Do I even have a chance here???

Colleges and Universities A-Z Duke University
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<p>GPA: 4.0 UW (my school doesn't have a weighted GPA)
1st Generation American
--this year i've taken: accelerated physics, ap bio, ap eng lit, french 3, medical skills terminology and emergency response, honors precalculus, the old west
--next year: ap psych, ap chem, ap calc bc, world religions, french 4 (AP at my school), trying to get into micro/macro, and comp gov't via online courses/dual enrollment, some other courses that I can't remember...
ACT: 30 (32 Math, 32 Reading, 30 English, 26 Science )
AP Bio Score: 5
AP Lit: 3</p>

<p>extracurriculars:
founder of youth group, secretary (9/10)
mun member (9)
mun secretary (10)
mun sec-gen (11/12--i've been re-elected for next year)
humanitarian club
student government
volunteer at a nearby hospital starting this year (will have about 70 hours by September)
math club
michigan math league
muslim student association
will join the french club
national honor society (10/11)
NHS treasurer (will be for 12th grade)
finally: Nine4Peace. made up of nine kids (duh...) we talked to michigan senators and got a bill introduced into the michigan legislature to help stop divestment to sudan (AND IT PASSED UNANIMOUSLY!!). we've also organized rallies to raise awareness about Darfur.</p>

<p>I've gotten around 12 awards from school for high grades. </p>

<p>I don't want to send in my SAT because it was very low. I took a few Subject Tests: Bio M- 780 and Math 2- 670 (i'm retaking, hoping for a higher score!) and French- lowwwww, I'm hoping since they only ask for two, they'll kinda ignore my french score! Subject Tests are optional, right?</p>

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<p>lol OF COURSE you have a chance! GPA's great, ECs are solid, scores are in the lower end of the 25/75 range, but nevertheless in range (if you can, retake the ACT and/or the SAT) </p>

<p>And you're right about SAT II scores...they'll only care about your best two. If you're just sending the ACT, though, you don't have to send any.</p>

<p>Overall, you definitely have a solid chance. Good luck!</p>

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<p>^^^...yep.</p>

<p>Definitely need to try to increase your test scores. The 12 school awards for grades are fairly lackluster, though, I wouldn't include those on an app if you have something else. You're grades are looked at closely with your GPA and your rank. You don't need other awards telling about them, imo.</p>

<p>Good luck! You definitely have a chance.</p>

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<p>yup you've definitely got an awesome shot. </p>

<p>one little note: i think you mean encourage divestment in Sudan, or discourage investment in Sudan.</p>

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<p>jct30, divestment (in terms of economics) is the opposite of investment. the bill that was passed was meant to cut michigan funding to companies that may have a role in the genocide. thanks for your feedback!!</p>

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<p>Yep, retake that ACT and send in your best one. You have a great chance at Duke (especially if you apply ED).</p>

<p>"I don't want to send in my SAT because it was very low."</p>

<p>Doesn't CB send in all your SAT scores, regardless if you want them to be shown or not?</p>

<p>YAY, my first post!</p>

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<p>Retake the ACT, and here's a tip for the science section: don't even try to read the passage. Seriously. Just skip straight to the questions, as they often just test how well you read the data charts and graphs. A lot of time is wasted trying to make sense of what's going on, but you don't really need to understand the scenario at all. With this method, I got a 36 on the science section with no other prep.</p>

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<p>^</p>

<p>haha i had that experience too. The science section is FAST. I kept on getting questions like "The stuff in plants that make them green is..." Like, i would look for it in the passage but in the end just know it was chlorophyll, or whatever.</p>

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<p>ummy, I agree with the others and say you have a very good chance of getting in (as I'm sure you know ;) ). The only problem I might see is your ACT score, but if I were part of the adcom, I'd overlook that due to your other accomplishments easily. Just be sure to get recs from teachers that know you were and write essays that mean something to you and you should be find. Good luck.</p>

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<p>

Wait, wouldn't the correct phrase still be "to encourage divestment" rather than "to stop investment" though? If not, then the concept is very counterintuitive.</p>

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<p>Yes, the correct phrase is "to encourage divestment." And its "in economic terms," not "in terms of economics." (Actually, it IS, in any general "term," since divestment really only has one modern usage, but its certainly not "in terms of economics.") </p>

<p>By "have a role in genocide," you mean they invest in companies like PetroChina (namely American investment banks, more notably hedge funds, which do not disclose their investments publicly). So you encouraged the Michigan State Legislature not to subsidize or provide public contracts to companies which invest in other companies like PetroChina, thereby encouraging DISVESTMENT from companies which, indirectly, fund genocide. </p>

<p>make sure you keep your terms clear in your app or they won't take Nine4Peace seriously.</p>

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<p>thanks for pointing that stuff out jct30. i know what Nine4Peace did, I should've done a better job in explaining it here. sorry</p>

<p>ah, i don't even know why i put in terms of economics...that sounds horrible!</p>

<p>sorry</p>

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<p>oh, and yeah the bill's goal was to encourage divestment from companies which (indirectly) fund genocide. </p>

<p>thanks and sorry about the mixup on my part jct30. </p>

<p>haha, i'm totally making myself look so stupid here...</p>