Chances for Duke - Furthermore, What makes the school so great??

Colleges and Universities A-Z Duke University
1

<p>General: Incoming Senior, Male, Mexican, from a large southern-california public school.
Rank: Definitely Top 5%, hopefully top 3% (in a class of 750)
GPA: Unweighted - 3.800 (have received As in every class except math - I take advanced math courses, though)
Curriculum: Have only taken Honors or AP courses.
SAT I: CR - 750, M - 720, W - 800 = 1470/2270
SAT II: Biology E - 740, US History - 760, Math 2 - 720</p>

<p>Junior Schedule:
AP English Lang - A
AP Spanish Lang - A
AP Calc AB - B
AP US History - A
AP Physics - A
Student Government - A</p>

<p>Senior Schedule:
AP English Lit
AP CalcBC
AP Environmental Science
AP US Gov
Student Government</p>

<p>ECs:
Sport:</p>

<p>*I am a highly-ranked gymnast in the nation for my age (and level 10, the highest level), and I have trained gymnastics for 10 years. Currently train 16-20 hours per week, hold various state champ titles, etc.
* I am a varsity diver for my school, I train 10 hours per week in this sport, when I take a break from the gymnastics season (which never technically ends - it is a year round sport)
* I have the All-American Award for Gymnastics</p>

<p>Special Interests:</p>

<ul>
<li>I am the President of my school's Ecology Club - which I resurrected. It is fun, but very challenging.</li>
<li>I am the President of my school's California Scholarship Federation - this club is very difficult because it is impossible to get everyone to a single meeting (with > 50 members) and its community-service focus is difficult.</li>
<li>I am an avid music fan with knowledge from 1960s Jazz to 1980s Underground Hip-Hop to the Electronic Avant-Garde scene in NY and Europe's finest art-rock songwriters. I hope to write a music column in college encouraging students to listen to a more diverse mix of music rather than mainstream radio.</li>
<li>I have over 500 hours of school-oriented service logged in for Student Government on my campus: I was the Business Manager last year, and am the Senior Class President for the upcoming year.</li>
<li>I have competed for my school's very successful Academic Bowl team, during my Freshman and Sophomore years. I did not participate Junior Year, and probably will not next year.</li>
<li>I am currently working 15 hrs/week coaching Level 6/7 gymnasts on top of my 20 hrs/week summer schedule for practice.</li>
</ul>

<p>For a long time, Duke was my top choice for school, although I currently <em>think</em> that I prefer PENN. Duke is probably the only school I will apply to that I have not actually visited.</p>

2

<p>Duke and Penn are pretty similar in every way. </p>

<p>I loved Duke when I visited, and I stayed over at a bunch of other Ivies too. Kids are just as smart as Ivy leaguers but more fun. You'll have to see it for yourself to believe me.</p>

<p>In terms of academics, according to WSJ Duke places students better at top professional schools, has more national merit scholars, gets more prestigious international scholarships like the Rhodes and Fulbright, and some other stuff. But in academics there is only a slight difference between the two.</p>

<p>What major are you?</p>

3

<p>dude you're in. mexican w/ a 3.8,2270, and national recognized gymnast?
please</p>

4

<p>Well for Duke, I would probably major in Environmental Science + Policy or Public Policy. </p>

<p>Are Duke Scholarships granted upon admission or do they have to be applied for separately? I know the valedictorian at my school two years ago turned down Harvard for Duke because they gave her a full tuition scholarship + research time at a university in England.</p>

<p>I'm basically in the financial condition where I will HAVE to go to the school that costs least or gives me a scholarship. My family can barely afford private school. Yes, even with the "100% full need-met" thing that top schools have going on.</p>

5

<p>Eh, there are only a handful of scholarships and they choose you, you can't apply. </p>

<p>Duke's Public Policy is awesome, as its environmental science, and of course it has a huge forest/gardens/lots of animals for you to check out. And of course, an environmental lab on a beach a few hours away that kids go to often to do research and take classes.</p>

6

<p>i'd like to welcome you to duke next year....mexican with 2270, good grades, and sports involvement...congrats lol</p>

7

<p>haha yeah pretty much what delta royale said</p>