Science Club - 2 years
- Advanced Chamber Orchestra - 1 year
- Concert Band - 1 year
- ASCA - 1 year
- Freelance by creating web graphics for the public - 3 years</p>
<p>Volunteer:
- Hospital - 2 years (215 hrs.)
- Elementary tutor in Basic Computer Functions, as well as Reading, Writing, Math, and Spelling - 3 years (240 hrs.)</p>
<p>Other:
- Attended a Computer Science Summer Program in an university</p>
<p>Awards:
- Won $1,000 from Comcast Leaders and Achievers Scholarship
- Nominee for Principal’s Leadership Award Scholarship
- Gold Eagle Honor Roll (4.0 W GPA) throughout high school
- Who’s Who Recipient (award given in my high school for the top 10% of senior class, don't confuse it with Who's Who Among American High School Students)
- MetroPCS Community Scholars Finalist</p>
<p>Being a low-income African-American will help you a lot, but a lack of consistent EC's and low ACTs are going to give you trouble. Have you taken AP classes?</p>
<p>Low ACT scores in math & science make you an unlikely candidate for admission as a computer science major. If you get in, it will be primarily due to your GPA & URM status.</p>
<p>Does picking a major in the application really matter in the long run? I mean, sure I want to major in computer science but who knows if I'll change my mind sometime down the road. Is Duke going to be like, "23 in math? And she wants to major in computer science? Freak no - REJECTED" because that would suck. :/</p>
<p>Do they admit people based on their majors?</p>
<p>It varies from school to school as to whether declaring an intended major in your application significantly affects your chance of admission. In your case, I think that it could result in a rejection. Many applicants to NYU, for example, are not admitted to the college at NYU to which they applied, but, rather, are given an option to enroll in NYU's general studies program for the first two years.</p>
<p>No, I cannot predict that you will be denied based on your intended choice of major; in fact, computer science seems to be your passion. My impression is that most computer science majors are gifted in math and that this ability is reflected in their standardized test scores. Some students applying to most selective universities try to increase their chances by applying to undersubscribed majors hoping for an admissions break equivalent to that afforded key musicians needed to fill an opening for the marching band. Perhaps you could highlight your interest in another area that is not as math intensive as the low math ACT score will raise concerns for a potential computer science major.</p>
<p>I don't think you apply to a specific major at Duke. I believe you state an intended major, but you're not tied to that specific major. I don't think they'll reject you solely on the basis that your math score is low, but you want to be a computer science major (though if they accept you, they may have you take some remedial math courses or something).</p>
<p>I wouldn't be surprised with a decision to accept, waitlist, or reject.</p>