Alright so Duke is probably a reach school for me, but Chapel Hill is my dream school!
In-state
Female, White
Weighted GPA: 4.9/6.0
Unweighted GPA:4.0
Class rank: Currently 66/375, but that may be wrong, and should go up after this semester
ACT composite score: 33, will take again
Subscores: E-35, M-29, R-34, S-33, W-30
SAT: didn’t take
Awards: Currently in national merit competition, excelsior award (school award for outstanding leadership in classroom)
EC- French club (10-11), Beta Club (10-11), Food For Thought (service club, 11), VP of FHS (11), playing Piano for 5 years, writing, photography, travel(not sure if this counts, but I’ve been to Tokyo, Paris, Venice, Rome, London, and will be going to Paris and Frankfurt this Christmas), I take care of my family at home as my mother has stage 4 breast cancer and my father is in NY half the week every week
Summer activities: sophomore year working at Harris Teeter as a cashier, junior year volunteering at summer camp for children with autism (120 hrs)
Thank you!!
No, travel doesn’t really count. If it shaped you as a person, you can write about it in your essay, but counting it as an EC is a little absurd.
I think if you are willing to apply ED to Duke, you could get in. Otherwise, I don’t think it would be very likely. However, I do think it is likely that you’ll get into UNC-CH, especially considering you’re instate.
While I think you are a pretty solid candidate, if I were reading your file as an admissions counselor, nothing really stands out to me. However, I do think if you mention your mother’s situation (there will be a point on the app where you can do this), you will have a better chance because it will be clear why you have subpar ECs (no offense). Do you write or take photos for a specific organization? Or do you have any leadership positions? I don’t know, the ECs seem to me as your biggest weakness.
Good luck! 
@IvyGirl27 Yeah I definitely realize my ECs aren’t very impressive, something I should have realized earlier :// I don’t write or take photos for any specific organization, but I’m working on some stories/essays to submit in writing competitions (hopefully I’ll win something!) The only leadership position I have is Vice President of the French honor society. Thank you for chancing me :)!!
You’re welcome! I’m sorry if I sounded harsh, I just tried to be honest. But you do have exceptional grades and test scores, so you have that going for you! I’m sure you’ll succeed wherever you go though.
@res0601 UNC CH could be a safety. The main problem with Duke is that while your ECs exhibit breadth, they do not exhibit much depth from what I see.
My two cents.