<p>I won't fill this up completely, because I have a certain aspect I'm extremely worried about.</p>
<p>Objectively, I have a 33 on my ACT with a 10 writing, very good extracurriculars (I've been a singer all my life and it has led to some incredible opportunities such as a chance to perform at Carnegie Hall and many influential foreign TV shows, and I am also very involved in community service due to the fact that my mother is from a lower socioeconomic background, so I get to go back to her hometown and help alot, and she is also a teacher at a school in a very low-income area, so I tutor there very much as well), and my essays are also pretty strong, as I have heard from others. I have a 3.7 UW GPA right now, and although that does put me in the top 10% of my class of 1500 kids, I'm very worried about my chances to get in. As a freshman and sophomore, I maintained a rank in the top 5% and had good grades. However, as I came to junior year, both a terrible family circumstance and actually starting legitimate IB killed me. My weighted GPA went from a 4.3 to a 4.14, and I'm not sure what to do. I'm a senior now, and show signs of improvement, finally, but I'm scared it may not be enough. While I'm not saying that it was a completely unusual circumstance, I personally let it affect me so much. My father cheated on my mom when I was in 11th grade, and lost thousands of dollars in the process. While we as a family have tried to bounce back, it is so hard to do so. The numerous fights made me feel almost suffocated in my own home, and I became suicidal for a good amount of time. Furthermore, I began to start having flashbacks of a childhood mishap that had happened in my life, and became even more insecure about my sense of myself and my place in the world. I became so tired that I didn't feel like my life was worth the fighting and agony that every day seemed like it could be. Somehow, I got out of that rut, however. I have a beautiful little sister, and the strongest parents and while it seemed like we were emotionally draining each for a long time, I feel somewhat calmer and more invigorated. I feel like I can do better. I really want Duke to be able to see that. While I haven't gone through incredible trauma in theory, my pain enclosed me, and I've tried to get out of it. I'm not sure how this will affect my application. I don't even particularly know what else to say, I'm just looking for some solace that I have a chance, I guess, because Duke has been my dream since I was 6. </p>
<p>Thank you for your feedback in advance. </p>
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