Do you think I have a shot at ED?

<p>I know that nobody can accurately predict admission chances, but do you guys think that I would be a competitive applicant for early decision? </p>

<p>Gender: Female
Ethnicity: White
State: PA</p>

<p>ACT: 33 (34E, 30M, 36R, 32S; 36E, 28M, 36R, 30S)
UW GPA: 3.9ish
W GPA: 4.331
Class rank: 8/387</p>

<p>Grades:</p>

<p>~Freshman year
Honors English 9: A
Honors Geometry: A-
Honors Physical Science: A
Honors American Cultures I: A+
Spanish I: A+
Physical Education: A
Band/Orchestra/Wind Ensemble: O (Outstanding -- we only have three grades: outstanding, satisfactory, incomplete)</p>

<p>~Sophomore year
Honors English 10: A
Honors Pre-calculus: B+
Honors Biology: A
AP U.S. History: A
Spanish II: A
Physical Education: A
Health: A+
Family & Consumer Sciences: A+
Band/Orchestra/Wind Ensemble: O</p>

<p>~Junior year
AP English Language & Composition: A+
AP Calculus AB: B+
Honors Chemistry: A
AP Human Geography: A
Honors Spanish III: A+
AP Psychology: A
Physical Education: A+
Band/Orchestra/Wind Ensemble: O</p>

<p>~Senior year schedule
AP English Literature & Composition
AP Calculus BC
AP Chemistry
Honors Physics
AP Government & Economics
AP European History
Honors Spanish IV
Band/Orchestra/Wind Ensemble</p>

<p>AP Grades:
APUSH - 5
AP Lang - 5
AP Psych - 5
AP Human Geo - 5
AP Calc AB - 4</p>

<p>Will have 11 APs overall</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:</p>

<p>~Music
Band/marching band (4 years)/section leader (2 years)
Orchestra (4 years)
Wind ensemble (audition only -- 4 years)
Tri-M Musical Honor Society (invitation only -- 2 years)</p>

<p>~Sports
Varsity swimming (2 years); I swam club for about 8 years, had to quit both school and club after my sophomore year because of knee and shoulder issues</p>

<p>~Academic
National Honor Society (2 years)
Spanish Club (2 years)/president (1 year)
Junior Engineering Technological Society (1 year)
Technology Student Association (2 years)</p>

<p>~Other
Peer mediation (4 years -- started in middle school though)/president (1 year)/head mediator (1 year)</p>

<p>Volunteer work:
I volunteer at a local free clinic year round, some 100+ hours of service.
Wrote a grant for said free clinic and got $5000 to buy medicine. That money will by medicine for 6 months, or roughly 3,180 patients.
Peer tutor year round</p>

<p>Job experience:
Lifeguard (3 years) -- summer job only</p>

<p>Awards/honors:
Outstanding AP English Language & Composition Student of the Year
National Merit Commended/Semi-Finalist (waiting on results)</p>

<p>Recommendations:
Will be excellent. I'm getting them from my AP Lang teacher who absolutely adores me, gushed about me at the awards ceremony for like 3 minutes. Getting another one from my Spanish teacher from junior year who asked me specifically to be a peer tutor and student assistant. Last recommendation will be from a Duke alum who knows me extremely well, family friend.</p>

<p>Essays:
Probably will be the strongest part of my application. Everyone always tells me that I'm an extremely talented writer, so I won't need much help there :) I intend to make them very unique; whenever I write, my personality always comes through. For my Why Duke? essay I have very specific reasons related to the academic programs Duke offers. I did my research and Duke is definitely the school for me.</p>

<p>Intended major: English
Am considering a career in law</p>

<p>So, what do you guys think? Sorry this was so long, but I'd really appreciate some input! Thanks!</p>

<p>Applying ED is probably a very smart idea due to the (very) high numbers of apps that Duke is getting these days. Remember that it’s really just a numbers game around here when you’re getting that many apps, but certainly at ED time there are a decimal point fewer apps to scan through. Also, most everyone who’s applying is going to look just like YOU.</p>

<p>So, use your strong writing background/passion for English and write the best essays that Duke has ever seen.</p>

<p>That will be your angle for differentiation.</p>

<p>the kitesurfer.</p>