CHANCES AT DUKE :)- special circumstances!

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I'm currently a high school junior and for as long as I can remember Duke has been my dream school. I've always wanted to be a lawyer but more recently I realized that Sports Law is my passion and something I want to persue post-high school. While test scores are a little better than my GPA, neither are close to the median of accepted freshman at Duke University. </p>

<p>GPA: 3.15
SAT: 1960 composite (math-590, verbal-670, writing-700)
ACT: 32</p>

<p>Honors: honors english 9, 10 /honors biology, chemistry,geosystems /honors world history 1
AP's: AP World, AP U.S., AP Psychology, AP Env. Science, AP Government, AP Lit, AP Euro. </p>

<p>EC's:</p>

<p>4 years varsity basketball
3 years varsity tennis
2 years varsity volleyball
2 years varsity football manager (state/nat'l ranked team)
4 years yearbook (2 in editor position)
2 years newspaper sports writer (my own column)
6 years club tennis team captain
founder, and president, of breast cancer awareness club
parks and recreation volunteer 2009-
Washington Post AllMet Intern for senior year</p>

<p>But before you cast me off and think "is she out of her mind?", if you know either a) anything about Duke or b) anything about college basketball, you know the prestige of Duke's mens team and more specifically their coach. Haha. The men's basketball coach has written me a letter of reccomendation as well as a very decorated alumni player. I'm not sure how this will weigh in when I apply but I feel like it can't hurt?</p>

<p>I've wrote and rewritten my "Why Duke" essay several times making sure it's perfect by the time of submission. I also attend a nationally ranked high school in Northern Virginia if that provides any help.</p>

<p>What do you think my chances are for getting in to Duke?</p>

<p>Other schools I'm looking at include:</p>

<p>Clemson
Alabama
Auburn
U. South Carolina
U. Tennessee
James Madison University
and Florida State</p>

<p>If you could chance me for those too that would be great!</p>

2

<p>Your GPA is very low for Duke. What’s your rank? I’m not sure what you’re saying about the basketball thing; are you being recruited? If so, you have a decent chance. Otherwise, you have almost no chance.</p>

3

<p>OH! I also forgot to mention I was diagnosed with pretty severe ADD in late March of this year. I’m on medication now and have seen drastic improvements with concentration and study habits. I’m not sure if this makes any difference either but I figure it didn’t hurt to mention.</p>

4

<p>My school doesn’t rank. No I am not being recruited to play, but the Men’s Basketball coach has written me just a general letter of reccomendation. He’s a highly regarded individual to the University so I figured that would have some sort of impact.</p>

5

<p>In what capacity does he know you?</p>

6

<p>He’s a close friend to my uncle and we’ve met several times. He knows my passion for the university and my intent to be a basketball manager during my time there (if accepted).</p>

7

<p>Can you give a rough approximation of where your GPA puts you in your class?</p>

8

<p>If K wants you to get in, you will be in.</p>

<p>(which is a shame, because in all honesty you do know that you don’t really merit an admission).</p>

9

<p>Maybe top 30%ish?</p>

10

<p>What soze said. Whatever coach K wants, coach K gets…</p>

11

<p>I agree with soze. If coach K wrote a letter of reccomendation for you, you will be admitted. Sadly, that reccomendation is possibly the only thing you have that could warrant admission barring an OUTSTANDING admissions essay and an improvement in GPA. Your 32 ACT is not far off of Duke standards though.</p>

12

<p>I suppose they’re right.</p>

13

<p>Well, it’s unlikely but not impossible. Besides, there’re other schools out there that will fit your criteria for a good school just as well, and you’ll have a great time there even if you end up not going to Duke.</p>

14

<p>The fact that a girl was accepted ED from my school this year with a 4.1 and a 1890 SAT score and recieved scholarships was what really gave me hope. haha</p>

<p>I know you all are saying that “K gets what he wants” but I’m honestly just unsure of the amount of weight his letter will hold. I do not beleive that my grades provide an accurate representation of my intelligence/ability and I want to be able to show the University that.</p>

15

<p>There are letters and there are letters. Many are asked by fiends to write a letter and they oblige by writing a light little note that they know won’t get the candidate in. The coach is using his clout on his players and family, my guess is this letter will not do a thing and he knows it.</p>

<p>Top colleges are not looking for potential, they are not guessing about where intelligence that has not already resulted in accomplishment may be, they are looking for students with a record of using their full potential.</p>

16

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<p>Exactly. Just because a friend of a friend knows Coach K doesn’t mean you’ll get in. The same goes for letters of recs from senators and celebrities.</p>

<p>Unless he’s recruiting your for men’s basketball, you’re out of luck.</p>