<p>Hey, I am applying to DUKE ED, yet, I feel worried about some statistics for the app such as how Duke has gotten way competitive based on the class of 2009 statistics. My SAT verbal score is a 690, which is in the lowest 25th percentile. My math score, 790, is good. My writing SAT II- 640, is ok. MY SAT IIS- math ii-800, i-760, phys-780, latin-720 are legit. Yet I feel like that because I have one bad category such as being in the 25th percentile and being below a 25th percentile in writing is not a good impression. I have always felt that to apply to a top caliber like Duke, you should exceed the minimum or at least be in the 50 percent range.</p>
<p>Also, I am worried that Duke has gotten really competitive ED, especially for Trinity where the rate is now 30% only. I really want to get into a school ED but I feel like I may be not putting my best foot forward using my ED on Duke instead of another school I equally like such as Vandy.</p>
<p>that low of a writing score is really really worrying
unless you write a superb essay that will make them go WOW! Then its looking pretty much like a rejection</p>
<p>y not apply to pratt ed, it might be a better shot for you</p>
<p>btw, Im a current freshman and my writing score was a 750 and my verbal was 780</p>
<p>Well... you can't look at the statistics like that. 25% of the people that got accepted to Duke last year had a SAT Verbal below 690. That means it IS very possible to get in with at 690. Remember that your application is about much more than these numbers, however, and that you should really focus on the more personal aspects of the application as well; neglecting these means rejection at these highly competitive schools since your scores are ok but aren't going to blow anyone away.</p>
<p>Though I don't recommend using ED unless you're 100% sure you want to go, you can take some comfort in that it's not as hard to get into Vanderbilt as it is to get into Duke. Don't get me wrong, it's definitely tough, but with your numbers I think you stand a good chance of being accepted to Vanderbilt RD if things don't work out early for Duke. There's always the risk of getting rejected by both if you sequence it like that, but if Duke is your #1 school, you shouldn't apply to Vanderbilt early and get in and then never know if you could've gotten in at Duke. If you truly like them both exactly the same, well, then that's a different story, and going for the easier one first would make the most sense, just get things over with and don't take chances. It's a tough decision. Good luck.</p>