Do I have a chance???

Colleges and Universities A-Z Duke University
1

<p>I've dreamed of going to Duke for years and am now planning on applying ED. I know many of you just went through the process yourself and I would be very greatful if you could evaluate my chances at Duke based on your own personal experiences.</p>

<p>GPA: 3.8w but good grade trend (3.5 frosh... 3.6 soph... 4.3 junior)
Class Rank: 20/210</p>

<p>SAT I- M: 670<br>
CR: 790
W: 750</p>

<p>SAT II- US: 790
Bio: 750</p>

<p>AP- US His: 5 Bio: 5</p>

<p>ECs:
Basketball: 9-12
Cross Country:10-12 captain
National Honor Society: 12</p>

<p>So there it is. I would really appreciate any imput about my chances. Thanks.</p>

2

<p>I think you've got a good shot, especially if you apply ED. Your GPA is kinda low, and your ecs are kind of sparse, but a great essay (and interview, possibly) can make up for it. Good luck!</p>

3

<p>yeah ur stats seem good. just write a good essay and u should be in.</p>

4

<p>Isn't Duke getting harder to get into? </p>

<p>How do I look?</p>

<p>GPA
4.3 weighted
4.5 CP Weighted
4.71 Jr. Year GPA (4.83 if not counting TA)</p>

<p>New SAT
2230 total
800 verbal
710 math
720 Writing
(I'm retaking in September to bring up my math score and maybe my writing score)</p>

<p>SATII:
750 Math IIc
760 BioM
780 US History</p>

<p>APs:
-European History, US Hist, Biology, English language, all 5s,
-took honors french but took AP exam and scored 3,
-taking psychology, calculus, economics, and english lit next year</p>

<p>Also: accelerated biology, advanced english for frosh/soph years, Honors chemistry, honors trigonometry, honors french, and will be taking honors physics</p>

<p>Note: Two Bs, in 1st semester of frosh and soph year adv. english</p>

<p>Leadership
-Eagle Scout
-Boy Scout Leadership Positions: Assistant Senior Patrol Leader 2x, Instructor 2x, Junior Assistant Scoutmaster, Chaplains Aide, Patrol Leader, Philmont Trek Leader, Brownsea Junior Leadership Trained, Wolfboro Pioneer Patrol Leader, Order of the Arrow
-Junior Varsity Wrestling Team Captain, possibly Varsity Captain Next Year
-Rotary Business Competition Team Manager
-At work, 2nd in command to a crew of dancers (I DJ Mitzvahs, I answer to an MC)
-Soccer Referee
-Baseball Umpire</p>

<p>Extracurriculars
-Boy Scouts: up to 5 hours per week, 40 if there is a weekend outing
-Wrestling Team: 15 hours per week in wrestling season, 2-4 in off season
-National Honor Society-1 hour per week
-Cello- 3-5 hours per week</p>

<p>Volunteer
-Boy Scout Eagle project-100 hours
-Boy Scout Volunteer Work – majority done during middle school, around 100 hours, maybe 40-50 in HS – will be doing more, as patrol mates complete eagle projects and I help
-NHS volunteer work – 20 hours</p>

<p>Work
-Soccer Ref: Frosh/soph year, 4 hours per week during fall/winter
-Baseball Umpire: Frosh/Soph year, 3-6 hours per week
-Dancer at Mitzvah DJ company - 6 hours per week
-upgraded to DJ at same company - 10 hours per week (8 logged)</p>

<p>-trying to find summer job</p>

<p>Potential hooks: Eagle Scout, Unique Job (DJ), Essay topics (will include decision to tell friend's mom about drug use, desire to be psychiatrist)</p>

<p>Potential Pits: two Bs, not enough extracurrics or leadership?</p>

5

<p>way to steal my post</p>

6

<p>lol my bad. Ignore me!</p>

7

<p>anyone else?</p>

8

<p>do you do any other activities, affiliated with your school or not, in your free time? Your ECs are good in that you have done them for more than two years, but if you were to have others as well, that might help. Also, any awards? (don't worry about these, I only had like one or two when I applied because my school doesn't give many awards out to non-seniors. Still, having them never hurts).
Regarding the stats posted, I think your test scores are good. Is your 3.8 weighted? if so, what is your unweighted GPA? I think a 3.8 UW would be ok. If you were to submit a strong essay along with some great recs, I think you would be fine.</p>

