<p>Will the spike in applicant rate due to Duke’s recent NCAA championship hurt or help somewhat strong candidates applying? I’m assuming that most of the people who wouldn’t have considered Duke before the big win are students to whom sports, rather than academics, are more important, and therefore may not have as good of statistics.</p>
<p>RD international from Canada (:</p>
<p>Dean Guttentag said that he doesn’t think the NCAA championship will affect admissions numbers because Duke is already such a well known school. For schools like Butler, it may make a difference.</p>
<p>Yeah, I don’t think it will make a meaningful difference. There may be some more athletic recruits taking a second look at Duke, but I doubt most students who wouldn’t have applied to Duke will apply just because they won a basketball game :)</p>
<p>Go DUKE!!! Applying ED for sure.</p>
<p>RD. I really loved Duke, but I’m insanely indecisive.</p>
<p>Anybody else applying for Robertson?</p>
<p>I’ll definitely be applying. It’s worth a shot</p>
<p>I am thinking about ED, but won’t finish my SAT Subject Test till Nov test date. Webite indicates that Oct is the test deadline. Not sure if they will make an exception and take Nov scores. Any idea?</p>
<p>Applying RD for sure even though it’s a total reach! Everyone has a dream, right?</p>
<p>I think I’ll apply Early Decision… However I might not apply at all if I can’t get my standardized scores up!</p>
<p>I’m going to apply early decision. Single mother home with great academic creds and great e-crics. Hopefully I get in.</p>
<p>Maybe I can go to my interview with my title game ticket for some brownie points :D</p>
<p>Polar-Bear: Duke has generally taken the November testing scores for ED in the years past. I believe they get the scores from CB electronically, which means there’s practically no delay between when your scores are released and when they get them. You, however, must put down Duke as a score recipient when you register for the SAT/SATII so that there’s no delay in transmitting the scores. You might also want to call admissions and confirm this with them as things may have changed what with the increasing number of applications they get every year.</p>
<p>Last year I went to Exploring College Options and that’s where I was first introduced to Duke. I really want to apply ED but I’m extremely worried that I’ll be denied when I could have tried to improve scores or something along those lines if I had applied RD. </p>
<p>Zack: I’m middle class as well but the Duke representative at ECO explained that Duke now has a different system of deciding financial aid based on the FAFSA. The fact that they don’t count your home as equity anymore really helps a lot. I come from a family of ten kids so I’m hoping that helps with my financial aid. </p>
<p>Either way, I’m trying to apply ED. Even if you apply ED and sign the agreement, if Duke doesn’t grant you enough financial aid YOU CAN BACK OUT. Lastly, I agree with Carmella, Reach for your dream. :)</p>
<p>^ Regarding the above, I’d say that almost any improvement in test scores (short of something like a 500-point jump) will not be sufficient to make up for the difference between ED and RD. The ED acceptance rate is somewhere in the neighborhood of 20-30% whereas the RD rate is easily half of that if not less. If your stats are at least qualifying (aka, if Duke isn’t too much of a rich school) and your financial considerations allow it and Duke is absolutely your number 1 choice, then ED is definitely better and holding out for a better score is probably a bad idea. </p>
<p>Regarding backing out of ED, there was a long discussion about this topic this past spring. The consensus is that backing out of ED is extremely difficult and not a viable backup option. In the end, when you are accepted ED, whether or not you can afford Duke is no longer your decision, rather, it becomes up to Duke whether or not you can. And that basically puts Duke in a conflict of interest with the applicant at a disadvantage. Needless to say, do not apply for Duke ED if you are not ready to bite the bullet and pay for it if the FA package is not to your satisfaction.</p>
<p>Applying early decision to Duke as a black male from Canada.</p>
<p>91% GPA, still need to take the SATs; I’m hitting 2250 right now hoping for 2300+ by October 10th :)</p>
<p>I never knew this website existed until a few weeks ago! This is so awesome haha!</p>
<p>But yeah, I’ve decided I’m taking the plunge and applying to Duke RD. I have a whole list of schools I need to visit first though, this is nerve-wrecking! I just want this whole process to be over and done with! haha</p>
<p>I changed my mind and will be applying ED!</p>
<p>oh mahh god</p>
<p>RD! Potential Major:International Relations!</p>