@hayisforhorse You are right, it’s not all about test scores, but Duke wants to remain a Top10 school. Therefore, they can’t let their test scores slide in comparison to other schools – no matter what they say publicly. If Duke suddenly has an average 32 ACT and a 1450 SAT, and Vanderbilt or Emory get averages of 34 and 1500, then Duke isn’t Duke anymore. Let’s be realistic.They have to cull the herd of applicants somehow – after they fill their requirements for replacing graduating athletes.
Obviously, they are going to get more than enough applications with these scores, but the non-hooked applicants with lower test scores are going on the trash heap. Also, @mwolpert27 is right. The superscoring of the ACT meant a lot more students will think they are in the range. It’s just that the range will be last year’s range. Duke is superscoring in order to keep their numbers competitive. It will help the hooked applicants look better – not just the unhooked applicants. That’s part of Duke’s strategy to keep their scores and their athletic teams competitive.
Ok. HS Counselor showed me the Duke email today. Yes, 4850 applied ED. They expect an 18% admit rate on that pool, but once you subtract the recruited athletes, questbridge and best legacies, you would probably be at around an admit rate of 12%. @sanjanagupta1 , your admit rate would probably stay around 30%, b/c you’re legacy. So this won’t apply to you.
@sanjanagupta1: Sure, it would be better if your grandfather, father and brother went there and your family had donated $5M to the school, but, yes, if your brother is there, you would be a legacy.
@SlimJim005 I checked with my counselor today and a couple of my friends who applied checked with theirs and none of our counselors got that email about the 18% admit rate. I’m sure it’s true but I’m wondering why they didn’t get the email
Also, would my cousin be considered legacy? I know it’s mostly primary family members, but the app only asked for parents and grandparents so if siblings make a difference would cousins?
@madp01: I don’t think cousins would count. I asked about that at Georgetown event b/c I have a 1st cousin who went to Georgetown for grad school, and the Georgetown rep said that cousins don’t count. Duke may view it differently, but …
@madp01: I don’t know why my HS received this email. I had heard about it elsewhere on CC, and I didn’t really want to believe it. Today, I saw the email. It is an official, blanket email and came from Guttenberg, Dean of Admissions.
@SlimJim005 Ok thanks that’s what I thought too. Although I’m curious bc Duke only specifically asked for parents/grandparents on their app so would siblings hold the same weight too…
@madp01 my cousin is a duke alumni and interviews. I wanted to put her down on my app but I didn’t see the place to put it down. where did u put it down?
@sanjanagupta01 I didn’t specifically put down my cousin on the app. There was a yes/no question asking if I had any family members who attend/attended duke and I said yes. Then it asked if that person was a parent/grandparent and I said no. That was it
@madp01 but if they had a different last name how would they know it’s your cousin? even if u had the same last name how would they know u guys r cousins
@sanjanagupta1 idk. We actually do have the same last name lol but looking back I don’t think it means that much since I didn’t provide my cousin’s name. But doesn’t that go for siblings too? Did you put your siblings’ name down
@madp01 yes I put her name down, it asks for siblings names and even on the common app too it asks for your siblings names and where they go to college.e