<p>Just thought I'd start this thread to talk about our decision. Where are you guys planning to go now? And a general question to anyone with an answer to it- why is it 5-10% acceptance rate? Do we have a lower chance than RD applicants or something?</p>
<p>Planning UVa since I’m in state. where are you planning to go?</p>
<p>I got deferred as well. Don’t even know what to say. :/. I’m planning to apply to Notre Dame, Vanderbilt, Northwestern, and UVa.</p>
<p>Planning to attend UT Austin (in state), and I don’t think I’ll be applying elsewhere. It was a fun process though.</p>
<p>Don’t give up hope! Hope for the best (RD admit), and prepare for the alternatives</p>
<p>Sorry, I meant planning to apply.
My school list is:
already applied- U of Washington-Seattle, USC, UC Berkeley, UCLA
will apply- Northwestern, Cornell, Chicago, NYU, Michigan and maybe other schools. Man, the worst part is that we have to write more essays now.</p>
<p>Typically, I’ve heard that a lot of the RD applicants are stronger, partly because many of them are Ivy rejects. Still a little bit of hope for us, but not much. :/</p>
<p>And I totally agree Seahawks506, I have to write around 8 supplement essays now :(</p>
<p>^right, but how can we be lower than the RD admit rate, if we are from the more competitive ED pool too?</p>
<p>Well, we definitely get full and equal consideration as if we applied only as RD applicants, and I don’t think they have a maximum amount of deferred applicants they will take, but now that we’re deferred, it’s definitely a crapshoot. </p>
<p>I feel like I read somewhere that only around 70 deferred applicants got accepted last year, but I’m not sure if I’m correct.</p>
<p>70 of 700, apparently. Which means that it’s about the same as their RD rate… so I don’t understand the 5-10% range.</p>
<p>Might actually be a blessing in disguise being deferred because i can compare financial aid packages now… That being said i would’ve loved to not have to complete more applications and go to Duke</p>
<p>Is it a bad idea to email my regional rep and ask why I was deferred?</p>
<p>I was deferred last year and am now posting this (putting off studying for my physics final…) from my own dorm room at Duke. Don’t lose hope! You CAN get in after being deferred, even if the deferred → accepted rate is an ugly statistic.</p>
<p>If even after your deferral, Duke is still your number-one, the best thing you can do is be proactive. Do “extra stuff” (awards, volunteer work, etc…something significant, though…trivial activities will not help you at this point) in the meantime and send it to Admissions. Get in touch with your regional rep. Strengthen your app as much as you can and make yourself KNOWN in admissions. Write them and tell them why they want YOU, not why you want THEM (which can be a downfall in the “Why Duke” essay).</p>
<p>Remember, deferral means that they looked at your application and thought you were a potentially good candidate for Duke, but that you were missing a certain something. Do your best to show them that, even if it didn’t show in your ED app (the “rough draft” as I like to call it), you’re truly the whole package and that it would be a mistake not to take you. When they review your app, they are looking at it with a somewhat negative attitude from the get-go. They’re thinking: “okay, what DIDN’T we like the first time around?” and they’re checking to see if that reason is still enough to keep you out. Do as much as you can to correct any glaring weaknesses in your application so they can’t find a trouble spot.</p>
<p>In the meantime, work really hard on those other apps, even if you’re discouraged. You’ll end up somewhere you love, even if it isn’t Duke. Keep a positive attitude and who knows…today’s disappointment may turn to elation come regular decision time. Good luck! Feel free to PM me if you have any other questions…</p>
<p>Just hoping we get a fair shot and trying to stay positive.</p>
<p>If we weren’t straight up rejected than there’s definitely something that they liked about all of us.</p>
<p>^^thanks for the encouragement, hl0523. It’s hard to cope with not getting in, no matter how much I tried preparing myself. What I’m trying to tell myself right now is that if you were accepted ED, you would’ve probably gotten in RD so I was close to that and still stand a shot RD, especially with a nice 2350 superscore (1570 by the Duke SAT adjustment) and more awards.</p>
<p>@hoopjones99: You have a good point. We all have something that made them NOT reject us. I just wonder what it will take to be one of these 5-10%.</p>
<p>Is it a bad idea to email my regional rep and ask about my application specifically (why i was deferred, what i was missing, what can i do)?</p>
<p>We all have something that made them NOT reject us.
← so true.</p>
<p>Good luck everyone! 
<em>fingers crossed</em></p>
<p>Already applied:
- University of Washington (Seattle)
- UT Austin
- Rutgers
- Ithaca College
- UC Santa Barbara, UC Santa Cruz, UC San Diego</p>
<p>Not sure if I’ll apply anywhere else, still thinking about it.</p>
<p>Does anyone know if being a deferred ED applicant helps in any way in the RD process?</p>