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<p>SAT/AP scores are good. The two potential problems I see from what's posted is your GPA/courseload and EC's. You have to clarify a few things: what is the weighting system at your school (+0.5 for honors/AP, etc...)??? B/c many schools use different weighting systems and a 3.8 might be high at one school but not at another. Also, is your courseload very difficult in relation to your school, cuz some schools offer few AP's and 2 is max at those, but if your school offers 20 APs and you only took 2, that might not be so hot. Regarding EC's, do you have any out-of-school activities such as community service, jobs, play any instruments, etc... You might want to take the time to describe your involvement in your EC's in a paragraph or two (the app allows space to do this) as it will be more effective than merely listing them.</p>

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<p>Thank you for taking the time to reply leejwwc. I will try to answer the best I can. </p>

<p>GPA- The weighting system is +0.3 for honors, 0.5 for AP but I was always under the impression that colleges looked more closely at class rank anyways (because as you said, the way a school does GPA varies widely.) </p>

<p>Courseload- My school offers 5 AP classes, but you are only allowed to take 2 each year starting junior year. I took 2 last year and will take 2 this year so technically I took as many AP’s as my school offers. Other than that, each year I take 3 honors/ap’s and 2 level 1 (regular classes) in Spanish and math. For senior year, however, I am taking 2 AP’s and everything else honors (I got bumped up in Spanish and math) so really I’m taking the hardest courseload you possibly can as a senior. </p>

<p>Out of school EC’s- I’ve had a job for the past 3 years working at Community Rec basketball for seven hours each Saturday during basketball season. In addition, I have a job this summer filing papers at a doctor’s office. I also played piano for a few years but is that worth mentioning if I haven’t won any honors for it or really done anything with it (i.e. join the local band or whatever)? </p>

<p>That’s about it. Tell me what you think.</p>

11

<p>BigE1508 - Yes, class rank is more important than weighted GPA in most cases, at most schools, rank is determined by one's weighted GPA and it is the former that allows colleges to see the applicant's strength within his/her class and to a certain extent, the school. Your rank is not bad, but it doesn't really stand out - I went up to Blue Devil Days and if I recall correctly, there were close to a thousand vals who applied and about 1/2 got in - don't quote me on this, it might have been for something else. So you'll be against some sharp competition, and since ur doing ED, you won't really have a chance to boost it a little in time for them when they make a decision - so you should try to concentrate your strengths in the other parts of your application as that would be most efficacious. Considering the weighting system at your school, its really deflated lol (at my school its +1 for honors, +2 for AP/IB) but ur counselor will send a school profile up w/ his recommendation forms which will clear that up for the adcoms. Same w/ the AP courseload situation. You seem to have taken the hardest courseload possible at your school which is a very big plus! Remember that they look at ur app in the context of what opportunities were available to you and when they see that u maxed out, including senior year, they will appreciate that. Make sure tho that Duke knows about this (remind ur counselor to send up a school profile and make sure the courseload situation is stated in it, or u might want to tell them that yourself.) Your unweighted GPA is also important, and it seems to be kinda low (around 3.4-3.5??? I'm assuming based on the weights), but again u cant do much about it now.</p>

<p>EC's - Very athletically oriented which can quite possibly be ur hook. You don't have to be a prodigy at what you do, just deeply passionate and involved and from what u posted, u seem to be quite a bit involved in sports. Take the time to explain in a short letter about this commitment in your life, what it has taught you, what uve taken away from it, and how it has helped u to become who u are today. If u r truly passionate about it, tell them about it - show them. I was a very involved pianist and took the time to do this and it paid off in the end for me. Also, jobs are important - they are def considered. You might also want to take the time to tell them, if anything, what uve learned from working. Regarding piano, mentioning it won't hurt, its just another thing u can write down. I wouldnt concentrate too much on it tho if its not your passion.</p>

<p>Overall I'd say you have a 50/50 chance, but then again, I'm not an admissions person by far so don't take my word for it. The reason I say 50/50 is not because you're a weak applicant, its just b/c the competition u will be facing is very strong, or at least it most likely will be. The weakest parts of your app will most likely be ur UW GPA and to a lesser extent, ur EC's, but u can make up the latter by taking the time to write a very compelling explanation as Ive mentioned above.
I've said this many times b4 to others, but be sure to take the time and work on ur essays and the other subjective parts of your applications b/c thats what they will look to when ur in the gray area, prob like I was. Try hard to make the essays who u are, genuine, not fake. Remember, even tho they seem so distant, admissions ppl are human (at least I think) and they will appreciate a genuine story from a genuine person, just as you or I would. Good luck :)!</p>

<p>-Will</p>

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<p>Wow, thanks alot for the input leejwwc. I really appreciate it.</p>

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<p>How much will my mediocre class rank hurt me?</p>