Chances?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Duke University
1

<p>[x-posted in Chances section, fyi]</p>

<p>Hi everyone. I'm a junior white female and Duke is one of my top choices/reaches. I have not been to visit.</p>

<p>I want to study biology and will most likely go pre-med. </p>

<p>*Grades *
My school does not calculate a GPA or rank, but I am in the top 10% of my class. I know this because I was inducted as a member of the Cum Laude Society, which is composed of the top 10% of the junior class.
I have taken the highest level classes that I could and have gotten mostly As and a few A-s, with an occasional B+ mixed in.
I have made Honor Roll every year as well.
I took AP Biology, AP US History, and AP Spanish Language this year and got all As. I project 4/5s on the exams.
I will take AP European History, AP Spanish Lit, AP Calculus (probably AB, but possibly BC) and AP English Lit next year.</p>

<p>Test Scores:
I got a 2350 on the SAT (790 CR, 800 W, 760 M).
I got a 790 on the Chem SAT II.
I am taking the Biology M, Spanish, and Math II SAT IIs in June.
I also qualified for the National Merit Scholarship thing from my PSATs</p>

<p>ECs:
First off, my school only allows you to hold one leadership position at once. So it's impossible to be the head of a club and class president etc.
I have been a member of my school's Key Club for 3 years and the head of the club for 2. Two summers ago I traveled to Costa Rica for 3 weeks with a program called Academic Treks. We participated in sea turtle research and took classes on marine biology.
Last summer and this summer I have/will worked (paid internship) in a prominent bioengineering lab. The director of the lab is often in the national news for his work. I will definitely be having him write a letter of rec for me.
I have also volunteered for over 200 hrs in the maternity department at a local hospital.</p>

<p>I have been on varsity swimming for two years. I was also on JV swim as a freshman, where I won the excellence award.
I have been on JV soccer for 2 years, where I won the sportsmanship/leadership award.
I have also been a member of my schools peer tutoring club for 2 years,; I tutor in Chemistry and Spanish.
Finally, I have also been a member of my schools yearbook club for 3 years.</p>

<p>I am also a fairly active member of my Roman Catholic church.
I have volunteered through them in a soup kitchen many times and I will be going on my church's teen service trip this summer.</p>

<p>I go to a fairly prominent independent school in the New England area. It's not at the Exeter/Andover level but it's still academically rigorous. I will not be needing financial aid.</p>

<p>Any sort of insight would be much appreciated. If any more info is necessary, I will try to provide it. Thank in advance.</p>

2

<p>yeah, you can get into Duke
never heard of a high school where they have give out GPA’s</p>

3

<p>Stats and info look really good so you should have a pretty good shot. Nothing nowadays is definite because a vast amount of talented students apply, but you look pretty good to me. Just continue working hard in school, your college application and essay, and you should be fine.</p>

4

<p>you have what it takes to get into many great schools. that said there were 3 thousand great kids with good stats on the waitlist. (Yours are extra good re stats… but no matter…you should proceed as if you expect a waitlist at any school with under 15% admission stats…and you will end up very happy and in good spirits next spring)
So…you will get waitlisted someplace if you apply to many top colleges. Just make sure that you apply to a college you respect and would attend that is less likely to waitlist fully qualified people)</p>

<p>my son was admitted to Duke with less stats than yours…and friends with better stats didn’t get in. Why? We will never know. Perhaps it was his essays and his peer essay (Duke takes peer essays). I am pretty sure his essays were the deal breaker. </p>

<p>I think it is helpful to adcoms to get a picture of what you would do at Duke to be part of the Duke community…which is a very lively community full of “doers.” It would also be helpful to project how you might make use of Duke’s vast resources academicially. I also think it is helpful to convey the values and culture from your own roots that you would bring to the Duke social scene. Duke is vastly diverse and people really are from radically different beginnings in life. </p>

<p>Another way my son’s application stood out was unconventional “takes” on how he viewed Duke and how he would use Duke if admitted. The Why Duke essay needs to not be cookie cutter…</p>

<p>With your stats, if you don’t have enough cash in the bank for graduate school, you would also be considered for admission to schools where your stats are the top end of the spectrum and you might be competitive for merit dollars. You should consider that as well as a viable honorable path rather than only targeting colleges where everyone tests like you test.</p>

<p>You should consider applying outside of your region geographically “fer sure”. You should dig deep and “not be a stranger” on your application. Since you do not have a hard luck story as a graduate of a fine private school, make sure to tell your own story…everybody has one! My son’s friends who paid in full in cash were just as lovely, idealistic and interesting as students on complete financial aid…so make sure that they can see who you are and what your aspirations are. </p>

<p>Your application in a nutshell needs heart. No one really cares in my opinion what offices you hold in a club. </p>

<p>Pick a learning environment that suits your own version of soulfulness because the work is extremely demanding at any top fifty college. Duke son thrives on dissonance and diversity and sports and on the arts…all part of what Duke provides daily. Second son is more Zen and didn’t apply to Duke…he is also disconnected from sports as a central topic…and he is much happier where he is in Nashville enjoying the city at his feet.</p>

5

<p>Wow, thank you so much for all the tips. I will definitely keep them in mind.</p>

<p>…anyone else care to chance? I’d love all the opinions I can get.</p>

6

<p>Your credentials all look fine, but don’t slack on your application just because you think your academic achievements will carry you through. And remember, a school like Duke gets tons of applicants who have done just as much as you, if not more, and the key to getting in is to distinguish yourself from your peers. Anyone can boast of a high test score and community service hours, but it takes true character and individuality to get accepted somewhere as prestigious as Duke. Make sure your application shows this.</p>