Chance please, Duke ED

<p>Trinity ED</p>

<p>Objective:
SAT: 2180 - 760M 660CR 760W
ACT: Did not submit
SAT IIs: BioE (710), Chemistry (710), Math IIC (700); took BEFORE I took any AP sciences
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 4.1
Weighted GPA (out of 5.0): 5.1
Senior Year Course Load: 5 AP courses and a Science Research Internship Class (Weighted)
Grades in AP/IB/honors classes (if applicable): All A's, no B's
Fall [Trimester] Grades: AP Chem - 100(5.5, A+), AP Bio - 100(5.5, A+), AP Psych - 95(5.0, A), AP Calc AB - 94(4.9, A), AP Lit. - 91 (4.6, A-), Science Research Internship - 99 (5.4, A+)
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): School doesn't rank [47 people in class], but they do say which quartile you're in; top quartile.
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): no academic, but athletic: All-Conference TAC NCISAA 1A/2A (3rd 100 yd breaststroke), 2nd place NCISAA 1A/2A Conference Discus Throw</p>

<p>APs Taken: None b/c school only offers APs senior year
AP's Planned: Chemistry, Biology, Calc AB, Psychology
Senior Year Course Load: Almost most rigorous (did not take Calc BC) AP Chemistry, AP Biology, AP Psychology, AP Calculus AB, AP English Lit., Science Research Internship</p>

<p>Essay (subject and personal opinions on it): Common App: About my experience working on a farm in Ukraine and how it changed my perspective on hard work, being grateful for what you have, etc. It was a decent essay, but not amazing.
Why Duke: Drew upon a memory of an experiment that my friend and I did; wrote about my search for interesting people who love learning; wrote about strong pre med, flexible academics, caring faculty, etc. My counselor thought it was great and my english teacher really liked it.</p>

<p>Teacher Recommendations: Didn't see them. Recs from English teacher and Dean of Academics. English teacher loves me so I assume it's very good. Dean of Academics teaches AP Bio and Science Research Internship, and she also loves me. I'm expecting both to be well written.
Peer Rec: Saw my rec from the Mayo Professor--it was really good.
Counselor Rec: Didn't see it. I think it's good</p>

<p>Summer Volunteer/Community service:
-100 hour Internship for Mayo Clinic Professor of Surgery and Program Director of Department of Plastic Surgery</p>

<p>General Volunteer/Community service:
289 hours
Special Olympics
Second Harvest Food Bank
Mary's House
Temple Emanuel
Geisinger Clinic.</p>

<p>Extracurriculars: YMCA Literacy initiative tutor (EC essay), Varsity Track and Field (Assistant Coach and Throwing Team Captain, 11,12), Mayo Internship (12), Varsity Swimming (9,10,11,12), Peer Trainer/Weightlifting Coach (9,10,11,12), General Volunteer (9,10,11,12), Academic Tutor (10,11,12), Newspaper (9,10,11,12), Green Team (Vice P., 9,10,11,12), Student Gov. Class Council (11,12)
Interview: Amazing; she (Duke '61) invited me over for lunch with her husband later, we keep in contact.</p>

<p>Other
State: MN
School Type: Very small private boarding school in NC
Ethnicity: White
Gender: M
Income Bracket: +200,000
Other: Both parents are Ukrainian immigrants
Hooks (URM, first generation college, research, etc.): First generation American (Russian is my first language), 100 hour internship at Mayo Clinic Department of Surgery, starting a research internship in January in UNCG for Bioanalytical Chemistry and RNA cancer research (Science Internship Class)</p>

<p>Reflection
Strengths: GPA, Class Rigor, Recs, Mayo Internship, Interview
Weaknesses: CR score, subject tests, ECs</p>

<p>Bump 10char</p>

<p>The thing that strikes me most in your post is a counselor telling you your answer to “why Duke” is a good one. Especially a private school counselor! Your answer, as presented here, could be about any good school. The trick to the why college X question is to give answers that could only be tue of the school you’re writing about. </p>

<p>Next, I’m not understanding your school’s grading system. You have an unweighted 4.1 out of 4.0? How?</p>

<p>I think Duke is a reach for you, the CR score is quite low for an unhooked, high income, private school applicant. Your ECs are also unspectacular for an affluent student so while you might have gotten in 4 years go, with their admit numbers heading south fast, it will be tough.</p>

<p>A 4.0 at my school is equivalent to a 95 unweighted average. I have a 95.6 so it is listed at 4.1 for me. A 5.0 weighted is a 95 average as well. I have a 96.5 average for weighted classes, so a 5.15 or so. </p>

<p>Yes, ECs do suck. I must add, though, that some of my ECs bear a huge time commitment. For example, I spend 18 hours a week swimming when I’m on season. Morning [5:30 am], after school, weekend practices, swimming over breaks, etc. makes it a huge commitment for me. but hopefully that wont break my app.</p>

<p>I’m wondering how people can get in w/o writing the why duke essay…it seems then that they care more about the students’ personalities as determined my recs, personal, essays, etc.</p>

<p>Anyways, it’s a crap shoot.</p>

<p>Oh an regarding the Why Duke again, my listed answer was very oversimplified. I wrote about 5 or 6 duke specific programs and discussed why they appeal to me. Certificate program, HCEP, Research Triangle/Duke Med center, just to name a few</p>