Chances at Duke (& other selective schools)

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Looking to see my chances at getting into Duke. Unsure whether to apply Early Decision—it's soooo tempting, but I don't know if I would get enough financial aid. What are my chances of getting in ED and RD? I go to a highly competitive Top 100 Public School in the US. I have a great GPA and great extracurriculars with mediocre test scores. I'm not on an athletic team at school (which I know Duke likes) but I am a member of the local running club, and I run competitively in their long distance races. To give you a better idea of my accomplishments, I copy/pasted some relevant sections from my resume. Any help and advice on my chances and what to do to improve them would be greatly appreciated!!!</p>

<p>ACADEMICS:
Weighted GPA: 4.3526—Unweighted GPA: 3.9524 (we don't rank)
ACT: 32 (Should I take it again?)
SAT: 2040 (I prefer ACT)
SAT Subject Tests: Lit-730; MathII-620; US History-680
Score of 5 on following AP exams: US Government, US History, European History, Environmental Science</p>

<p>CURRENT SENIOR CLASSES:
AP English, AP German, AP Calc AB, AP Economics, AP Computer Science, Honors Physics, Creative Writing II</p>

<p>CLUBS/EXTRACURRICULARS:
Generations2Generations (Nursing Home Outreach) (10-12)—President
Outdoor Adventure Club (10-12)—Founder
Riverbend Review (Award Winning School Literary Magazine) (11,12)—Editor in Chief
Key Club (9-12)—Officer
Iota Sigma (Christian Club) (9-12)—Officer
Political Science Club (11,12)—Officer
National Honors Society (11,12)—Member
Peer Assistance Team (11,12)—Member
Delta Epsilon Phi (National Students of German Honors Society) (10-12)—Member
New Orleans Track Club (11,12)—Member
Church Youth Group (9-12)—Member
Green Society (10-12)—Member
Photography Club (11,12)—Member</p>

<p>AWARDS:
2013 New Orleans Track Club Long Distance Champion—placed 1st in the Youth Division of NOTC 1/2Marathon, 25k, and 30k races
Completed New Orleans Rock ‘n’ Roll Full Marathon in 4:28:29
Principal’s Award (awarded by Principal to a student displaying academic & extracurricular excellence)—10
1st place German Interpretive Reading & German Dramatic Skit at State Literary Rally—10, 11
Attended Columbia Scholastic Press Association 2013 Spring Convention at Columbia University with school Literary Magazine
German Best in Class—9, 10, 11; Math Best in Class—9, 10, 11; English Best in Class—9, 10
National Honors Society
1st place Digital Poster at 2013 Regional Key Club Rally—designed and photoshopped award winning poster for Southeast Key Club Rally, progressed to Internationals
United Way: Mission Ignition Winner—most service hours completed by BFHS student in one month</p>

<p>COMMUNITY SERVICE:
United Way: Mission Ignition (student run city-wide service initiative)—Board Member
Woldenberg Village (nursing home)—talk with elderly, help plan and execute regular events, etc
Believer’s Life Family Church Media Team—operate cameras/projectors/misc. technology about 2.5 hrs/week</p>

<p>WORK EXPERIENCE:
Camp Counselor: 5wks, 2 consec. summers, 11year old campers, horseback instructor
Petsitting/babysitting for 12+ neighbors</p>

2

<p>I think you will be a fairly competitive applicant for Duke. You’re ACT is average for them. You have solid academic stats. Your awards are good. You have many ECs, but nothing there really stands out. I think you will be competitive, but RD would probably be a reach/low reach. Then I would say ED is a high match, maybe a low reach. You have a solid shot though! Good luck!</p>

<p>Can you chance me back? I am also applying to Duke and want to do ED. But I am hesitant for the same reason.
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1544406-chance-me-please-duke-notre-dame-johns-hopkins-etc-ill-chance-you-back-3.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1544406-chance-me-please-duke-notre-dame-johns-hopkins-etc-ill-chance-you-back-3.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

3

<p>If you’re not sure about financial aid, be wary about applying ED (to any school that has ED). I would go to Duke’s website and figure out the COA and EFC. If the costs are near equal, then you may have a problem. While you are allowed to get out of the ED agreement if the finances do not work for you, you need to make sure that you have your backup applications ready to go, because many are due only 2 weeks after ED notification.</p>

4

<p>Looks good.</p>

5

<p>

^Follow this advice, OP!</p>

<p>Anyway, you’re a very competitive applicant. It wouldn’t hurt to raise your ACT score a little, but it’s not necessary in the slightest.</p>

<p>Good luck! :)</p>