<p>Hey</p>
<p>I'm new to these boards but I got a likely letter too. Pretty unexpected. What was that thing about a letter they sent to your parents?</p>
<p>Let me first say, I have no doubt these are excellent applicants...but also Duke's u.g. student population mainly stems from NC, Florida, and NY. So, I do think that the applicants who received the letter are from areas not strongly represented at Duke. Maybe I'm wrong (as I sure have been before!), but it would be interesting to know where each person is from who got the letter. I'm guessing, for the most part, they are not from NY, Florida, or NC.. Also, has anyone called the u.g. admissions office to ask?</p>
<p>how could they look over all the apps already to see which ones to send letters to?</p>
<p>That's not true at all: I know plenty of valedictorians wtih 1500+ who didn't get letters, while other people with lower stats are getting them. That means they're looking at content.</p>
<p>I think the geographic region theory is a bit flawed. I'm from California, and I'm more than positive that Duke has little trouble recruiting students here. I could be wrong though.</p>
<p>thethoughtprocess- How could they look over 18,000 apps? I'm more than sure it is possible. Apps are due in early January, so approximately two months of application reading could definitiely lead to some great prospects. The UC system here in Cali goes over 40,000+ applications and still gets the word out earlier than private schools. It's possible.</p>
<p>rdFury4- They sent out a letter addressed on the 14th to all the parents. Don't stress, it's basically a recap of what the main letter said, but I thought it was nice that they cared enough to send one to my parents.</p>
<p>Hope that answers a few questions.</p>
<p>ookatneyoo: Here's a link listing percentages/geographic regions (top 8 states); you're right about CA, at least--it comes in 4th, after NC, Florida, NY, at 6%.</p>
<p>oops.. I forgot to paste the link: <a href="http://www.aas.duke.edu/quickfacts.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.aas.duke.edu/quickfacts.html</a></p>
<p>I got a likely from New York, as did someone else from my school. I'm curious to see how many schools had multiple students receive letters.</p>
<p>I'm in Colorado and I got one. I don't buy the geography theory personally but if you need that info and want to use it to support that theory, then I guess that's fine.</p>
<p>so has anyone in NC recieved one? or anyone who applied to pratt?</p>
<p>anyone in FL get one?</p>
<p>Tigerfan: "The geography theory" was just that. I offered a suggestion, since so many people seem to be concerned that they didn't get THE letter. Since many of the people posting were from out west, I thought perhaps that was a valid suggestion. At any rate, I don't "need that info," but since I offered up the theory, I thought the geographic distribution link was useful. And, indeed, it was. Now we know people from NY are getting them, too, so it's not really a valid theory (did I say that already?) You seem to be real defensive, tigerfan.. (I'm thinking that, based on your screen name, you'd rather this letter have been from Princeton? Or is it because you <em>are</em> from a state not heavily represented at Duke?)
At any rate, as I have said several times before, I am not disputing the excellent caliber of the students who have received these letters, and gosh--most especially you, tigerfan. But since I am the person who first voiced sheer and utter disbelief over the now infamous letter, and since everyone here seemed to be concerned about how they were chosen, I thought I'd offer up that theory. Once again, tigerfan--that's just what it was--a theory. Perhaps when you get to Duke, they'll explain to you all about theories. An interesting note.. I do know a student who called the u.g. admissions office this week to ask about it. The Duke person on the phone (in the u.g. admissions office) denied that they send out letters like that, and said she knew "nothing at all about sending out a letter like that." I have no idea why someone from that office would deny it, and I have no idea why they'd only send out 350. I find it strange. Perhaps more importantly, I honestly don't care.</p>
<p>I'm from Charlotte (the largest city in North Carolina). I know of one other recipient of the letter in Charlotte.</p>
<p>denied it? now i sort of want to call and be like, "so, you didn't send a letter that says [insert letter here]?" it'd be funny to see their reaction.</p>
<p>I Want One So Badd!!!</p>
<p>i'm from CT</p>
<p>I probably won't get a likely admit letter... first because I'm not a "top of the line" applicant, and second because I am a deferred applicant. I am just happy because Duke received my supplemental CD and I am very proud of the work that I put into it. I even made copies for a few of my friends and family members :). What a relief... I mailed it in two weeks after the deadline and I guess they still accepted it.</p>
<p>seahorse...I was told that there was no deadline for us deferralees, for our supplemental material:) Hooray for still trying! We love Duke!</p>
<p>Jack, I'm really not defensive at all, I think you must have misread my tone. I was just saying I didn't think that a school like Duke would send out letters based on geography, though it may play a very small role in the decision. I'm a Detroit Tigers fan, not Princeton, didn't even apply there, but another interesting theory, and yes I know what a theory is. I really wasn't trying to be defensive or anything else, I don't really care why I got it, I just know I got it. Your theory was interesting and may have even seemed valid based on the posts, I wasn't trying to be a jerk about, just saying I didn't buy into it. If I were from NC and got the letter, would I have bothered saying that? I hope so, I think so, but who knows? My point is, I'm sorry if I seemed antagonistic or defensive, and good luck with everything.</p>
<p>Oh and I called the UG admissions office too with a question about the letter and they genuinely had no idea what I was talking about. I think it was sent out by the adcoms themselves and there weren't enough of them to bother telling the people who answer the phones about them. </p>
<p>Jack, reading your post again, I really don't appreciate your tone. "Perhaps when you get to Duke, they'll explain to you all about theories," and " gosh--most especially you, tigerfan." I never implied that I was any better or more qualified than anyone else, and I didn't take your theory as an attack on my qualifications because again, I don't really care, I got the letter either way. I really do wish you good luck with the admissions process at Duke and anywhere else you applied, and I kind of want an explanation about where this hostility comes from, because I really don't see how it's justified. Maybe when you get to Duke, they'll explain that people don't appreciate being called stupid or treated like children.</p>