Duke Policy regarding people from same school applying

<p>I'm planning to apply to Duke, and my friend is also applying in fall, both of us have similar stats and profiles. I heard some school reluctantly accepts people from the same school (Brown etc) if some others from the same school got in. Does that apply to Duke? If my friend gets in EA, will my chance of admission at RD diminished? Should I apply to Pratt instead of Trinity instead since i'm indecisive about my major (either biology or BME)?</p>

<p>my son and his best friend both got in to Trinity for Fall 2010 with similar statistics from the same independent school of under 100 kids. They both are going.</p>

<p>If it’s just you and your friend, I wouldn’t worry about it. Two people (including myself) got in from my school this year. I mean, if ten people with similar stats were applying from your school, then it might be a problem. But if it’s just two, it’s no big deal.</p>

<p>There’s also a historical aspect to this as well. While two people applying from a school will almost never be a problem, more can be if a large portion of those people consistently turn down a college. If historically, the school has a low number of people who accept offers compared to the number that is admitted, then I can certainly see how that can affect the chances of those that apply in subsequent years from the same school.</p>

<p>You should be fine. I don’t know how many people from my school applied, but 4 of us did get in RD and none of us, save for one, was super spectacular. We were all pretty “average” top students. And I go to a good, but not world-renowned, public school.</p>

<p>I was wondering the exact same thing when I applied from my high school along with another ~3 people (class of 84). I really don’t think it matters. The thing is I really think the reputation of your school matters more (!!!) than anything else in this respect. If its a well known school with a history of top students going to top schools (the college in question particularly) then colleges will accept multiple. My school is not yet like that (international), but I know of several schools of similar size that have sent 2-3 students to a single top college in a given year.</p>

<p>Yeah, my school’s not competitive. Only 1 kid from its entire hist. made Ivy</p>

<p>I just finished reading a book about college admissions written by a ex-admissions officer who worked at Duke for three years. I agree with the people above me; it seems that they do not directly compare you with others from your school, except in the case of what they called “coattails” decisions. Basically, they admitted a minority with decent qualifications, but were not planning on taking the valedictorian at the same school with better qualifications (but was white). They did end up taking him as a “coattails” decision, in order to prevent an uproar at the school. Essentially, they had to admit him to admit the guy they actually wanted. This was the only time that being from the same school as another applicant mattered at all in the book.</p>

<p>It all really depends on the strength of the applicants themselves</p>

<p>This year a total of 10 kids got in to Duke from my school, 1 ED and the rest RD. My school isn’t even a great feeder school or anything. I really think it’s all about the applicants.</p>

<p>7 people got in from my school, so I don’t really think you need to worry about it</p>