Duke Chances Pratt/Trinity & ED/RD ???

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

4.0 Unweighted
4.875 Weighted
32 ACT (34 Math 34 Reading 30 Writing 28 Science)
2130 SAT (760 Math 700 Writing 670 Reading)
Freshmen Year - Geometry, English, Biology, World History, and 4 **** electives (I was a dumb freshman)
Sophomore Year - AP Human Geography, Honors Chem, Honors English 2, Honors Algebra 2, Honors Pre-Calc, Food 1, Latin 1, Honors Microsoft Excel
Junior Year - AP Calc AB, AP Environmental Science, AP Calc BC, Latin 2, Honors Microsoft Word, Honors American History 1, Honors English 3, and Honors Foods 2.
Senior Year - AP Gov, AP Stat, AP Physics 1, Honors American History 2, Honors Holocaust&Genocide, Honors Business Law, Honors English 4, Honors Civics

^^^Summary: All core classes Honors, 7 AP’s total, all A’s.

Extra Curriculars
4 JV Cross Country letters (Captain 2 years)
11 years of piano
3 years of soccer
Founder of DREAM Club, VP Junior Year and President Senior Year
4 years of Environmental Club
2 years of Model UN Club
16 months of part-time (16 hr per week) job at a Retirement Community
NHS (2 years) and Secretary (1 year)
NTHS (1 year)
Go Club (4 years)
Accepted to and attended residential Biomedical engineering camp at NC State

I’m also an AP Scholar (but seriously who isn’t lol) and won Superior Delegation at the App State Model UN Conference

DREAM Club is some club I started where we place incoming refugees in local homes - last year our big project was finding an apartment for a family from Syria and we got all the supplies and furniture and set it all up for them.

So my question is - Pratt or Trinity? I might transfer between them once I get in (I’m deciding between Comp Sci and Comp Engineering so it doesn’t really matter too too much) but I just want to know which will boost my chances. At first I thought being a white girl I’d have a better shot at Pratt, especially since my application clearly shows I’m very math and science oriented, but I’m not too sure now.

ALSO - SHOULD I GO ED? I know it’s super expensive and after grants and scholarships if my tuition is still over 30,000 I don’t think I’ll be able to attend, and when I used the admissions price calculator it estimated I’d be paying 30,000. Should I risk it? If I get 30 (or a little over but no more than 35) then I will definitely be attending Duke, and I REALLY want to go, but if they don’t give me enough money I’d be stuck.

I’m in-state, which I also know helps. I just want to maximize my admission chances as much as possible.

THANKS!

Side note - please don’t be too mean. I know Duke is a reach for me, it’s a reach for everyone, so feel free to let me know how my chances are in addition to answering my 2 questions, but I already know it’s a reach. Thanks!

2

I would try Trinity. Go ED if Duke is your absolute top choice. Another thing to consider is a retake of your standardized tests. You may want to get a 2250+ or 34+ and apply regular, but thats your call. I think your chances are very good if you pull your test scores up.

3

Hi - its good that you’re a NC resident, as they do tend to take approx 11-12% people from the Carolinas each year.

However I see that your SAT/ACTs are a bit on the lower side. Based on the class of 2019 profile your SATs would be at the 35th percentile for Trinity and the 15th percentile for Pratt. Your ACT scores are similar.

The formula that they use at Pratt triple-counts the standardized test scores, whereas at Trinity it is only double-counted.

So with scores below the median as a unhooked student, it doesn’t look good (esp Pratt). You might have better chances at Trinity, esp if you apply ED.

What is your class rank? A lot will hinge upon that, and your essays.

4

@sattake @sgopal2 I’m 34/650. I go to the #1 ranked public school in the state and in the past Duke has accepted around 5 kids from my school alone per year. How did you find out about the triple-count and double-count stuff? I’ve never read that anywhere (I completely believe you but I’ve just never heard that).
If I get denied from ED does my app go into the RD pool, and is it still binding at that point? Also, with my scores, do I even have a chance if I don’t go ED?
I would definitely retake ACT - I only took it once and didn’t study (didn’t even know there was an essay whoops) but I actually studied for the SAT so I doubt it would go much higher, but I’m not currently signed up for the next ACT, so would that count me out of sending those scores for the ED process?
Thank you sooooo much I’m freaking out - why do I always leave these crucial decisions to literally days before ahhh

5

No, if you’re rejected ED then you are rejected from Duke. If you are deferred, then you can apply again in RD, and that is not binding. Try ED, if you get deferred, then retake ACT(you should anyways for RD) and apply again RD.

6

@maisiekate You can be accepted, deferred, or rejected. If you are deferred you are placed in the RD pool and it is no longer binding. However if you are worrying about whether or not its still binding are you absolutely sure Duke is the school you want to go to? Only ED to a school (not just Duke) if you can afford it no matter the financial aid package and would be 100% happy there no matter what.

I would say you still have a chance RD.

7

Hello - The details about the double-counting (Trinity) and triple-counting (Pratt) is written in Rachel Toor’s book. After looking at this a bit more closely, I take back my previous comment. You probably have a better shot at Pratt. Based upon what you wrote above, here is where I would score you:

Curriculum: 5
Achievement: 5
Recs: 4
Essays: 3
ECs: 3
Test scores: 2

For details on the ratings and categories, see this article in the Duke Chronicle: http://www.dukechronicle.com/article/2015/03/ferpa-request-gives-inside-look-duke-admissions-process

My guess is that your score for Trinity would be approx 44/60 and 72/100 for Pratt. Unfortunately your test scores are weighing you down. Toor wrote in her book that a summed score of <47 was an auto-deny for Trinity, and <67 for Pratt. The reason is that Pratt tends to put more emphasis on test scores and grades, so thats why your score is higher. Toor wrote the book in 2001, so its a bit dated.

So it looks like your application will probably be headed for committee for a final say. Once in committee, its a bit of a crapshoot, as it depends on who else from your school/region is applying and the general strength of the applicant pool.